Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Effects Of Resistance Training On Muscle Quality Index, Muscle Strength, Functional Capacity, And Serum Immunoglobulin Levels Between Obese And Non-Obese Older Women, Paulo Roberto Silva Junior, Dahan Da Cunha Nascimento, Ivo Vieira De Sousa Neto, Silvana Schwerz Funghetto, Ramires Alsamir Tibana, James W. Navalta, Fabiani Lage Rodrigues Beal, Jonato Prestes

Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

International Journal of Exercise Science 14(7): 707-726, 2021. Considering the negative impact of obesity on neuromuscular and immune systems, we sought to compare the effects of a 10-week resistance training (RT) program on muscle quality index (MQI), muscle strength, functional capacity, and immunoglobulins in older women with and without obesity. Thirty-nine older women participated in the present study (age: 69.02 ± 6.16, fat (%): 38.80% ± 6.28) and underwent a linear RT program performed on two non-consecutive days of the week. Body composition, functional tests, immunoglobulins, muscle quality of upper and lower limbs and absolute muscular strength of the upper …

Exercise As A Mitigator Of Poor Mental Health Among Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Adults, Jennifer R. Pharr, Jason D. Flatt, Lung-Chang Chien, Axenya Kachen, Babayemi O. Olakunde

Environmental & Occupational Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: There is a positive association between exercise and improved mental health in the general population. Although there is a greater burden of psychological distress among lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, little is known about the association between exercise and mental health in this population. The authors explored the association between exercise and poor mental health reported by LGB adults in the United States. Methods: Our analyses used data from the 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the association between exercising and mental health days adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Data …

Context Matters: Construct Framing In Measures Of Physical Activity Engagement Among African American Women, Stephanie M. Mcclure, Travis Loux, Enbal Shacham, Eileen Gillespie, Denise Hooks-Anderson

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Assessment of psychosocial factors influencing health behavior typically privileges conceptual consistency (framing constructs similarly across contexts) over conceptual specificity (context-specific framing). Modest statistical relationships between these factors and health behaviors, and persistent racial disparities in health outcomes raise questions about whether conceptually consistent framing fully captures relevant predictors. Ethnographic studies suggest not - that perceptions influencing health behaviors are multifaceted and contextual. To test this, we added items querying contextualized predictors of intention to engage in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) to a Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)-based survey and examined the psychometrics of the adapted subscales. We measured internal consistency …

The Impact Of Pedestrian Crossing Flags On Driver Yielding Behavior In Las Vegas, Nv, Sheila Clark, Courtney Coughenour, Kelly Bumgarner, Hanns De La Fuente-Mella, Chantel Reynolds, James Abelar

Public Health Faculty Publications

Walking is the most affordable, accessible, and environmentally friendly method of transportation. However, the risk of pedestrian injury or death from motor vehicle crashes is significant, particularly in sprawling metropolitan areas. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pedestrian crossing flags (PCFs) on driver yielding behaviors. Participants crossed a marked, midblock crosswalk on a multilane road in Las Vegas, Nevada, with and without PCFs, to determine if there were differences in driver yielding behaviors (n = 160 crossings). Trained observers recorded (1) the number of vehicles that passed in the nearest lane without yielding while the …

Analysis Of Self-Reported Walking For Transit In A Sprawling Urban Metropolitan Area In The Western U.S., Courtney Coughenour, Hanns De La Fuente-Mella, Alexander Paz

Public Health Faculty Publications

Walkability is associated with increased levels of physical activity and improved health and sustainability. The sprawling design of many metropolitan areas of the western U.S., such as Las Vegas, influences their walkability. The purpose of this study was to consider sprawl characteristics along with well-known correlates of walkability to determine what factors influence self-reported minutes of active transportation. Residents from four neighborhoods in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, targeted for their high and low walkability scores, were surveyed for their perceptions of street-connectivity, residential-density, land-use mix, and retail–floor-area ratio and sprawl characteristics including distance between crosswalks, single-entry-communities, high-speed streets, shade, …

Exploring The Cultural Perceptions Of Physical Activity Among Transnational Nigerian Immigrants, Kelechi D. Ibe-Lamberts, Daudet Ilunga Tshiswaka, Abi Fapohunda

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: Transnational Nigerian Immigrants, as other Transnational African Immigrants, are a subset of African immigrants with the unique ability to sustain multi-national ties. These ties could potentially affect health behavior choices and participation in physical activity. Physical Activity has the potential to improve health and prevent chronic diseases; however, there is a lack of literature regarding physical activity and its determinants within the Transnational African Immigrant population in general. This study investigated the cultural factors that shape Transnational Nigerian Immigrants’ perceptions and attitudes towards physical activity.

Methods: Semi-structured, individual interviews supported by photo-elicitation were conducted on 24 Transnational …

Modeling Bmi, Dietary Habits, And Physical Activity Among Ethnically Diverse Urban College Students, Hollie Jones, Nicholas Freudenberg, Lorraine Mongiello

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Objectives The objective of this research study was to examine the relationship between BMI, physical activity, dietary habits, and student demographic factors (age, ethnicity, income, immigration, and sex). Given the association between overweight and obesity and the inequitable burden of chronic health conditions among ethnic minority populations, a deeper understanding of the socioeconomic, gender, age, and racial/ethnic variation in BMI, physical activity, and dietary habits is needed. The shifting demographics of urban college populations make urban college campuses an important setting for addressing the lifetime health needs of ethnically diverse urban populations.

Methods In this cross-sectional non-experimental study, we used …

The Feasibility Of Delivering A Home-Based Motivational Exercise Program To African-American Breast Cancer Survivors, Denise Spector, Claudio Battaglini

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Most African-American breast cancer survivors do not meet current exercise recommendations for cancer survivors, which include both aerobic and strength-training exercises. This pilot study tested the feasibility of delivering a home-based exercise intervention to African-American breast cancer survivors. Sedentary African-American breast cancer survivors were recruited for a 16-week motivational home-based progressive aerobic and strength-training exercise pilot study. Participants completed weekly exercise logs and received weekly phone calls. To assess feasibility, we evaluated recruitment, retention, and adherence rates, as well as participant acceptance and safety. 17 women enrolled; 13 completed the intervention (76%). Participants had moderately-high adherence (70%) to walking goals, …

Gathering Perspectives On Extended Family Influence On African American Children's Physical Activity, Natasha A. Brown, Katherine Clegg Smith, Rachel L.J. Thornton, Janice V. Bowie, Pamela J. Surkan, Darcy A. Thompson, David M. Levine

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Background: The family environment is a key determinant of children’s physical activity. The importance of the extended African American family is well established, but there is little research on its influence on school age children’s physical activity. Methods: We recruited eight families in which grandparents and other adult relatives played a central role in child supervision. Semi-structured interviews with parents, other adult relatives, and children revealed various perspectives on the influences of culture and families on children’s weight-related behaviors. Results: Children were between the ages of 6 and 11, and five of the families resided in neighborhoods in which at …

The Effects Of Environmental Prompts On Stair Usage, Lori Andersen, Tim Bungum, Sheniz Moonie Phd

Nevada Journal of Public Health

Experts have advocated exercise with little success, and have turned to encouraging physical activity by incorporating it into daily activities such as taking the stairs over elevators. Much literature exists suggesting that environmental prompts can encourage the use of stairs and literature has established that some messages may be more effective than others. This study aimed to assess the effects of selected signage prompts on stair usage. Methods: Stair and elevator use were monitored in three, two-story buildings. One building served as a control, while a fitness message was placed in another building, and the final building received a weight …

An Assessment Of A 13-Week Teaching Gardens Intervention On Healthy Behavior Outcomes In 4th And 5th Grade Students At Crestwood Elementary School In Las Vegas, Nevada, Miranda Corgiat

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Nearly 13 million children and adolescents are considered to be obese in the United States, with children enrolled in Clark County School District showing elevated overweight and obese weight statuses compared to national averages. Carrying an excessive amount of weight can lead children to experience a multitude of complications with their physical and mental health as well as increase their risk of developing various chronic diseases. The American Heart Association's Las Vegas Teaching Gardens program implemented a school-based garden pilot study to target environmental causes of obesity in 4th and 5th grade students at Crestwood Elementary School. The objective of …

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model: Assessing Exercise Behavior In African Americans In A Church-Based Setting, Robin Marie White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sedentary behavior rates are higher among African-American men and women than in other American races and ethnicities, placing them at greater risk for chronic illness. Routine physical activity reduces the risk of chronic health problems such as: (a) overweight and obesity, (b) type 2 diabetes, (c) hypertension, (d) coronary artery disease, (e) stroke, (f) congestive heart failure, and (g) cancers. Assessment of African-Americans' exercise attitudes in a church-based setting may provide information with which to develop effective interventions to improve physical activity. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used components of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to assess whether any associations exist between …

An Examination Of Walkability In The Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, Courtney Coughenour

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Introduction: The benefits to regular physical activity are well established. Walkability is one element of the built environment that has been correlated with increased levels of physical activity. The auto-centric design of Las Vegas Metropolitan area (LVMA) is unique in ways that may influence walkability. The purpose of this study was to determine which urban design characteristics are associated with walking and physical activity in moderate income neighborhoods in LVMA. Methods: The standard walkability measure developed by Frank et al. (2010) was used to calculate the walkability index of seven neighborhoods. Residents of the two most walkable and two least …

Promoting Physical Activity In Low Income African Americans: Project Laps, Dorothy W. Pekmezi, Brooke L. Barbera, Jamie S. Bodenlos, Glenn N. Jones, Phillip J. Brantley

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Low income African Americans are at increased risk for physical inactivity and related chronic illnesses. Thus, effective interventions are needed to address these health disparities. The current study examined the efficacy of a home-based physical activity intervention among a low income African American sample with high rates of chronic illnesses (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol). Participants (n=214) were randomly assigned to either the home-based physical activity intervention (self-help print materials, five monthly newsletters, two telephone counseling sessions) or an attention control condition, which promoted healthy diet. Results indicated that the intervention did not produce significantly greater increases in physical activity …

Walking Increases Among African American Adults Following A Community-Based Physical Activity Intervention: Racial And Ethnic Approaches To Community Health, 2002–2005, I. W. Miles, J. Kruger, Y. Liao, S. A. Carlson, J. E. Fulton

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010, a communitybased program, is a cornerstone of CDC’s efforts to eliminate racial and ethnic health disparities. Six African American REACH sites implemented walking interventions as part of their plans to decrease health disparities. We evaluated changes in walking using annual evaluation assessments (2002–2005) from the REACH 2010 Risk Factor Survey. Walking was classified 3 ways: (1) any walking (≥ 10 minutes per week); (2) regular walking (≥ 30 minutes each day, ≥ 5 days per week); and (3) median minutes of walking per week. Any walking increased from 68.3% in 2002 …

Effects Of Environmental Prompts On Stair Usage, Lori Andersen

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether environmental prompts placed in two-story buildings on a university campus would increase stair usage. Three buildings were used. One served as a control, while the other two received an intervention. Participants of three buildings were observed taking the stairs and elevator for seven weeks. Baseline data was collected; signs were introduced, and then removed during this time period. Approximately 2700 observations were collected. Environmental prompts did not appear to increase stair usage. There were significant differences in the amount of stair users between buildings. The stair usage rates of this particular …

Recent High School Graduates Knowledge About Physical Activity Guidelines And Disease Related To Sedentary Lifestyle, Soojin Yoo

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examined recent high school graduates' knowledge about physical activity (PA) guidelines and disease related to sedentary lifestyle. Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, focus was on assessing knowledge performance and relating it to gender, ethnicity, PA behavior, and conceptualizations about high school health education (HE) and physical education (PE). Study participants were 394 recent high school graduates between the ages of 18-20 years of age. Participants completed a questionnaire designed to measure knowledge about PA guidelines and disease associated with sedentary lifestyle. In addition, the questionnaire also comprised items designed to capture demographical information and provide some information about …