Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Genetic Variations In The Dopamine Reward System Influence Exercise Reinforcement And Tolerance For Exercise Intensity, Kyle D. Flack, Christopher Pankey, Kelsey Elise Ufholz, Luann Johnson, James N. Roemmich

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Background: Exercise is a reinforcing behavior and finding exercise highly reinforcing is characteristic of habitual exercisers. Genotypes related to dopamine metabolism moderate the reinforcing value of behaviors, but genetic moderators of exercise reinforcement have not been established.

Purpose: Determine whether singular nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that moderate central reward pathways and pain neurotransmission are associated with exercise reinforcement, tolerance for exercise intensity, and usual physical activity.

Methods: Adults (n = 178) were measured for the reinforcing value of exercise relative to sedentary activities (RRV_exercise), minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and completed the Preference for and Tolerance …

Heart Failure Readmission And The Physical Activity Vital Sign (Pavs): Is There A Relationship?, Jacob Aaron Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

Background - Heart failure costs Americans billions of dollars a year and takes a toll on the patients afflicted by the disease. Recent changes in how healthcare systems and providers are reimbursed have motivated them to find new ways to prevent heart failure readmission. There is no cure for heart failure so healthcare providers try to help patients manage their symptoms. Physical activity is one of the interventions healthcare providers recommend for their patients in the management of heart failure. The Physical Activity Vital Sign is a tool that can be quickly administer and has significant validity. Objective - The …

Increasing The Reinforcing Value Of Exercise In Overweight Adults, Kyle D. Flack, Kelsey Elise Ufholz, Luann Johnson, James N. Roemmich

Dietetics and Human Nutrition Faculty Publications

Objectives: This study determined whether a moderate- or high-dose exercise program increases exercise reinforcement. Increasing the relative reinforcing value of exercise (RRV_exercise; i.e., incentive sensitization of exercise) may increase the usual physical activity (PA) participation. Preference and/or tolerance for the intensity of exercise was also assessed.

Design: Sedentary men and women (body mass index, BMI: 25–35 kg/m²) were randomized into parallel exercise training groups expending either 300 (n = 18) or 600 (n = 18) kcal/exercise session, five sessions/week, for 12 weeks.

Methods: The RRV_exercise was determined by how much …

Physical Activity Prevalence Among Migrants In United Arab Emirate, Rowaa Elhidia Elobaid Abd-Allatif

Dissertations

Insufficient physical activity is a leading risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Few data were available on the physical activity levels of migrants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to determine leisure time physical activity levels and their associated socio-demographic determinants and NCD risk factors among migrants in Al Ain, UAE. A random sample of male South Asian migrants (n=1375) (76.4% response rate) and female South Asian, Arab, and Philippines migrants (n=555) (75% participation rate) was recruited from the government Visa Screening Center in Al Ain, UAE. An adapted version of the WHO STEPS Survey with a short …

A Profile Of Physical Activity In The City Of Knoxville's Lonsdale Park, Carly Scot Eakin

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Experimental Investigation Examining The Effects Of Acute Exercise On Implicit Memory Function, Paul D. Loprinzi, Morgan Gilbert, Gina Robinson, Briahna Dickerson

Faculty and Student Publications

© 2019, PsychOpen. All rights reserved. Emerging work suggests that acute exercise can enhance explicit memory function. Minimal research, however, has examined whether acute exercise is associated with implicit memory, which was the purpose of this study. Three separate experimental studies were computed (N = 120; Mean age = 21). In Experiment 1, participants were randomly assigned to either a moderate-intensity bout of acute exercise (15-minute) or engaged in a seated control task (15-minute), followed by the completion of a word-fragmentation implicit memory task. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1, but instead employed a higher-intensity exercise protocol. For Experiment 3, participants …

Health Behaviors Of Athletic Trainers, Zachary K. Winkelmann, Maura E. Shea, Kelcey C. Granger, Lindsey E. Eberman, Kenneth E. Games

Journal of Sports Medicine and Allied Health Sciences: Official Journal of the Ohio Athletic Trainers Association

Purpose: Health behaviors, such as diet, tobacco, and physical activity, may serve to prevent disease and promote wellness throughout the population including athletic trainers (AT). Good health behaviors act as disease prevention measures to decrease prevalence of pathologies. Hours of sleep, substance use, nutritional intake, and physical activity are behaviors that may impact the health of athletic trainers (AT). The objective of the study was to describe health behaviors of ATs in comparison to the general population and recommended behaviors. Methods: We used a cross-sectional, web-based survey of clinically practicing ATs recruited from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association member database. …

Effects Of Acute Physical Activity On Nih Toolbox-Measured Cognitive Functions Among Children In Authentic Education Settings, H. G. Calvert, J. M. Barcelona, D. Melville, L. Turner

University Author Recognition Bibliography: 2019

Introduction: Identifying a dose of physical activity (PA) that can improve cognitive function in children has important implications for school-day PA recommendations. Researchers and educators have interest in this link as it relates to both health and academic performance. This study examined the dose-response relationship between PA and improvement in cognition in a sample of fifth and sixth grade students.

Methods: Participants (n = 156) from eight classes each completed two of four different cognitive assessments on an iPad, both before and after exposure to one of four randomized, 10-min PA conditions (sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous). Conditions …

Associations Among Neighborhood Socioeconomic Deprivation, Physical Activity Facilities, And Physical Activity In Youth During The Transition From Childhood To Adolescence, Morgan N. Clennin, Min Lian, Natalie Colabianchi, Andrew Kaczynski, Marsha Dowda, Russell R. Pate

Faculty Publications

Background: This study aims to examine the longitudinal association of neighborhood socioeconomic deprivation (SED) with physical activity in youth during the transition from elementary to middle school, and to determine if access to physical activity facilities moderates this relationship. Methods: Data were obtained from the Transitions and Activity Changes in Kids (TRACK) study, which was a multilevel, longitudinal study designed to identify the factors that influence changes in physical activity as youth transition from elementary to middle school. The analytic sample for the current study included 660 youth with complete data in grades 5 (baseline) and 7 (follow-up). A repeated …

Energy Cost Of Land And Shallow Water Walking In Females Who Are Overweight And Obese, Jacquelyn N. Zera, Elizabeth F. Nagle, Bethany B. Gibbs, John P. Abt, John M. Jakicic

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Nineteen overweight or obese females completed three 10-minute experimental trials including a self-selected pace shallow water walking trial, a matched heart rate response land walking trial, and a self-selected pace land walking trial. Energy expenditure (kcal·min^-1)was computed from expired gases assessed via indirect calorimetry. Results showed energy expenditure was lower (p= 0.046) during shallow water walking (6.46 ± 1.38 kcal·min^-1) compared to matched heart rate response land walking trial (7.26 ± 1.29 kcal·min^-1), with no significant difference in between shallow water and self-selected pace land walking (6.92 ± 1.61 kcal·min^-1). …

Perceptions And Motivation Toward Water Safety And Aquatic Activities In College Students, Jorge Olaves, Ezzeldin R. Aly, Asherah N. B. Allen, Maria Okeke

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

As individuals reach adulthood there is a substantial reduction of participation in physical activities. Quality instruction in various physical activities, more specifically aquatics, are beneficial to an individual’s health and career. This current study examined college student’s perceptions and motivations towards the impact of aquatic instruction and water safety skills. Participants included 265 college students between the ages of 19 and 30 years old (n = 147 males, n = 118 females), enrolled in aquatic-related courses at two Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Researchers used a mixed-method approach where the findings indicated that 72% of the participants reported the …

An Interdisciplinary Framework For Impacting Older Adults Health And Physical Activity, Christopher J. Dondzila, Elaine Vandoren

Funded Articles

The exploration of feasible and cost-effective strategies is warranted to mitigate rising healthcare costs and lessen the impact of chronic diseases, functional decline, and disability in older adults. The overwhelming sedentariness of older adults is accompanied by a lack of expertise by healthcare professionals in exercise programming that acknowledge factors influencing physical activity (PA) patterns. We present a framework for a nursing/exercise science interdisciplinary effort to increase PA and improve health in older adults via the delivery of individually tailored exercise programming for an 8-week intervention. Results from this study will be integral in translating effective interdisciplinary efforts across diverse …

An Exploration Of Supports For Increasing Classroom Physical Activity Within Elementary Schools, Hannah G. Calvert, Julianne A. Wenner, Lindsey Turner

Curriculum, Instruction, and Foundational Studies Faculty Publications and Presentations

Classroom-based physical activity (CBPA) can significantly benefit students’ health and educational outcomes, but many teachers do not utilize CBPA. This study examined teachers’ perceptions about the value and impact of several approaches to support CBPA implementation, and teachers’ weekly self-reported CBPA use. Interviews were conducted with 35 classroom teachers (including those using and not using CBPA) at two public elementary schools, and CBPA tracking logs were collected on a weekly basis. Interview transcripts were interpreted through key domains within implementation science. On average, teachers reported using one activity every other day. Interview data revealed that utilizing professional collaboration time for …

Association Of Fish Oil And Physical Activity On Mobility Disability In Older Adults, Anoop T. Balachandran

Publications and Research

Purpose: This study aimed to examine whether long-term fish oil (FO) supplementation is associated with a lower risk of mobility disability and enhances benefits of physical activity (PA). Methods: A total of 1635 sedentary adults age 70 to 89 yr from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders single-blinded randomized,multicenter clinical trial, which compared a structured PA program to a health education program. Primary outcome was incident major mobility disability (MMD), defined by loss of ability to walk 400 m, measured every 6 months for an average of 2.6 yr. Secondary outcomes included persistent mobility disability, Short Physical Performance Battery, …

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 …

Opportunities Of Wearable Technology To Increase Physical Activity In Individuals With Chronic Disease: An Editorial, Jennifer Scheid, Sarah West

Articles & Book Chapters

In this editorial, we will discuss one promising tool to encourage physical activity participation in individuals with chronic disease: The use of wearable technology.

High-Intensity Acute Exercise And Directed Forgetting On Memory Function, Mary Elizabeth Pace, Paul D. Loprinzi

Faculty and Student Publications

© 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. Background and Objectives: Despite accumulating research demonstrating that acute exercise may enhance memory function, very little research has evaluated whether acute exercise can effectuate intentional directed forgetting (DF), an adaptative strategy to facilitate subsequent memory performance. Materials and Methods: A three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled intervention was employed. Participants were randomized into one of three groups, including: (1) exercise plus DF (Ex + DF), (2) DF (directed forgetting) only (DF) and (3) R (remember) only (R). The acute bout of exercise included 15 min of high-intensity treadmill exercise. The memory assessment involved …

Exploring Rural And Urban Go Nap Sacc Trained Child Care Providers Perceptions And Needs Regarding The Promotion Of Physical Activity And Healthy Eating, Kailey Snyder, Zainab Rida, Emily Hulse, Dipti Dev, Danae Dinkel

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Introduction: Early childhood is an optimal time to support the development of physical activity and healthy eating behaviors. As over half of children are cared for in family child care homes and child care centers it is crucial to ensure these behaviors are being supported in the childcare setting. One such process that supports provider’s education and implementation of healthy behaviors in the childcare setting is the Nutrition and Physical Activity Assessment in Child Care (Go NAP SACC). However, after participation in Go NAP SACC, little is known regarding how to further support providers in their promotion of healthy behaviors. …

Attitudes And Barriers To Physical Activity In Hemodialysis Patients: Could Intradialytic Exercise Modify These Factors?, Nada Salhab, Jeroen Kooman, Enrico Fiaccadori, Harith Aljubori, Mirey Karavetian

All Works

Introduction: This study pioneers in determining the impact of Intradialytic Exercise (IDE) on attitudes and barriers to Physical Activity (PA) in Hemodialysis (HD) patients in the United Arab Emirates, a non-western country with different cultural backgrounds.

Subjects and Methods: Forty-one adult HD patients from Al-Qassimi Hospital were recruited for a quasi-experimental intervention with pre-post evaluation. IDE patients trained for 45 minutes per HD session, 2-3 times per week, for 6 months on a static bicycle. Exercise intensity was assessed using the Borg Scale. Participants were educated on the importance of exercise.

Results: 30 patients completed the study. The percentage of …

The Tampa Gym Study: An Ethnographic Exploration Of Gyms, Female Gym-Goers And The Quest For Fitness In Tampa, Fl, Danielle Reneé Rosen

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The Tampa Gym Study was an ethnographic examination of veteran women exercisers, their workout routines, and their attitudes towards the workouts that they undertake in two Tampa area gyms. The study’s principle objective was to study “fitness culture” in these facilities and the manner in which that culture is embodied in the language women use to describe themselves and their exercise behaviors.

The obesity crisis in the United States has been significantly responsible for an increase in membership in gyms and fitness facilities nationwide. The “culture of fitness” as it is embodied in these facilities has impacted women and their …

Peer Support For The Maintenance Of Physical Activity And Health In Cancer Survivors: The Peer Trial - A Study Protocol Of A Randomised Controlled Trial, Kirsten N. Adlard, David G. Jenkins, Chloe E. Salisbury, Kate A. Bolam, Sjaan R. Gomersall, Joanne F. Aitken, Suzanne K. Chambers, Jeff C. Dunn, Kerry S. Courneya, Tina L. Skinner

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Despite an overwhelming body of evidence showing the benefits of physical activity (PA) and exercise for cancer survivors, few survivors meet the exercise oncology guidelines. Moreover, initiating, let alone maintaining exercise programs with cancer survivors continues to have limited success. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the influence of peer support on moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and various markers of health 12 months following a brief supervised exercise intervention in cancer survivors.

METHODS: Men and women previously diagnosed with histologically-confirmed breast, colorectal or prostate cancer (n = 226), who are >1-month post-treatment, will be invited to participate in …

Development And Cross-Validation Of A Cadence-Based Metabolic Equation For Walking, Christopher C. Moore

Masters Theses

The ACSM Metabolic Equation is a widely recognized equation for predicting metabolic intensity from walking speed. However, an equation that uses an observable metric (i.e., cadence [steps/min]), accounts for individual characteristics, and is validated across walking conditions may enable more accessible and accurate predictions of walking intensity. PURPOSE: To develop metabolic equations that predict metabolic intensity (oxygen consumption; mL/kg/min) from cadence using a large treadmill walking dataset (Study One) and cross-validate these equations during overground unconstrained and cadence-constrained walking conditions (Study Two). METHODS: In Study One, 193 adults (21-81 years) completed treadmill walking bouts while oxygen consumption was measured with …

Optimizing The Carrot Rewards App: An Examination Of Team-Based Financial Incentives To Increase Walking, Emma Pearson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) targeting physical activity (PA) have increased in popularity, yet effectiveness is often limited by low engagement. This study examined the impact of adding a team-based feature, Step Together Challenges (STCs), to an existing incentive-based mHealth app (i.e., Carrot Rewards) on PA. A 24-week retrospective matched pairs study was conducted (n=61,170; pre-intervention: weeks 1-12; intervention: weeks 13-24). Participants who used STCs (experimental group) were matched with those who did not (controls). STC users could earn team incentives for collaboratively reaching individual daily step goals 10 times in seven days. Controlling for pre-intervention mean daily step count, …

Use Of Amulet In Behavioral Change For Geriatric Obesity Management, John A. Batsis, Alexandra B. Zagaria, Ryan J. Halter, George G. Boateng, Patrick Proctor, Stephen J. Bartels, David Kotz

Dartmouth Scholarship

Background: Obesity in older adults is a significant public health concern. Weight-loss interventions are known to improve physical function but risk the development of sarcopenia. Mobile health devices have the potential to augment existing interventions and, if designed accordingly, could improve one’s physical activity and strength in routine physical activity interventions.

Methods and results: We present Amulet, a mobile health device that has the capability of engaging patients in physical activity. The purpose of this article is to discuss the development of applications that are tailored to older adults with obesity, with the intention to engage and improve their health. …

Neighborhood-Level Predictors Of Obesity Among African American Children In California, Uche Onyeka

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The increased prevalence of childhood obesity is a major public health concern nationally and globally. Childhood obesity is primarily caused by the imbalance between caloric intake and caloric expenditure; however, its increase over the past decades may be due to environmental and behavioral factors. The purpose of the current study was to examine if any relationships existed between childhood obesity, level of physical activity, and neighborhood-level risk factors. This study used the California Health Interview Survey 2009–2014 data sets for African American children aged 5–11 years (n = 1,049). The dependent variable was body mass index (BMI) while the …

Motor Competency And Physical Activity In Elementary School Aged Children Who Participate In Nontraditional Sports, Courtney Norman, Wesley Geer, Julia Looper

All Faculty Scholarship

One after school program, Youth Ambassadors of Physical Education (YA), is designed to promote physical activity in school age children to help combat the growing levels of childhood inactivity. However, this program utilizes skills that are vastly different from the locomotor and object control skills assessed with the Test of Gross Motor Development. Purpose: The purpose of this study it to determine whether the TGMD-2 can identify the children in YA as competent in their motor skills. This study also examines if there is a link between the overall physical activity level of the children in YA and their motor …

“I Am A Runner”: A Qualitative Analysis Of Women-Runners’ Pregnancy Experiences, Jennifer M. Ohlendorf, Anna L. Anklam, Lindsay Gardner

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

Women runners are a group with potential for health maintenance and health promotion in pregnancy. When providers counsel women to discontinue or cut back on running without cause, an opportunity for health benefits to both woman and baby may be lost.

Aim

This study aims to explicate the experience women runners have in pregnancy to further providers’ understanding of this population’s unique needs.

Methods

An online, qualitative inquiry was employed to explore the experiences of an online community of women runners in pregnancy (N = 22). The Doing Pregnancy framework provided guidance for final stages of the analysis.

Findings …

Functional Exercise Improves Mobility Performance In Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck, Caroline S. Blaum, Tisha Moore, Roger Brown, Andrzej Galecki, Debra Strasburg, Shu Chen, Neil B. Alexander

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Diabetes-related disability occurs in approximately two-thirds of older adults with diabetes and is associated with loss of independence, increased health care resource utilization, and sedentary lifestyle. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to determine the effect of a center-based functional circuit exercise training intervention followed by a 10-week customized home-based program in improving mobility function in sedentary older adults with diabetes.

Methods: Participants (n = 111; mean age 70.5 [7.1] y; mean body mass index 32.7 [5.9] kg/m²) were randomized to either a moderate-intensity functional circuit training (FCT) plus 10-week home program to …

The Effects Of A Mobile Fitness Application On Weight Management And Physical Acticity Amongst University Students, Erica Deenihan

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The prevalence of obesity, and obesity related diseases throughout America, specifically in regard to the college student population has steadily climbed over the course of the last forty years, due largely in part to the increase in sedentary lifestyle behaviors, amongst other factors (Swanson, 2016). Physical activity has been widely recognized as a valid means of combatting obesity and weight gain while promoting health related quality of life (Swanson, 2016). Therefore, implementing strategies aimed at increasing physical fitness in attempt to control weight management is imperative to promoting improved health outcomes. The purpose of this evidence-based project was to examine …

Childhood Obesity: Getting Back To The Basics, Fanny Powell

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Childhood obesity is an epidemic that affects the nation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2015) states that over the past thirty years, the prevalence of childhood obesity has more than doubled in younger children and quadrupled in adolescents (CDC, 2015). Although obesity is a multifactorial health issue that is affected by genetics, metabolic factors, socioeconomic factors, and lifestyle choices (Stanford, 2018), a majority of pediatric obesity is as a result of consuming more energy than the body utilizes. There are both immediate and long-term consequences of obesity that negatively affect a child’s health which may carry over …