Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Dietary And Physical Activity Acculturation And Weight Status In Chinese College Students, Yanni Zhang

Dissertations and Theses

This cross-sectional study examined the relationships between length of residence in the United States (U.S.) and dietary and physical activity acculturation, and the relationships between dietary and physical activity acculturation and weight status in 55 Chinese college students. Length of residence in the U.S. was positively associated with larger portion size, greater amount of physical activity, and change in BMI in male participants. Adoption of a Western diet was associated with weight gain. Portion size change was positively associated with BMI change. Lunch size change was positively correlated with BMI change in males while negatively correlated with BMI change in …

The Preferences Of Exercise And Physical Activity In Individuals With An Intellectual Disability, Zachary J. Burt

MSU Graduate Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the preferences of exercise and physical activity in individuals with an intellectual disability. It took place during Bear Play, a physical activity program geared towards working with individuals with a disability at Missouri State University. This project was facilitated through the partnership of Missouri State University's Kinesiology department and the Arc of The Ozarks. A convenience sample was drawn from individuals participating in the program during the 2015-2016 academic year. Each participant was asked to complete a survey. Data were collected by using a survey administered on an IPAD and covered many …

Bulking Up Or Bulging Over: Motivating Physical Activity Through Framing, Lauren Crupnick

Honors Theses

Motivating people to perform physical activities can be a challenging task. One possible avenue is through the use of framing of exercise-related imagery and messages. Gain-frame imagery demonstrates the benefits of performing an activity, whereas loss-frame demonstrates the risks of not taking action on something (Tversky & Kahneman, 1981). With social media as a prevalent platform for exercise tips and tricks, it is possible that the way in which such imagery is framed in advertisements, blogs, and apps could be hindering or helping followers get closer to their physical activity goals. I hypothesized that gain-framed imagery motivates participants to have …

Appropriate Gestational Weight Gain, Eugelyn Opalec Santos

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

Over the past 30 years, excessive weight gain during pregnancy among American women has been a significant concern, resulting in serious health consequences to mothers and their newborns. During 2011, 48% of U.S. women gained more than the ideal amount of weight during pregnancy. Several international studies have also documented that excessive weight gain during pregnancy is associated with adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. As a result, one in ten babies were born prematurely in the United States in 2014. Based on the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) guidelines (2009), the purpose of this project was to implement the Healthy …

Optimism Bias In Fitness, Katrielle Marx

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The people of the United States of America have been concerned with the population’s overweight and obesity rate for a while. The purpose of this study was to find out if optimism bias had an influence on fitness. Optimism bias is overestimating the likelihood of positive events and underestimate the likelihood of negative events happening in one’s life. This study created a fitness optimism scale and used a set of fitness assessments and exercise questions to correlate with the fitness optimism bias. There were 105 students who participated in this study, 82 females and 23 males with a mean age …

A Low-Carbohydrate Ketogenic Diet Combined With Six Weeks Of Crossfit Training Improves Body Composition And Performance, Rachel M. Gregory

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

A low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet (LCKD) is a popular approach to weight and fat loss. CrossFit is a high-intensity power training (HIPT) type exercise for all levels of age and fitness that has gained recognition as one of the fasting growing sports in America. No previous research has been found which examines body composition changes or performance in individuals consuming a LCKD and participating in CrossFit training. PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to examine the effects of a 6-week LCKD and CrossFit program on body composition and performance. METHODS: Twenty-seven non-elite CrossFit subjects (mean ± SD age = …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of An Exercise Program For Persons With Multiple Sclerosis, Tiffany Kuipers

Doctoral Projects

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, degenerative condition of the central nervous system that leaves patients with a wide variety of symptoms and disability. Symptoms include decreases in energy levels, muscle strength, bone strength, vision, sensation, coordination, cognition, hearing, balance, and quality of life. Exercise has been well supported as a way to reduce symptoms and slow the disease progression of MS. Outpatient exercise programs have also been shown effective in providing patients with the necessary tools to perform appropriate exercises at home. Yet, few programs are available that are appropriate for patients with MS. This project aimed to, first, …

The Effects Of Fitness Level And Sex On Epoc Following High Intensity Interval And Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise, Rachel Lauren Simmons

Human Movement Sciences & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

In the past few years, much attention has been directed toward shorter-duration vigorous intensity aerobic exercise as opposed to longer-duration moderate intensity exercise. There is conflicting evidence as to whether vigorous exercise can result in a greater excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and thus more calories burned when compared to moderate continuous exercise performed for a longer duration. In addition, the literature contains a dearth of information isolating and investigating male and female response to these exercises, as well as fit and unfit subjects. The purpose of this study was to quantify EPOC following moderate intensity aerobic exercise (MOD) and …

Examining The Link Between Exercise And Marital Arguments In Clinical Couples, Bailey Alexandra Selland

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the following research question: Are couples that exercise on a given day more likely to experience fewer and less intense arguments in their relationship that day? Other variables examined include relationship effect, stress level, and argument topics. Participants were 36 couples in a treatment-as-usual setting who completed the Daily Diary of Events in Couple Therapy (DDECT). Results suggested that female hours of exercise were significantly related to increased report of relationship argument intensity for both men and women. Male hours of exercise were not significantly related to any variables, however male daily stress was significantly related to …

Health Maintenance And Goal Setting For Women Joining And Re-Joining The Workforce, Tess Barbach

College of Nursing and Health Sciences Nursing Master Project Publications

Abstract

Poverty is a major health barrier in the United States which disproportionately affects women, who earn lower wages than men and are often single mothers responsible for the care and wellbeing of their families. Chronic socioeconomic depression is a cyclic, multigenerational problem that can make it difficult for women to adequately engage in healthy behaviors such as eating well and exercising. Poor self-care practices can in turn lead to cycle of poor health outcomes across the board, including depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and more. Poor health may subsequently pose a challenge for women trying to find the energy to …

Does Aerobic Exercise During Pregnancy Prevent Cesarean Sections?, Kait Lassen

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not aerobic exercise in pregnant women prevents cesarean sections (“C-sections”).

STUDY DESIGN: Review of two English articles and one English/Portuguese article, two of which were randomized control trials (RCTs) and one was a prospective study, all published after 2011.

DATA SOURCES: Two RCTs and one prospective study found via PubMed and Cochrane Database.

OUTCOMES MEASURED: The main clinical outcome in all studies measured the incidence of C-section as compared to vaginal delivery. The outcomes were measured by method of delivery which was categorized as either vaginally or …

Is Listening To Music While Exercising Effective In Reducing Stress?, Teresa Penetar

PCOM Physician Assistant Studies Student Scholarship

Objective: The objective of this selective evidence based medicine (EBM) review is to determine whether or not listening to music while exercising is effective in reducing stress.

Study Design: Review of three English language randomized control trials published in 2011 and 2013

Data Sources: The double-blind placebo-controlled randomized control trials were obtained via PubMed.

Outcomes Measured: Pretest-posttest surveys included the SF-36 Health Survey to assess self-reported health-related quality of life, the Activation- Deactivation Adjective Check List (AD-ACL) to measure mood, and a 9-item measure to assess emotion.

Results: Listening to music while exercising increased pleasant emotions in all 3 studies. …

A Qualitative Pilot Study Of Aging Women’S Physical Activity Experiences In One University Fitness And Wellness Center, Alexis Hobbs

Online Theses and Dissertations

Physical inactivity is one of the driving risk factors for developing health problems such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases (World Health Organization, 2003). The prevalence of these diseases increases with the aging process, which renders participation in physical activity crucial among the aging population. There is strong evidence that physical activity reduces the risk of these health disparities and disabilities (Young & Dinan, 2005), however despite these well-documented benefits, aging women still remain sedentary. This study examined the phenomenon of women 55 years of age or older and their lived experiences of participating in physical activity within a university …

High-Intensity Interval Training With Energy Restriction Preserves Lean Tissue And Improves Glucose Tolerance In Obesity, Rachel Ann Harley

All ETDs from UAB

Calorie restriction (CR) reduces body weight (BW) and adiposity, but is often less than expected due to hypometabolism produced by reductions in lean body mass (LBM). A comparable energy deficit created by combining CR and exercise energy expenditure (EE) has been shown to attenuate the reduction in EE produced by CR. Continuous moderate-intensity training (MIT) is commonly used to sustain energy balance or expedite weight loss, but high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may produce greater results. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if HIIT preserves LBM and improves energy metabolism to a greater extent than MIT in the presence …

Measuring Self-Reported Exercise, Motivation To Exercise, And Sexism In Women, Sydney C. Jensen

All Master's Theses

The harmfulness and pervasiveness of benevolent sexism is not a well disseminated issue, despite the belief that women are treated with equality in today’s society. The current study was designed to investigate whether exercise type and motivation to exercise would predict participants’ self-reported benevolent and hostile sexism, particularly in light of gender-related stereotypes about physical activity. A sample of 79 females completed an online survey that included questions about demographic characteristics, primary exercise type (i.e., cardiovascular exercise, weight-lifting, or hobbies), average number hours spent engaging in their primary exercise weekly, exercise motivations, and finally the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory which served …

Physical Activity Initiatives: Implications For Physical Activity Promotion, Allison Lea Nooe

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Exercise is Medicine (EiM) initiative and the National Physical Activity Plan (NPAP) are structured to promote an increase of physical activity at the population level. The primary vision of the EiM initiative is the assessment and prescription of exercise in a primary care clinical setting. The NPAP is a document presenting evidenced-based strategies and tactics across 8 different societal sectors that create opportunity for increased physical activity. Both initiatives offer valuable strategies in promoting physical activity among American citizens. However, little empirical research on these initiatives has been evaluated. Study I is entitled,Perceptions of the Exercise is Medicine®Initiative in …

Physiological And Perceptual Responses To Alternate Modes Of Exercise At Self Selected Or Prescribed Intensity Between Overweight And Non-Overweight Individuals, James Riley Galloway

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: To investigate the influence of body weight, exercise modality, and pace on physiological and perceptual responses during walking. Also, to determine if the relationship between physiological and perceptual responses was altered by modality, pace, or weight status. Methods: Aerobically untrained males (n=80, 22.85 ± 3.61 years) and females (n=80, 21.18 ± 1.52 years) classified as either overweight or non-overweight participated. Individuals completed two sessions separated by 72 hours. Session 1 included familiarization, whole body DXA scan, treadmill test to exhaustion, and a 70 foot walk test to determine self selected walking speed. For session 2, participants were randomly assigned …

Stress And Exercise In Undergraduate Health Professions Students, Kristin R. Weismantel, Meghan G. Brickner, Leah N. Rosler

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Background: Stress is prevalent among undergraduate students, especially students in health professions majors. Exercise as a health promoting behavior decreases stress. At the same time, increased stress may decrease exercise. This study described exercise and stress among undergraduate health professions students. More specifically this study described the intensity and duration of each exercise and the frequency of exercise during a typical week of the semester for students in health professions majors.

Theoretical framework: Pender’s Health Promotion Model guided this study.

Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive survey.

Methods: A convenience sample of 437 undergraduate students in a college of health professions (N =2,700) …

Association Between Biopsychosocial Factors And Physical Activity Among U.S. Stroke Survivors, Claire Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stroke causes substantial morbidity and mortality, and physical activity can reduce the risk of stroke occurrence. The purpose of this study was to test the association between biopsychosocial factors and levels of physical activity and to develop a model to predict inactivity for US stroke survivors. A quantitative, cross-sectional analysis was performed of the 2013 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), which is a representative sample of US households. Association for 1,077 stroke survivors was tested with chi-square between physical activity and independent variables: biological factors (age, sex, race, body mass index, musculoskeletal conditions, and cardiovascular diseases), psychological factors (mental distress, …

Motor Unit Remodeling During Neuromuscular Degeneration In Aging And Parkinson's Disease, Neil Anthony Kelly

All ETDs from UAB

The human neuromuscular system deteriorates progressively with age and disease. This results in denervation events and ultimately motor unit remodeling, which is revealed by abnormal “groups” of myofibers expressing the same myosin protein isoform – a phenomenon described as myofiber type grouping. Despite the acceptance of myofiber type grouping as a hallmark indicator of motor unit remodeling, traditional techniques of detecting it lack quantitative parameters and therefore comparative data in aging and disease are scarce. The purpose of this dissertation is to establish a statistically-driven, quantitative method for detecting myofiber type grouping and to use it to characterize the effects …

Assessment Of Obesity Management In A Primary Care Setting, Katie Diffenderfer

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the current practices related to obesity in the primary care setting in University of Kentucky’s Healthcare System. The specific aims were to: 1) Determine the proportion of obese patients who had an ICD-9/10 diagnosis code for obesity, 2) Determine the proportion of obese patients who received interventions related to their obesity, 3) Determine whether obesity diagnosis and interventions varied based on patient demographics, and 4) Compare actual obesity interventions to those outlined in the clinical practice guidelines.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of male and female patients between the ages of …

The Effects Of External Focus Of Attention Exercise Rehabilitation On Dual Task Walking In Parkinson's Disease, Eric N. Beck

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Parkinson’s disease impairs control of well-learned movements, and therefore, individuals with Parkinson’s disease are forced to walk with greater conscious control. This causes difficulties while walking and completing a secondary task simultaneously (dual tasking), in that distractions from conscious control of walking increase the risk of falls and injury. Although, attention-based exercise may be a potential avenue to decrease the demands associated with walking in Parkinson’s disease. For example, an external focus of attention (on manipulated objects) has been found to recruit the networks that are important for walking with little conscious control (automatic control networks). In contrast, an internal …