Public Health Commons^™

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

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

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 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 …

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.

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 …

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, …

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 …

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 …

Validity And Reliability Of The Exercise Vital Sign Questionnaire In An Ethnically Diverse Group: A Pilot Study, Noberto N. Quiles, Aston K. Mccullough, Lin Piao

Publications and Research

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity and reliability of the Exercise Vital Sign (EVS) questionnaire in an ethnically diverse sample. Participants (N = 39) were asked to wear an accelerometer at the hip for at least 7 days and to complete the EVS at the beginning (T1) and end (T2) of the wear period. The EVS questionnaire validity was determined against accelerometry, and bias was calculated as the mean difference between measures. The sensitivity and specificity of the EVS questionnaire were also evaluated. The reliability of the questionnaire was calculated using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) between …

A Profile Of Physical Activity In Knoxville Parks, Margaret R. Bailey

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

How Do Neighbourhood Definitions Influence The Associations Between Built Environment And Physical Activity?, Suzanne Mavoa, Nasser Bagheri, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Karen E. Lamb, Koichiro Oka, David O'Sullivan, Karen Witten

Faculty Publications

Researchers investigating relationships between the neighbourhood environment and health first need to decide on the spatial extent of the neighbourhood they are interested in. This decision is an important and ongoing methodological challenge since different methods of defining and delineating neighbourhood boundaries can produce different results. This paper explores this issue in the context of a New Zealand-based study of the relationship between the built environment and multiple measures of physical activity. Geographic information systems were used to measure three built environment attributes—dwelling density, street connectivity, and neighbourhood destination accessibility—using seven different neighbourhood definitions (three administrative unit boundaries, and 500, …

Training For Evidence-Based Youth Physical Activity Leader Practices, A. Jake Larose

Capstone Experience

Purpose: From a social ecological viewpoint, the way in which individuals interact with their surrounding environment, has a direct effect on their actions. One approach to modify behavior change is to strive to change the environment, thus driving behavior change. Participating in physical activity (PA) is a behavior to be targeted, due to its numerous health benefits. A population to consider targeting for increasing PA is children, as creating PA habits in childhood has been shown to track into adulthood . Change at a population level should begin by focusing efforts on the environments in which children are spending their …

How Do Neighbourhood Definitions Influence The Associations Between Built Environment And Physical Activity?, Suzanne Mavoa, Nasser Bagheri, Mohammad Javad Koohsari, Andrew T. Kaczynski, Karen E. Lamb, Koichiro Oka, David O'Sullivan, Karen Witten

Faculty Publications

Researchers investigating relationships between the neighbourhood environment and health first need to decide on the spatial extent of the neighbourhood they are interested in. This decision is an important and ongoing methodological challenge since different methods of defining and delineating neighbourhood boundaries can produce different results. This paper explores this issue in the context of a New Zealand-based study of the relationship between the built environment and multiple measures of physical activity. Geographic information systems were used to measure three built environment attributes—dwelling density, street connectivity, and neighbourhood destination accessibility—using seven different neighbourhood definitions (three administrative unit boundaries, and 500, …

Delay Discount Rate Moderates A Physical Activity Intervention Testing Immediate Rewards, Christine B. Phillips, Jane C. Hurley, Siddhartha S. Angadi, Michael Todd, Vincent Berardi, Melbourne Hovell, Marc A. Adams

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Financial incentives can increase physical activity (PA), but differences in the immediacy of reward delivery and individual differences in delay discount rates (i.e., higher discount values associated with less tolerance for delayed rewards) may explain differential responding. The current study tested whether delay discount rate moderated the relative effectiveness of immediate financial rewards on increasing daily PA. Inactive, overweight adults (ages 18–60, N = 96) were randomized to receive either smaller, immediate goal-contingent rewards or larger, delayed rewards for participation. Delay discount rates were derived for those who completed the Monetary Choice Questionnaire (N = 85). Linear mixed models tested …

Understanding Wellness In A University Setting: Insight Through The Experiences Of Frequently, Physically Active Students Engaged In Resistance Training, Alia T. Sadek, Payal Shah, Michael Lagomarsine

Senior Theses

The health and wellness of undergraduate students at the local and national level is a growing public health concern, especially as college enrollment rates increase. Although wellness-based approaches are utilized to improve undergraduate health, current methods and adopted frameworks vary and lack conformity across universities making it difficult to identify effective means to improving this issue. One aim of this study was to explore a novel method of understanding wellness at the undergraduate level using both a traditional wellness questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. Using these methods, the wellness of undergraduate students attending a large, south-eastern university was evaluated across two …

Self-Management Strategies Mediate Self-Efficacy And Physical Activity, Amanda Birnbaum, Rod K. Dishman, Robert W. Motl, James F. Sallis, Andrea L. Dunn, Greg J. Welk, Ariane L. Yung, Carolyn C. Voorhees, Jared B. Jobe

Amanda Birnbaum

Self-efficacy theory proposes that girls who have confidence in their capability to be physically active will perceive fewer barriers to physical activity or be less influenced by them, be more likely to pursue perceived benefits of being physically active, and be more likely to enjoy physical activity. Self-efficacy is theorized also to influence physical activity through self-management strategies (e.g., thoughts, goals, plans, and acts) that support physical activity, but this idea has not been empirically tested.

Can An Exercise-Based Educational And Motivational Intervention Be Durably Effective In Changing Compliance To Physical Activity And Anthropometric Risk In People With Type 2 Diabetes? A Follow-Up Study, Francesca Gallè, Jesse C. Krakauer, Nir Krakauer, Giuliana Valerio, Giorgio Liguori

Publications and Research

Aims. A nine-month motivational exercise-based intervention was previously offered to subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A year after the end of the intervention, compliance to physical activity (PA) and anthropometric indices of participants were analyzed to evaluate the durability of its effects. Methods. PA levels, expressed as total energy expenditure per week, were assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI), A Body Shape Index (ABSI), Hip Index (HI) z-scores, the relative mortality risk related to each of these measures, and a combined Anthropometric Risk Index (ARI) were also evaluated. Results. Of a …

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, …

Developing Kinesthetic Classrooms To Promote Active Learning, Brian Culp

Faculty and Research Publications

The use of kinesthetic movement in the classroom toward improving health and educational outcomes among youth has been a topic of discourse in recent years. School initiatives that have infused movement as part of the curriculum have shown to increase efficiency in learning, while decreasing stress and contributing to a positive classroom climate. One question that is worthy of exploration pertains to how future professionals in the fields of physical education and health can promote kinesthetic movement in schools and communities. This article discusses how a university kinesthetic classroom prepares future professionals to be advocates for school health using active …

Multi-Ancestry Study Of Blood Lipid Levels Identifies Four Loci Interacting With Physical Activity, Tuomas O. Kilpeläinen, Amy R. Bentley, Raymond Noordam, Yun Ju Sung, Karen Schwander, Thomas W. Winkler, Hermina Jakupović, Daniel I. Chasman, Alisa Manning, Ioanna Ntalla, Hugues Aschard, Michael R. Brown, Lisa De Las Fuentes, Nora Franceschini, Xiuqing Guo, Dina Vojinovic, Stella Aslibekyan, Mary F. Feitosa, Minjung Kho, Solomon K. Musani, Melissa Richard, Heming Wang, Zhe Wang, Traci M. Bartz, Lawrence F. Bielak, Archie Campbell, Rajkumar Dorajoo, Virginia Fisher, Fernando P. Hartwig, Andrea R. V. R. Horimoto, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Many genetic loci affect circulating lipid levels, but it remains unknown whether lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, modify these genetic effects. To identify lipid loci interacting with physical activity, we performed genome-wide analyses of circulating HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in up to 120,979 individuals of European, African, Asian, Hispanic, and Brazilian ancestry, with follow-up of suggestive associations in an additional 131,012 individuals. We find four loci, in/near CLASP1, LHX1, SNTA1, and CNTNAP2, that are associated with circulating lipid levels through interaction with physical activity; higher levels of physical activity enhance the HDL …

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 …

So You Think You Can Exercise: The Gap Between Exercise Confidence And Physical Activity Among Samoan Adults, Diksha Brahmbhatt

Public Health Theses

Samoa is experiencing one of the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity in the world, placing its population at increased risk of developing several noncommunicable diseases including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The role of physical activity in reducing the burden of these diseases and overweight is well-established. Exercise self-efficacy or confidence is a predictor, if not determinant, of recreational physical activity. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to assess the relationship between exercise confidence and levels of recreational physical activity among Samoan adults. We confirm that exercise confidence is correlated with time spent exercising. However, despite considerable …

Randomised Study Demonstrates Sustained Benefits Of A Pre-School Intervention Designed To Improve Nutrition And Physical Activity Practices, Diewerke De Zwarte, John Kearney, Clare A. Corish, Corina Glennon, Lorraine Maher, Charlotte Johnston Molloy

Articles

Background: Health-promoting programmes must demonstrate sustained efficacy in order to make a true impact on public health. This study aimed to determine the effect of the Healthy Incentive for Pre-schools project on health-promoting practices in full-day-care pre-schools 18 months after a training intervention.

Methods: Thirty-seven pre-schools completed the initial study and were included in this follow-up study. The intervention consisted of one training session with either the pre-school 'manager-only' or 'manager and staff' using a specifically developed needs-based training resource pack comprised of written educational material and a validated health-promoting practice evaluation tool. Direct observation data of health-promoting practices were …

Factors That Influence Physical Activity Among African American Mothers At Recreation Centers, Nichole Leigh Glover

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Physical activity is a critical factor in preventing obesity and other chronic illnesses. African American women experience higher rates of physical inactivity than the general population. As a key figure in the family, African American mothers should model healthy behaviors to the family, especially their children. This qualitative study explored the physical activity attitudes of African American mothers who frequently visit a recreation center in the Columbus, Ohio, area. The research questions focused on the possible barriers and motivators for physical activity engagement. The theory of planned behavior, which emphasizes behaviors, intentions, and attitudes when exploring health behaviors, guided the …