Exercise Science Commons^™

Workforce Fitness: Description, Contextual Issues, And Implications For Public Health, Nicolaas P. Pronk

Frontiers in Public Health Services and Systems Research

Workforce fitness matters for the prevention of premature death, chronic diseases, productivity loss, excess medical care costs, loss of income or family earnings, and other social and economic concerns. Yet fitness levels appear to be relatively low and declining. Over the past half century obesity has doubled, physical activity levels are below par, and cardiorespiratory fitness often does not meet minimally acceptable job standards. During this time, daily occupational energy expenditure has decreased by more than 100 calories. It is recommended for employers to consider best practices and design workplace wellness programs accordingly. Regulations that protect and promote worker health, …

The Longitudinal Effects Of Beta-Alanine On Punch Power, Punch Frequency, And Fatigue In Female Amateur Fighters, Rodger Wayne Stewart

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid typically obtained in the diet via high-protein foods (beef, chicken, pork, and fish) and produced in the confines of the liver. BA is a precursor to the cytoplasmic dipeptide carnosine (beta-alanylhistidine). Carnosine is found in high concentrations in human skeletal muscle where it plays a key role in intracellular pH buffering. Research indicates BA supplementation increased punch power, punch frequency, and lactate concentrations in male amateur fighters after 28-day supplementation. There are currently no studies evaluating the effects of BA on boxing performance variables in women. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to …

Satellite Cell Behavior In Cyclists Following Intensified Training With And Without Protein Supplementation, Alec I. Mckenzie

Masters Theses, 2010-2019

PURPOSE: The objectives were to determine the satellite cell (SC) response among endurance-trained cyclists (n=8; VO_2max: 63.1 ± 8.4 mL/Kg/min)to a period of intensified training (ICT) (10 days) and 10 days of recovery (RVT), with and without protein supplementation. METHODS: Muscle biopsies were obtained from the vastus lateralis prior to- and immediately following ICT and RVT. Fluorescent microscopy was used to analyze SCs and myosin heavy chain I and IIa (MHC I and IIa). Data were analyzed using magnitude-based inferences. RESULTS: MHC I SCs were exceptionally abundant at baseline (38 ± 20 SCs/100 fibers). MHC I SC count …

Mobile Application Use And Healthy Eating Behaviors In Young Adult Women, Callie S. Neumann

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE: To assess the differential effects of a mobile phone-based application (app) versus phone-based memo use on anthropometric measures, healthy eating, and physical activity behaviors in college-age women. METHODS: Participants (n=43) were randomly enrolled in a mobile app or phone-based memo group during a 6 week study. Participants in the app group were trained on proper usage of the free app, MyNetDiary, and the memo group received directions on how to journal their food and exercise activity on their phone. Participants were asked to complete pre-and post-questionnaires at baseline and at the conclusion of the study. Physical activity and …

Church Pew Exercise Integrated With Conventional Physical Therapy Following Total Knee Arthroplasty (Tka): Case Report, Randell Gonzales, Jerome V. Danoff

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Background and Purpose: Physical therapy treatment following Total knee Arthroplasty (TKA) consists of a combination of strengthening and range of motion exercises. The exercise technique, church pew exercise (CPE), has been proposed to enhance quadriceps facilitation and improve function. This is a technique that has the patient standing and rocking forward/back. The backward motion is arrested by engagement of the upper calf against a solid object, creating a sudden flexion torque at the knee and a sudden extension torque at the hip. The combination of CPE with standard physical therapy is claimed to provide better quadriceps control and faster walking …

The Impact Of Parents' Categorization Of Their Own Weight And Their Child's Weight On Healthy Lifestyle Promoting Beliefs And Practices, Allison C. Sylvetsky-Meni, Scott Gillespie, Trisha Hardy, Jean A. Welsh

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences Faculty Publications

Objective. To evaluate parents’ beliefs and practices related to childhood obesity and determine if these are influenced by parent’s perception of their own weight or their child’s weight.

Methods. Parents of obese (n = 689) or normal weight (n = 1122) children 4–15 years in Georgia, USA, were randomly selected to complete a telephone survey. Frequency of child obesity-related perceptions, beliefs, and practices were assessed, stratified by parent-perceived self-weight and child weight status, and compared using Chi-squared tests and multivariate logistic regression.

Results. Most parents, regardless of perceived child weight, agreed that child overweight/obesity can cause serious illness …

Relationship Of Dna Methylation With Cardiovascular Fitness And Body Composition, Mihaela A. Ciulei

Honors College Theses

Global DNA Methylation (GDM), an epigenomic modification has been linked to the development of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors. Our focus was to identify potential relationships between epigenetic alterations and both cardiovascular fitness and body composition measures. Purpose: As increases in aerobic fitness have a beneficial effect on cardiovascular disease, one purpose was to determine if a relationship was evident between global DNA methylation and VO2max. A secondary purpose was to determine if the relationship extends to body composition measured via Dual X-ray Absorbtometry (DXA). Methods: Fifty-two (male n=25, female n=27) subjects provided a blood sample for DNA …

Exercise And Diet Program For The College Student, Brooks Briel

Senior Theses

Oftentimes college students can be seen going to the gym with simply no direction in exercise or nutrition. They go through the motions of exercising, but have no real understanding of what they are doing. These students may see some progress, but plateau early and find it discouraging to continue to workout. The goal of this project was to create a personal diet and exercise program that could be used by the average college student to improve their physical fitness levels. The exercise program attempts to improve body composition, cardiovascular fitness, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility. This is done …

Physical Activity And Nutritional Behavior Of Overweight College Students Trying To Lose Weight 2014, Santino Vallejos M.S.

Master's Theses

Although there are numerous benefits to increased physical activity and proper dietary behaviors, the decreased participation in physical activity and poor dietary behaviors has emerged as a significant problem within the college student population. The focus of this research study was to identify the relationship between physical activity and dietary behavior to weight loss behaviors within an undergraduate student sample of a small, comprehensive northeastern university. College-aged students (age range: 17 to 27 years old) completed the American College Health Association’s (ACHA) National College Health Assessment II (NCHA) during the years 2009 and 2012. According to the results, there were …

Feasibility And Acceptability Of An Early Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention: Results From The Healthy Homes, Healthy Families Pilot Study, Akilah Dulin Keita, Patricia M. Risica, Kelli L. Drenner, Ingrid Adams, Gemma Gorham, Kim M. Gans

Faculty Publications

Background. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of a home-based early childhood obesity prevention intervention designed to empower low-income racially/ethnically diverse parents to modify their children’s health behaviors. Methods. We used a prospective design with pre-/posttest evaluation of 50 parent-child pairs (children aged 2 to 5 years) to examine potential changes in dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behaviors among children at baseline and four-month follow-up. Results. 39 (78%) parent-child pairs completed evaluation data at 4-month follow-up. Vegetable intake among children significantly increased at follow-up (0.54 cups at 4 months compared to 0.28 cups at baseline, 𝑃 …

Obesity-Related Hormones And Metabolic Risk Factors: A Randomized Trial Of Diet Plus Either Strength Or Aerobic Training Versus Diet Alone In Overweight Participants, Allan Geliebter, Christopher N. Ochner, Carl L. Dambkowski, Sami A. Hashim

Lander College of Arts and Sciences Publications and Research

There is debate about the additive effects of exercise in conjunction with diet to treat obesity, and not much is known about the differential effects of strength versus aerobic training. This randomized controlled trial examined the effects of diet plus strength training, diet plus aerobic training, or diet only on metabolic risk factors associated with obesity. Eighty-one overweight and obese participants completed the 8-week intervention. All participants received an energy-restrictive formula diet with an energy content based on 70% of measured resting metabolic rate (RMR). Participants assigned to an exercise group trained 3 days/week under supervision. Anthropometrics and fasting hormones …

A Community-Based Exercise Intervention Transitions Metabolically Abnormal Obese Adults To A Metabolically Healthy Obese Phenotype, Lance C. Dalleck, Gary Van Guilder, Tara B. Richardson, Donald L. Bredle, Jeffery M. Janot

Health and Nutritional Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Lower habitual physical activity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness are common features of the metabolically abnormal obese (MAO) phenotype that contribute to increased cardiovascular disease risk. The aims of the present study were to determine 1) whether community-based exercise training transitions MAO adults to metabolically healthy, and 2) whether the odds of transition to metabolically healthy were larger for obese individuals who performed higher volumes of exercise and/or experienced greater increases in fitness. Methods and results: Metabolic syndrome components were measured in 332 adults (190 women, 142 men) before and after a supervised 14-week community-based exercise program designed to reduce …

Effect Of An Herbal/Botanical Supplement On Strength, Balance, And Muscle Function Following 12-Weeks Of Resistance Training: A Placebo Controlled Study, Jonathan Furlong, Corey A. Rynders, Mark Sutherlin, James Patrie, Frank I. Katch, Jay Hertel

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Background: StemSport (SS; StemTech International, Inc. San Clemente, CA) contains a proprietary blend of the botanical Aphanizomenon flos-aquae and several herbal antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substances. SS has been purported to accelerate tissue repair and restore muscle function following resistance exercise. Here, we examine the effects of SS supplementation on strength adaptations resulting from a 12-week resistance training program in healthy young adults.

Methods: Twenty-four young adults (16 males, 8 females, mean age = 20.5 ± 1.9 years, mass = 70.9 ± 11.9 kg, stature = 176.6 ± 9.9 cm) completed the twelve week training program. The study design …

Exercise Participation During Weight Loss On A High Protein – Low Carbohydrate Diet Plan In Females Aged 15-25 Years, Margaret Mobley-Meulman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Weight gain due to poor diet and lack of exercise is responsible for over 300,000 deaths each year (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2010). Obese adults have an increased risk for serious health conditions including high blood pressure and cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems, and certain cancers (National Cancer Institute, 2012). Participation in exercise can help control weight, strengthen muscles and bones, and reduce the incidence of cardiac events, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers, osteoporotic fractures, gallbladder disease, obesity, depression, anxiety, and delay mortality …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Nutrition And Physical Activity Self-Assessment For Child Care (Nap Sacc) For Changes In Physical Activity Behavior, Policy, And Environment In Nebraska Family Child Care Homes, Katie K. Bolte

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Nebraska is the first state to utilize NAP SACC and to modify the evidence-based program for family child care homes (FCCHs). The purpose of this study was to conduct a secondary data analysis to assess the effectiveness of a modified version of the NAP SACC approach in achieving changes in physical activity behavior, policy, and environment in Nebraska FCCHs caring for children ages 2-5 years. Results from this study will be used to improve the NAP SACC physical activity components for FCCHs and will help to inform trainers and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, Nutrition and Activity …

The Effect Of Implementing A Weight Loss Program On Participant Attendance, Club Usage, And Gym Membership Attrition, Stephanie Bonkemeyer Haymond

All Graduate Plan B and other Reports, Spring 1920 to Spring 2023

The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the effect of a weight loss program on individual participant attendance, total club usage and membership attrition. This retrospective study involved a fitness gym located in Utah County, Utah with a total membership of 1,100. The number of clients participating in the weight loss program between December 2011 and May 2012 was 36 (32 females and 4 males). A total of 11 clients were analyzed for the individual attendance data as this analysis was limited to only those clients who were gym members one year prior to the implementation of the …

Interactions Between The Thermic Effect Of Food And Exercise On Total Energy Expenditure In Moderately Active Females, Ashley Binns

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Diet and exercise are key components to overall health maintenance. Aspects contributing to weight maintenance include the thermic effect of food (TEF) and total energy expenditure (TEE), with TEF contributing to upwards of 10% TEE. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the interaction between TEF and exercise on TEE in moderately active females. METHODS: A sample population was established with the use of a health history questionnaire (HHQ). Ten active females of normal body composition, determined by body mass index (BMI) and a dual energy absorptiometry x-ray (DEXA) scan, participated in the study. Maximal aerobic …

Exercise And Nutrition Survey Of Nevada Air National Guard Members, Matthew Antonio Demattei

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

One hundred seventy-three Nevada Air National Guard members voluntarily participated in this exercise science and nutrition survey-based study. The survey consisted of ten closed-ended questions; the intent of the study was to determine whether the participants were willing to attend exercise science or nutrition related classes, or if the participants were willing to instruct exercise science or nutrition classes if they possessed a degree in either field. Forty-six females, and one hundred twenty-seven males participated in this study; one hundred thirty-six of the respondents were enlisted, and thirty-seven of the respondents were officers. Participants were demographically separated by age groups …

The Effects Of Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation On Lower-Body Hypertrophy-Type Resistance Exercise, Benjamin Mclean Carr

Dissertations

A number of studies have demonstrated the ergogenic effects of induced-alkalosis on high-intensity intermittent exercise performance. Purpose: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) administration on a high-volume hypertrophy-type resistance exercise regimen for the lower body. Methods: In a double-blind counterbalanced manner, 12 resistance-trained male participants (mean ± SD; age = 20.3 ± 2 yr, mass = 88.3 ± 13.2 kg, height = 1.80 ± 0.07 m), with a minimum of two years of training experience, ingested either 0.3 g˙kg^-1 of NaHCO₃ or calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) …

Health Impact Of Brief Interventions By A Registered Dietitian During Exercise Sessions In A Phase 2 Cardiac Rehabilitation Setting, Terrie Holewinski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Weight management is integral to cardiovascular risk reduction. However, minimal weight loss is achieved during participation in many cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. The objective of the present study was to establish if brief interventions by a registered dietitian (RD) during cardiac rehabilitation sessions improved the health status of patients with cardiovascular disease. An RD provided individualized nutrition counseling, answered nutrition questions, and reviewed weekly progress in a CR program for a four-month period. At baseline and upon completion of 19 CR sessions, nutrition knowledge was assessed using a 38-question test, and body weight was measured. Upon completing CR, patients rated …

Comparison Of A Low Carbohydrate And Low Fat Diet For Weight Maintenance In Overweight Or Obese Adults Enrolled In A Clinical Weight Management Program, James D. Lecheminant, Cheryl A. Gibson, Debra K. Sullivan, Sandra Hall, Rik Washburn, Mary C. Vernon, Chelsea Curry, Elizabeth Stewart, Eric C. Westman, Joseph E. Donnelly

Faculty Publications

Background: Recent evidence suggests that a low carbohydrate (LC) diet may be equally or more effective for short-term weight loss than a traditional low fat (LF) diet; however, less is known about how they compare for weight maintenance. The purpose of this study was to compare body weight (BW) for participants in a clinical weight management program, consuming a LC or LF weight maintenance diet for 6 months following weight loss. Methods: Fifty-five (29 low carbohydrate diet; 26 low fat diet) overweight/obese middle-aged adults completed a 9 month weight management program that included instruction for behavior, physical activity (PA), and …

The Effects Of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation On Indirect Indicators Of Muscle Damage And Performance, Beau K. Greer

All PTHMS Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine whether branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) supplementation attenuates indirect indicators of muscle damage, lowers ratings of perceived exertion, and improves aerobic performance as compared to an isocaloric, carbohydrate (CHO) beverage or a non-caloric placebo beverage. Nine, untrained males (VO2 max 36.26 2.23 ml/kg/min) performed three 90-minute cycling bouts at 55% VO2 max followed by a 15-minute time trial. Metabolic data was collected every 15 minutes during the steady-state ride, and indirect muscle damage markers were assessed pre, post, 4-hours, 24-hours, and 48-hours post-exercise. Pre and post-exercise concentrations of the BCAA and glucose were …

Reporting Quality Of Randomized Trials In The Diet And Exercise Literature For Weight Loss, Cheryl A. Gibson, Erik P. Kirk, James D. Lecheminant, Bruce W. Bailey Jr, Guoyuan Huang, Joseph E. Donnelly

Faculty Publications

Background

To adequately assess individual studies and synthesize quantitative research on weight loss studies, transparent reporting of data is required. The authors examined the reporting quality of randomized trials in the weight loss literature, focusing exclusively on subject characteristics as they relate to enrollment, allocation, and follow-up.

Methods

An extensive literature review, which included a computerized search of the MEDLINE database, manual searches of bibliographic references, and cross-referencing of 92 review articles was conducted. A checklist, based on CONSORT recommendations, was used to collect information on whether or not authors reported age, gender, co-morbid disease, medication use, race/ethnicity, and postmenopausal …

Pre-Exercise Fueling And Endurance: Effect Of A Pre-Exercise Almond-Raisin Beverage Versus A Commercial Sports Beverage On Performance In Trained Male Runners, Wendy N. Bazilian

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Aside from genetics and training, no factor plays as important a role in exercise performance as nutrition. What athletes consume before exercise longer than 60 min influences fuel use, perceived exertion (RPE), heart rate (HR) and time-to-exhaustion (TE). Ingesting carbohydrates (CHO) before exercise can delay exhaustion over placebo, but less is known about combinations of CHO and fat on fuel use and endurance. To date, there are few studies that systematically explore nutritious, whole food products like nuts and dried fruits as pre-exercise fuel sources for endurance exercise.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of 2 …

Effect Of Oral Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation On Body Mass And Composition, Dennis Michael Burke

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation has been suggested to be an effective nutritional supplement to increase body mass. Sixteen male college baseball players, participating in an off-season, high-intensity strength training program, underwent body composition tests via hydrostatic weighing, skinfolds, and bioelectrical impedance analysis once-a-week for a total of 5 weeks (Trials). After a baseline trial (Trial 1), in a double-blind, placebo, between-subjects design, 8 subjects orally ingested 30 grams (a loading dose) of creatine monohydrate daily for 7 days (Trial 2) and 10 grams (a maintenance dose) of creatine monohydrate daily for 21 days (Trials 2, 3, 4, and 5). Body …

The Effects Of A Commercial Nutritional Supplement Combining Amino Acids, Glutamine, Carnitine And B-Vitamins On The Physiological Responses To Ultraendurance Triathlon Training, Performance And Recovery, Mary V. Mitchell

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Theses & Dissertations

In a placebo, double blind, randomized design, five male triathletes participated in a simulated triathlon which examined the physiological responses of a commercial nutritional supplement. The supplemental protocol included 7.1 gm·d^-1 of an amino acid complex with B-vitamins (AA) and between 2.2-7.3 gm·d^-1 META-MAX™ containing leucine, isoleucine, valine, glutamine and carnitine in which quantities were based on the athletes training volume. A maltodextrin carbohydrate replacement drink was also included in the protocol. The placebo was an isocaloric lactose substance. The supplements were ingested for 14 d prior to the simulated triathlon and then for 3 d after the …

The Effects Of Moderate Exercise Training On Nutrient Intake In Mildly Obese Women, Leann Onasch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The relationship between moderate exercise training (five 45 min sessions/week, brisk walking at 62+2% V0_2max for 15 weeks) and changes in nutrient intake was investigated in a group of 36 sedentary, mildly obese women, conducted using a two (exercise, EX and nonexercise, NEX groups) x three (baseline, six-, 15-week testing sessions) factorial design, with data analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. The pattern of change over time between groups for kilocalorie intake tended to be different between groups [F(2,68)=2.50,p=0.089] with the EX group experiencing a significant decrease versus baseline by 15 weeks. Significant group x time interactions were found for …

Nutrient Intake Of Marathon Runners, Janice V. Butler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Three-day food records from a large group of marathon runners were analyzed and compared to various standards of dietary quality. Nutrient intake by the runners exceeded two-thirds the Recommended Dietary Allowance for all nutrients except for vitamin D and zinc in female runners. Energy and nutrient intake levels in the marathon runners were higher than those of the general US population except for fat and zinc in both males and females, and vitamin B12 in females. In general this group of runners consumed diets that would be considered more optimal than those of the general population. However, both caloric intake …

The Role Of Exercise And Nutrition In The Rehabilitation Of The Geriatric, Robert R. Ladd

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract not included]