Exercise Science Commons^™

The Relationship Between Glucose Levels And Physical Activity, Rebecca Eberle

2020 Honors Symposium

INTRODUCTION
• Elevated glucose levels can increase the risk for disease
• Physical activity behaviors are associated with glucose levels
• Limited research on young adults and their glucose levels compared to activity

OBJECTIVES
• To complete a cross sectional study and determine associations between fasting glucose with physical activity, and fitness

Hunger Regulation Before And After A Bout Of Exercise, Lindsay Spitaletto

2020 Honors Symposium

INTRODUCTION
• Obesity is an epidemic in the United States (Kim, et. al., 2016).
• Research suggests exercise aids in preventing risk factors that lead to obesity (Cercato, Fonseca, 2019 and Blundell, et. al., 2015).
• Exercise affects appetite regulation, but few studies have explored the effect of exercise on energy intake (Schoeller, et. Al, 1997).

OBJECTIVES
•Compare appetite level changes pre-and post-exercise bout using a Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
•Compare energy intake (food consumption) pre-and post-exercise bout using two 24hour food recalls

El Baloncesto Es Vida: A Look Into Strength And Conditioning, Physical Therapy, And Coaching During My Internship Abroad, Jessica Doublesin

2020 Honors Symposium

An experience abroad can help a person grow in confidence and knowledge and allow them to immerse themselves in a new culture. During my time in Valencia, Spain, I was able to work at a youth basketball club, CB L’Horta Godella, alongside the club’s strength and conditioning coaches and the physical therapist and be a coach for the young athletes. The fact that I lived with a Spanish family and had an open mindset towards making friends and exploring new things allowed me to grow closer to the culture in Spain. By using my knowledge and passion for sports and …

The Association Of Cognitive Function Assessments Among Older Women, Anna Gookin

2020 Honors Symposium

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a loss of mental capabilities due to the slow degeneration of the brain and is the leading cause of dementia. Dementia is caused by the damage of neurons in the brain from diseases or injury, not only affecting mental abilities but also affecting daily activities.1 Every 65 seconds someone is diagnosed with AD and currently there is no known cure. Traditional cognitive testing is time consuming, expensive, can misdiagnose, and there is a lack of neuropsychologist. There is a need for a cognitive test that can provide an accurate, cheaper, and quicker result in order to …

An Analysis Of Perception Vs. Reality In Physical Fitness And The Effect Of Fitness Testing On Physical Activity In College Students, Sarah Schwartz

2020 Honors Symposium

INTRODUCTION
• Physical fitness is important to overall health and each fitness component has certain health implications. Fitness assessments are used to predict health implications.
• College students with lower physical activity levels have higher rates of obesity and negative health outcomes
• Most colleges students do not meet recommendations for physical activity despite knowing the benefits

OBJECTIVES
• Assess the degree that perceptions of fitness are associated with measured fitness (1)
• To find out if and how intentions and behaviors change over time after receiving the results of a standardized fitness assessment. (2)

Validity And Reliability Of Temperature Sensing Devices During And Following Exercise In The Heat, Olivia M. Covin

2020 Honors Symposium

Background: Exertional heat stroke is a danger for athletes that participate in outdoor and indoor sports and can be fatal if not recognized and treated properly. Oral temperature is commonly used to assess an athleteʼs temperature during exercise, but previous research suggests it may be an invalid and unreliable measurement of core temperature. A company recently designed a mouth guard prototype that changes color when core temperature reaches a specific threshold.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the color-changing mouth guard when the user reaches a core temperature of 39°C. I hypothesized …

Does Macronutrient Consumption Affect Aerobic Capacity?, Jordan Bush-Means

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Fitness in the United States is declining as the prevalence of obesity rises. It is known generally that exercise and diet both play a part in becoming fit, therefore veering away from being obese and/or overweight. Although people are aware they need to eat healthy foods and participate in physical activity, the role that dietary behaviors have on exercise, particularly aerobic capacity, remains unresolved. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze dietary behaviors and to examine associations with maximal aerobic capacity. We hypothesize that those who consume each food group will have a higher volume …

Influence Of Heating And Biological Sex On Vascular Dysfunction Associated With Long-Duration Sitting And Standing, Aaron Richard Caldwell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of these studies was to determine if arterial angulations (through sitting or standing), shear stress (through local heating), or a combination of these factors affected vascular function. Moreover, this studied estimated the magnitude of the effect that biological sex has on these vascular responses. Methods: Twenty-six healthy, young (18-40 years old) males (n=13) and females (n=13) completed two experimental trials (2-h sitting and 2-h standing). In a randomized fashion, one leg was passively heated in order to increase shear rate. Following a 48-h washout, participants returned to the laboratory to complete the other trial. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) …

Effect Of Localized Heating On Vascular Dysfunction, Garrett A. Pierce

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: One way to quantify vascular dysfunction of an individual is to examine Flow Mediated Dilation (FMD). Aerobic exercise is characterized by increased blood flow and has been shown to either prevent or mitigate vascular dysfunction. However, exercise may not always be possible, especially in occupational settings that require long bouts of sitting or standing. Localized heating of the lower limb may be an alternative, especially since it also increases blood flow. However it is unknown how localized heating affects vascular function during prolonged sitting and standing. Purpose:The purpose of this study was to look at the effect that …

Determining The Prevalence Of Injuries, Musculoskeletal Symptoms, And Stressors In Athletic Training Students, Brett Frazier

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Athletic training is one of the youngest and most rapidly growing professions in the medical field. One of the most prevalent problems with this young profession is the lack of information in the literature about injury, illness, and symptom reporting throughout the course of their career. The purpose of this study was to determine the self-reported prevalence of clinical-related injury, and musculoskeletal disorders/dysfunctions in current athletic training students. I hypothesized that the low back, neck, hand, and knee would be the most frequently affected body areas. Athletic training students from the University of Arkansas were recruited to take this survey. …

Volumetric Muscle Loss: The Role Of Physical Activity And Autologous Repair On Force Recovery And Signaling Pathways, Richard Perry

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Volumetric muscle loss affects both military and civilian persons. The hallmark of this injury is incomplete muscle regeneration, excessive fibrosis, and chronic inflammatory signaling resulting in permanent functional loss. Since permanent functional loss drastically reduces quality of life, many studies have been conducted to improve force recovery. Current scientific literature considers a repair strategy of either devitalized scaffolds infused with growth factors or viable tissue plus activating factors to be the more promising interventions for optimal force recovery. PURPOSE The purpose of this study is to incorporate autologous repair and physical activity and observe the effects of muscle force recovery …

The Acute Effects Of Citrulline Malate And Bonded Arginine Silicate Supplementation On Vasodilation Of Young Adults, Jeffrey Rogers

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Background

Clinicians, professional athletes, and recreational athletes are interested in supplementation that up-regulates nitric oxide (NO) production in blood vessel endothelium, increasing arterial vasodilation. Benefits from these supplements include improvements in blood pressure, muscle hyperemia, and exercise performance. Citrulline Malate (CM) is a pre-workout ingredient, popular for its ability to increase exercise performance and blood serum concentrations of L-arginine, resulting in NO production. Recently, Inositol-Stabilized Arginine Silicate (ASI, Nitrosigine) has been added to many of the most popular pre-workout blends, following a group of studies showing ASI increases serum arginine and reduces post-workout muscle damage. Research has yet to …

Association Of Dietary Behaviors, Macro-Nutrients And Energy Intake With Body Fat Percentage, Lean Mass, And Bone Mineral Density., Makayla Goggins

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Due to the obesity epidemic, many studies have compared nutrient intake to human body composition. However, previous studies have not used gold standard measures of body composition in a college population. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how dietary behaviors, overall energy intake, and macronutrient intake are associated with the body composition factors measured in a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan. We hypothesize higher body fat percentage will be associated with higher fat and carbohydrate intake, but not total energy intake. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study done as part of Exercise is …

Fitness Vs Fatness And Cardiovascular Health In Adolescents, Ashley E. Hensley

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Adolescent obesity has been on the rise with studies showing obesity tracks into adulthood. Obesity is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD); CVD is the leading cause of adult death in the U.S. Previous research shows a strong positive relationship between physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular (CV) health even in an obese adult population. Thus, the relationship between adolescent physical fitness and lifetime risk for CVD and all-cause mortality should be investigated. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine associations between PA and adiposity with cardiovascular health in obese and non-obese weight adolescents, with the …

Comparison Of Physical Intensity Between Interactive Video Game Cycling And Conventional Stationary Cycling In Adolescents With High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder, Tariq Mohammed Alsoqairan

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Obesity has become a serious health concern in adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Researchers have indicated that sedentary behaviors, especially technological activities, such as video games and other forms of screen-based activities is the main barrier to participate in physical activities. Active video games have demonstrated the efficacy in increasing physical activity and reducing body weight in children and adolescents with disabilities.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to examine the exercise intensity and enjoyment level of interactive video game cycling (IVGC) in comparison with conventional stationary cycling (CSC) during matched number of sessions utilizing the same …

Body Composition, Muscular Performance, And Free Testosterone Following 12-Weeks Of Protein Supplementation And Resistance Training In Men Aged 35-55, Matthew Steven Stone

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 12 weeks of protein supplementation and Autoregulatory Progressive Resistance Exercise (APRE) training on measures of body composition, muscular performance, and free testosterone in middle-aged men. METHODS: Untrained males (n = 35; 43.3 ± 6.6 years) participated in this study. Lean mass (LM) and fat mass (FM) were measured via Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA), while strength was measured utilizing one repetition maximum (1RM), endurance measured using maximum repetitions completed (REPS) at 75% 1RM for the bench and leg press, and free testosterone was measured using changes in serum …

The Relationship Between Mental Health And Ultra-Running: A Case Study, Joshua Justin Cook

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This instrumental case study sought to explore the relationship between ultra-running and mental health through the lived experiences of a single participant who self-identifies as an ultra-runner. Three research questions were used to explore this relationship; how did the individual decide to participate in ultra-running, what aspects of ultra-running impact the participant’s mental health, and how has engaging in ultra-running impacted the participant’s mental health? The case study utilized three semi-structured interviews, two participant observations, video documentary review, and journaling to answer these questions. A thematic analysis of the data revealed four essential themes; 1) Development of participation, 2) Promotes …

Determinants Of Hydration In Children: The Role Of Physical Activity And Parental Dietary Habits, Hyun-Gyu Suh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: The purpose of these studies was 1) to examine the factors that influence the water intake in children and 2) to identify the optimal time window to assess hydration status that would be equivalent to 24-hour urine sample in children. METHODS: Study 1: Data for 200 parents (age:3-13y, female:62%, BMI:28.4±7.0kg∙m-2) and 200 children (age:7.5±2.9y, female:44%, BMI:17.7±3.9kg∙m-2) were recruited. Subjects recorded their fluid and food consumption on the 2-day diary, and food data were analyzed by using the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDSR) program. Physical activity levels were assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). All urine samples …

Dehydration, Muscle Damage, And Exercise In The Heat: Impacts On Renal Stress, Thermoregulation, And Muscular Damage Recovery, Cory L. Butts

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose was to identify the combined influence of dehydration, muscle damage, and exertional hyperthermia on biological markers of acute kidney injury and renal function. We also investigated the effects of performing muscle damaging exercise during mild hypohydration on muscle damage biomarkers and muscular strength recovery. Methods: Eighteen recreationally-active males (age 24 ± 5 y, body fat 17.3 ± 6.2%) completed a familiarization visit and two experimental trials separated by ≥28 days. The two experimental conditions consisted of either euhydration (EU; maintaining hydration, -1.2 ± 0.8%) or hypohydration (HY; restricting fluid consumption for 24 hours prior to and during …

Cancer Cachexia: Metabolic Changes That Occur In Oxidative Capacity And Carbohydrate And Lipid Metabolism Of The Liver, Sarah Ramey

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

BACKGROUND: Cancer cachexia is defined as cancer-associated muscle wasting, and is a cancer side effect that dramatically affects cancer prognosis, is thought to be at least partially mediated by increased energy expenditure, and is directly responsible for the death of 20-40% of all cancer patients. Although the liver is known to be a predominant regulator of whole body metabolism, there is little known about its relationship to the development of cancer cachexia. PURPOSE: The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate alterations in liver metabolism by examining measures of hepatic glycogen storage, oxidative phenotype and lipid content throughout the …

Changes In Hepatic Extracellular Matrix During The Development Of Cancer-Cachexia In Mice, Kyle Turner

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

CHANGES IN HEPATIC EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER-CACHEXIA IN MICE

Turner K.W.¹, Rosa-Caldwell M.E.¹, Brown J.L.¹, Lee D.E.¹, Perry R.A.¹, Haynie W.A.¹ Washington T.A.¹, Wiggs M.P.², Greene N.P.¹: ¹University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas; ²Univeristy of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, Texas

BACKGROUND: Cancer is one of the most widespread and deadly diseases in recent history. Cancer-cachexia is a systemic, metabolic disorder that greatly disrupts the patient’s energy balance, causing uncontrollable weight and, specifically, skeletal muscle loss. This cancer-induced cachexia is …

Does Hydration Impact Memory: A Systematic Review, Kelsey Ellis-Lepard

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

With 60% of the adult human body composed of water it makes sense that maintaining proper hydration levels is important to survival as well as living a healthy life. Water has many roles throughout the human body: thermoregulation, being a carrier, being a lubricant, and acting as a reaction medium. As a carrier, water is responsible for allowing exchanges between cells, interstitial fluid and capillaries. In addition, water regulates the blood volume and allows blood circulation. Since water is responsible for these tasks, many systems in the body as well as the brain are reliant upon proper hydration levels to …

Survey Of Hydration Knowledge And Behavior In Youth Mountain Bike Teams, Natasha Brand

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Many youth sports organizations recognize the importance of educating on hydration practices and awareness, although according to recent research current hydration education is not correlating to effective practices. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess and describe the hydration knowledge and behavior of student-athletes participating in competitive junior high and high school mountain bike teams, in order to substantiate further research. METHODS: A total of 133 male and female participants, ranging from 11-18 years were surveyed on their hydration knowledge and behavior. All participants were apparently healthy and were active members of a National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) …

The Comparison Of Using The Preferred Or Non-Preferred Wrist When Measuring Physical Activity In College Students, Bryce Daniels

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. People who participate in regular physical activity have a decreased risk of chronic diseases and premature death. A dramatic decrease of physical activity occurs from adolescence to young adulthood. With important implications to health, physical activity is an important behavior to measure. However, inconsistencies exist on how to measure physical activity. When using accelerometers, differences between the preferred or non-preferred wrist may result in different estimates of physical activity. Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare the preferred and non-preferred wrist accelerometry measured physical activity using commonly used research accelerometers during structured daily college activities (Actigraph GT3x-bt …

Disordered Eating Risk And Body Image Dissatisfaction Of Division I Male And Female Cheerleaders, Christopher Blaszka

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The sport of cheerleading is growing both in the high school and college setting, however there is little research on cheerleaders specifically, both sideline and competitive. It is clear that while this sport does not benefit from being affiliated with the NCAA, the athletes are still at large risk for disordered eating and eating disorders, and are in need of more accurate screening and prevention methods. With the lack of cheerleading studies in general, there is an even larger scarcity of studies that focus on males in cheerleading. The current study aims to fill the gap in the research regarding …

Effect Of A Skating Unit On Fitness In Fifth Grade Students, Eric Lange

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative study investigates the effect of a skating unit on factors of cardiovascular fitness, static balance, explosive power, and agility in fifth graders. Methods: During a 6-weeks skating unit (twelve lesson), seventy-one students (ages 10-12; M age = 10.34) participated during regularly scheduled physical education classes. Three separate classes served as control group (C) (n=19; 8 male; 11 female) and two experimental groups: roller skating (RS) (n=26; 11 male; 15 female) and inline skating (IS) (n=26; 10 male; 16 female). Control group had no access to roller or inline skates during class time of study. Control …

Exercise, Cognition, And The Aging Process Among Active, Competitive, And Sedentary Middle-Aged And Older Adults, Katherine Adams

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Purpose This study aimed to compare the cognitive measures of reaction time and dual-task performance among recreationally active, master athletes, and sedentary older adults aged 50 years or older. Methods 59 late middle-aged and older adults between the ages of 50 to 88 years old participated in reaction time and dual-task tests of which consisted of multiple trials on the same day. Subjects were placed either into the recreationally active, masters athlete, or sedentary activity level group based on the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA) form. For the gait speed with associated dual-task component, subjects walked 10-meters at two …

The Influence Of Walking Speed On Hip Muscle Activity And Lumbopelvic Movement, Kate Tarver

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prolonged standing induces low back pain (LBP) in at least 50% of study participants. It is hypothesized that people who develop LBP during standing have high gluteus medius co-activation; however, there is no research on how interventions, such as intermittent walking breaks, influence co-contraction. PURPOSE: Examine the effects of different walking speeds on gluteus medius co-contraction. METHODS: Four males and three females (mean age=22.5) have participated in this study. The exclusion criterion includes any previous low back or hip injury, surgery and an allergy to rubbing alcohol. Electromyography (EMG) of bilateral gluteus medius were recorded during a baseline standing trial …

Fall Risk In Sedentary, Recreationally Active, And Masters Athlete Older Adults, Felicia Elizabeth Squires

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine whether different habitual activity levels may affect balance ability in older adults. Balance must be studied as poor balance increases likelihood of falls. This study examined activity levels in older adults and effect on balance ability. Fifty-nine older adults aged 66.5 ± 9.5 participated. Three groups were separated by physical activity level. First group had 13 masters athletes, older adults performing least 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week and competing in nationally sanctioned event within the last six months. Twenty-seven older adults comprised recreationally active group performing at least 150 minutes …

The Effect Of Blinded Hydration State On Thermoregulation And Performance In Male Cyclists, Jon David Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of these studies was to observe the effect of dehydration on exercise performance while subjects were blinded to their hydration status. Methods: Study 1: Seven male cyclists (weight: 71±8 kg, body fat: 14±6%, VO2peak: 59.4±6 ml∙kg-1·min-1) exercised for 2 hours on a cycle ergometer at 55% VO2peak, in a hot-dry environment (35°C, 30% rh), with a nasogastric (NG) tube under euhydrated (EUH-NT) and hypohydrated (DEH-NT) conditions. In both trials, thirst was matched by drinking 25 mL every 5 min. In the EUH-NT trial sweat losses were fully replaced via the NG tube. Following the 2 hours of …