Exercise Science Commons^™

Knoxville Moves: Log-In And Get Mobile, Courtney Marie Monroe

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation evaluated 1) the efficacy of a course-based Internet-technology intervention rooted in social cognitive theory (SCT) for increasing step counts in university faculty and staff, and 2) the effect of online social support tools on step counts among adults using a randomized control trial.

Thirty-six sedentary/insufficiently active university faculty and staff participated in an eight-week, Internet-delivered walking intervention. They received an Omron HJ-720ITC pedometer, personal step goals, and access to a Blackboard LearnTM website comprised of SCTbased features. Outcomes included daily steps, social support, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and outcome expectations. Participants significantly increased their average daily steps (p < 0.001) between baseline and week 1 by 1800. A similar increase in daily steps was observed between baseline and all other intervention weeks (p < 0.001). Social support and self-regulation significantly improved (p < 0.001). These findings helped inform the design of the second study.

In this …

Active Families In The Great Outdoors: A Family-Centered Program To Increase Physical Activity Levels, Perceptions, And Behaviors, Jennifer Irene Flynn

Doctoral Dissertations

Physical activity levels of adults and children are low, and the amount of time children spend being active outdoors is decreasing. Parents play a critical role in developing health behaviors of children and ways to increase physical activity and encourage an active family culture are needed. Promotion of family outdoor physical activity, which includes at least one parent and one child from a home engaging in physical activity together, is understudied. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to 1) describe the type, frequency, and duration of family physical activity, 2) determine whether changes in the duration and number of …

Associations Of Total Activity Counts And Physical Activity Intensity Levels With The Metabolic Syndrome: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach, Dana Lizbeth Wolff

Doctoral Dissertations

To clarify the protective benefits of physical activity (PA), epidemiologists and public health researchers continue to seek improved methods of assessing PA. In particular, accelerometers have gained acceptance with researchers as they provide reliable estimates of PA and can record both the amount and intensity of ambulatory movement. However, there is concern that accelerometer data reduction techniques may not provide quantitatively accurate measurements of time spent in various PA intensity categories. One way to circumvent these inaccuracies is to use the accelerometer-derived total activity counts (TAC), which is a more direct expression of what the monitor records.

In order to …