Sports Studies Commons^™

A170: Effects Of Exercise On Liver Function And Inflammatory Markers In Nafld Patients: A Meta-Analysis, Siyang Wang, Chunyan Xu, Ye Yue

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent chronic liver condition globally, often linked to sedentary behaviors and central obesity. It is characterized by the activation of multiple signaling cascades leading to inflammation, which plays a critical role in the occurrence and progression of NAFLD liver damage. With the absence of targeted pharmacological treatments, lifestyle and dietary adjustments remain primary interventions for many patients. However, the optimal exercise intensity for managing NAFLD remains unclear, with conflicting evidence on its effectiveness in modulating inflammation. This study aimed to clarify the impact of different exercise types and intensities on liver function …

A171: The Effects Of Qigong On Balance And Fall Prevention In Older Adults: A Systematic Review, Rong Zhang, Zilong Fang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury deaths globally, with approximately 684,000 deaths from falls each year, and older adults are at the highest risk of death or serious injury due to imbalance, with risk increasing with age. Coupled with the accelerating global aging process, the safety of the elderly population due to fall imbalance should be taken seriously. Qigong, one of the classic traditional Chinese exercises, is beneficial for improving the physical fitness of the elderly. However, few studies have reported the effect of Qigong on fall risk in older adults. Therefore, we conducted this systematic …

A172: Performance Of Muscle Explosive And Maximal Strength In Trampoline Athletes At Different Levels Of Competition, Mengzi Sun, Fangtong Zhang, Feng Qu, Xinglong Zhou, Wenhui Mao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: To study the differences in lower limb muscle explosive and maximal strength among trampoline athletes at different levels of competition.

Methods: A total of fifteen trampoline athletes, comprising seven elite and eight non-elite athletes, participated in this project. Lower limb explosive strength was assessed using the countermovement jump (CMJ) test. Maximal strength was evaluated by the MicroFet portable system. The maximal strength of the hip, knee, and ankle were measured and standardized by weight. Independent t-tests were employed to examine the differences between the two groups. Cohen’s d was used to evaluate the related effect size. Small, medium, and …

A168: The Effects Of Physical Activity And Family Environment On Executive Function In Preschool Children, Siyi Zhang, Chunrong Wang, Dongmei Luo, Sha Qu, Xing Zhao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Based on the investigation and analysis of the current situation of physical activity, the family objective environment, and executive function development of children aged 4–6 years, this study analyzed the correlation between the three, so as to explore the influence of family objective environment and physical activity on executive function, and provide a reference for families and kindergartens to formulate effective interventions to improve the level of physical activity and executive function of preschoolers.

Method: A total of 123 preschool children aged 4–6 years old in a kindergarten in Beijing were selected as study participants. The Acti Graph GT3X+ …

A166: Effects Of Mind-Body Exercises On Women Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review And Network Meta-Analysis, Peng Pei, Liqing Zeng, Yan Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Mind-body exercise (MBE) is a non-pharmacological and low-intensity multimodal form of exercise with reliable benefits for improving quality of life (QOL) and relieving cancer-related symptoms. Currently, there is a lack of consensus in clinical studies on the optimal form of MBE to improve QOL and cancer-related fatigue (CRF) in BC survivors. Therefore, this network meta-analysis (NMA) aimed to quantitatively analyze and rank different MBE interventions for women BC survivors, thereby improving the accuracy and generalization of …

A175: Effects Of Physical Activity Interventions On Physical Fitness In Chinese Preschool Children: A Systematic Review, Jintao Hong, Jingjing Wang, Sitong Chen, Jie Feng

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: The early years are a critical period for the development of health-related physical fitness (PF). National surveillance data showed that PF decreased among Chinese preschool children aged 3-6 years. There is a widespread call for effective physical activity (PA) intervention strategies for this age group. Nevertheless, the depth and breadth of the evidence on such interventions in Chinese preschoolers remains relatively small. Therefore, the present systematic review aimed to investigate the effects of PA interventions on PF in typically developing Chinese young children.

Methods: In accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement, a …

A167: The Impact Of Physical Exercise On Subjective Well-Being In Elementary Students: A Chain Mediation Model, Xinwei Wu, Mengyue Hu, Youfa Li

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: Physical exercise has been recognized for its beneficial effects on emotional states, with previous research highlighting its positive correlation with subjective well-being. However, the pathways through which physical exercise influences subjective well-being remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the mechanisms by which physical exercise impacted subjective well-being among elementary school students, analyzing the chain mediating role of peer relationships and depression.

Methods: The study sampled 15,538 fourth-grade students from 312 elementary schools in Taiyuan City, including 7,838 boys (50.5%) and 7,690 girls (49.5%), with an average age of 10.38 ± 0.56 years. Data collection was conducted on October …

A176: Meta-Analysis Of The Effects Of Phototherapy On Sleep Quality Across Different Populations, Zhen Chen, Wenqiang Wu

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: Sleep, a fundamental physiological need for humans, significantly impacts an individual's physical and mental health. Phototherapy, a non-pharmacological intervention, has been extensively researched in recent years to improve sleep quality. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of phototherapy on sleep quality across different populations through a meta-analysis, using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index as the outcome measure, thereby providing a scientific basis for improving the population health levels and life quality.

Method: As of March 1, 2024, this study conducted a systematic search of four databases: Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and CNKI. A comprehensive set of inclusion …

A177: Association Between Physical Activity And The Risk Of Depression Among Middle And Older Chinese People, Yunqing Zhang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: Relevant studies have shown that insufficient physical activity (PA) is associated with the risk of depression in middle-aged and elderly populations, but the relationship between different levels of PA and the risk of depression remains unexplored. Therefore, the objective of this study was to explore the relationship between different levels of PA and depression risk among middle-aged and older adults in China.

Methods: The survey data of this study was based on the 2020 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). A total of 13,316 middle-aged and elderly community residents aged 45 years or older with complete values of …

A178: Effect Of Aerobic Exercise Intervention On Anxiety In College Students: A Systematic Review, Yiming Chen, Shengting Dai, Xinming Ye

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: The role of exercise interventions in the treatment of psychiatric disorders is receiving increased attention, and the positive protective effect of aerobic exercise on anxiety symptoms has now been extensively demonstrated. This study aimed to investigate the systematic evaluation of the effects of different aerobic exercise interventions on anxiety symptoms in college students.

Method: Using keywords such as “physical activity,” “anxiety,” and “college students” screened Randomized controlled trials (RCT) published until February 2024 in three databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. A total of 5073 studies were retrieved after systematically searching individual databases. After removing duplicate literature, 4112 …

A173: An Experimental Study Of The Effects Of Exercise Intervention On Executive Function In Obese Adolescents, Lingling Hu, Hengchan Yin, Lei Cui, Qiqi Shen

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: Executive function (EF) is an important component of cognitive function, referring to a higher-level cognitive process that coordinates and controls various basic cognitive processes when completing complex cognitive tasks. It includes three sub-functions: inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility. Globally, high rates of overweight and obesity remain a public health issue. Previous studies have shown that, compared to adolescents with healthy weight, adolescents with obesity have poorer inhibitory function in EF. In addition, the effectiveness of the exercise intervention is seen in the normal adolescent population as well as in special adolescents with poor EF. However, there have been …

A181: The Realistic Path Of Green Sports To Boost Urban Development, Xinyu Huang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Green sports is an emerging form of sports that pursues the integrated development and harmonious coexistence of sport, humanities, and ecology. As the interaction between the green sports industry and cities becomes increasingly closer, it is of great practical significance to explore how the development path of green sports can enhance urban development. Green sports have the characteristics of close industrial connection, environmental protection, low carbon, and a huge consumption base.

It can promote the transformation of social, economic, and ecological models of cities by bringing into play the economic vitality, social benefits, and ecological benefits of the green sports …

A180: The Effects Of Weight Control By Hypoxia On Judo Athletes With Hiit, Liying Huang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Purpose: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is recognized as an effective means of fat reduction, and HIIT is also used in the pre-competition weight control of judo. In addition, hypoxic adaptation can reduce blood lipids, maintain exercise capacity, and improve physical function. Therefore, this study explored the effects of weight control by hypoxia on judo athletes with HIIT by observing the changes of body composition, blood lipids, exercise ability and body function, so that to explore an innovative method of weight control pre-competition for judo athletes.

Methods: 12 female athletes of the provincial judo team preparing for the 2023 Guangdong Provincial …

A018: Dual-Process Advantages Of Ball Players In Sport-Related Domains, Xuechen Mao

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: Based on a dual-process framework, two qualitatively different modes of processing guide human behaviour. Type 1 processes refer to automatic, unconscious processing that can be responsible for Task 1, while Type 2 processes refer to controlled, conscious processing required by Task 2. Although many existing sport psychology studies emphasize that the dual-process model can be applied to the sports domain, this application has shortcomings. The first debate of this application is whether dual-process advantages in athletes are limited to sport-specific realms. Furthermore, although the dual-process framework pays more attention to automatic processes (Type 1 processes), it loses sight of …

A027: Does Participation In Sports Competitions Enhance Medical Students' Interprofessional Teamwork?, Guochun Liu, Zhiling Shen

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background: Healthcare systems are complex linkages, and efficient interprofessional collaboration is essential to their efficiency, safety, and quality. The ability of medical students to collaborate across professions directly impacts future healthcare delivery practices. Physical education programmes provide a simple and easy way for medical students to develop interprofessional collaboration that can be translated into future team performance in clinical settings. To test the effectiveness of the physical education programme "competition instead of examination" in improving the teamwork ability of medical students.

Method: Using a quasi-experimental intervention design, 188 students were recruited from five classes to complete a teamwork scale consisting …

A047: Research On The Structure And Scale Of Service Quality Of Sports Park, Liping Xu, Zhihua Yin, Jian Wang

International Journal of Physical Activity and Health

Background/Purpose: Since the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, with the vigorous promotion of China and the provincial and municipal governments, the number of sports parks has shown a continuous positive trend of growth. While accelerating the construction progress, how to improve the service quality of sports parks should become the primary issue that needs to be solved to promote the sustainable and healthy development of sports parks. Therefore, based on the perspective of public demand, this study formed a scientific assessment scale by exploring the specific content structure contained in the service quality of sports parks, to promote the high-quality development …

Analysis Of The Paris 2024 Olympic Games Media Coverage Via Instagram, Emily J. Houghton

Human Performance Department Publications

In a departure from previous reports, analysis of the media coverage of the Olympic Games examined photos posted to the main feeds of the following Instagram accounts: @Olympics, @Paris2024 @TeamUSA, @NBCOlympics. These are the official governing body accounts of the games, and NBC is the official media rights holder for both the Olympic and Paralympic Games in the United States. The number of photographs dedicated to male, female, transgender athletes or multiple athletes were counted for each source totaling 4,899 pictures. Preliminary data analysis of the pictures posted during the Olympic Games (n=973) indicates that @Paris2024 accounted for 41.3% of …

The Impact Of Cumulative And Acute Loading On Achilles Tendon Health, Performance, And Reported Pain In Collegiate Gymnasts, Julio Serrano Samayoa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Gymnasts are at a high risk of Achilles tendon (AT) injuries due to intense loads during takeoffs and landings. To better understand better the relationship between impact loading and its effects on tendon adaptation and athletic performance, this study uses Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) to track AT loading across a collegiate gymnastics season. This data were compared against physiological and athletic performance metrics, obtained through force plates and ultrasound imaging, to explore how mechanical load influences reported pain and athletic performance. Results varied, with cumulative impacts being correlated with improved jump height (Spearman 0.362, Pearson 0.348), while peak power and …

Voluntary Early Retirement From Sport: The Lived Experiences Of Former Ncaa Diii Student-Athletes, Lindsey Darvin, Ryan Konotopskyj, Ashley Ryder

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Intercollegiate athletics offer amateur athletes an approximately four-year window to pursue their athletic careers (Hodges & Darvin, 2022). While many athletes complete their full eligibility, some choose to retire early (Zvosec & Bass, 2022). At the NCAA Division III level, motivations for early retirement remain unclear, and the experiences of former student-athletes are often overlooked (Zvosec & Bass, 2022; Hodges & Darvin, 2022). Despite DIVISION III's large athlete population, research seldom delves into their experiences. This study aims to explore why former Division III athletes voluntarily leave their sport. Transitioning out of collegiate sports poses significant challenges, affecting athletes' identities, …

The Challenges Women Face In Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu In The United States, Rachel S. Silverman, Anthony Dixon, Harriet E T Dixon

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

The purpose of this case study was to discover the challenges facing women participating in Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the United States, how they overcame these challenges, and why they continue to participate in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Twenty-three female jiu-jitsu athletes participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews using open-ended questions were utilized. Analysis of challenges revealed three broader themes of Brazilian jiu-jitsu being male-dominated, gender norms and Brazilian jiu-jitsu being a contact sport. Women discussed how they coped with the challenges and the benefits they gain from participation. To increase the number of women involved in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, participants suggested more women’s-only …