Author: Daniel J. Graham
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781109147155
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 108

View

Book Description
This dissertation examined relationships between predictors of physical activity (psychosocial and environmental resources), measures of physical activity (PA), and physical fitness in a sample of 192 adolescents (mean age 14.79 ± 0.46 years; 105 male/87 female). Psychosocial resources (perceived competence and social support for PA) were assessed via self-report. Environmental PA resources were assessed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology. All gyms, schools, bike trails, parks and athletic fields within .5 miles of a participant's home were geocoded and summed to create a measure of environmental PA resources. Four measures were used to assess PA: accelerometry, 3-day recall, and self-reported sports participation both in- and out-of school. Fitness was assessed via dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA, which measured percent body fat), body mass index (BMI) percentile (calculated from height and weight), and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2peak during a cycle ergometer ramp-type fitness test). Linear regression analyses revealed: The associations between environmental resources and both PA (school sports participation) and fitness (BMI percentile and body fat) confirmed hypotheses (i.e. access to more environmental resources was associated with increased PA and fitness); however, the ways in which environmental resources were associated with PA and fitness depended upon adolescent gender. Perceived competence significantly predicted all measures of PA and fitness in the expected (positive) direction. Social support positively predicted all measures of PA and VO2peak. Further, school sports participation partially mediated the relationship between social support and VO2peak; however, there was no evidence that the PA variables mediated the relationship between perceived competence and fitness. The interaction between environmental resources and social support for PA was significantly associated with school sports participation: Adolescents who had greater access to environmental PA resources and also greater social support were more likely to engage in PA than adolescents with lower levels of environmental resources, social support, or both. Results are discussed in terms of Social Ecological Theory and suggestions are presented to inform future research and intervention.

Author: Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309283140
Category : Medical
Languages : en
Pages : 503

View

Book Description
Physical inactivity is a key determinant of health across the lifespan. A lack of activity increases the risk of heart disease, colon and breast cancer, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, osteoporosis, anxiety and depression and others diseases. Emerging literature has suggested that in terms of mortality, the global population health burden of physical inactivity approaches that of cigarette smoking. The prevalence and substantial disease risk associated with physical inactivity has been described as a pandemic. The prevalence, health impact, and evidence of changeability all have resulted in calls for action to increase physical activity across the lifespan. In response to the need to find ways to make physical activity a health priority for youth, the Institute of Medicine's Committee on Physical Activity and Physical Education in the School Environment was formed. Its purpose was to review the current status of physical activity and physical education in the school environment, including before, during, and after school, and examine the influences of physical activity and physical education on the short and long term physical, cognitive and brain, and psychosocial health and development of children and adolescents. Educating the Student Body makes recommendations about approaches for strengthening and improving programs and policies for physical activity and physical education in the school environment. This report lays out a set of guiding principles to guide its work on these tasks. These included: recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long physical activity habits in children; the value of using systems thinking in improving physical activity and physical education in the school environment; the recognition of current disparities in opportunities and the need to achieve equity in physical activity and physical education; the importance of considering all types of school environments; the need to take into consideration the diversity of students as recommendations are developed. This report will be of interest to local and national policymakers, school officials, teachers, and the education community, researchers, professional organizations, and parents interested in physical activity, physical education, and health for school-aged children and adolescents.

Author: Alan L. Smith
Publisher: Human Kinetics
ISBN: 1492584282
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 516

View

Book Description
As interest in the public health challenge of youth inactivity increases, the ambitious Youth Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior sets a standard for addressing a problem with worldwide implications. Drawing on the contributions of a diverse group of international experts, this reference challenges professionals, researchers, and students to implement new solutions and further their research and work. No other text addresses the causes, contributing factors, and fundamental issues in dealing with youth physical activity with such depth or comprehensive coverage. Using a multidisciplinary approach, Youth Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior breaks away from traditional thinking that places activity and sedentary behavior on a single continuum, which may limit progress in addressing youth inactivity. Instead, the authors encourage readers to focus on how sedentary and physically active behaviors coexist and consider how the two behaviors may have different determinants. In doing so, the text also considers developmental features such as maturation, ethnicity, environment, and genetics across both childhood (through age 12) and adolescence (the teen years). By looking at a variety of psychosocial and epidemiological factors, the authors set the stage for a critical analysis of beliefs and views at a time when many assumptions are taken for granted. This book is organized in three parts that build on one another to deepen readers’ understanding of this complex problem. This text begins by addressing the fundamental issues and assumptions pertaining to youth physical activity and sedentary behavior, covering such topics as measurement of the behavior in question, health outcomes, concepts, and trends in a public health context. Once readers have grasped this foundational knowledge, they advance to part II for a comprehensive account of personal factors likely to be associated with the problem. Part III moves beyond the individual into the wider social and contextual aspects of physically active and sedentary living in young people. Through this concluding part, readers gain the latest thinking on how parents, peers, schools, organized sport, and related factors link to youth physical activity and sedentary behavior. Each chapter presents the latest theory and research, real-world approaches to implementation, and background information to encourage discussion and future directions in national policy making. Youth Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior also contains the following features that add to an unprecedented learning experience: •An at-a-glance look at why and how research can be used in the real world helps researchers relate their work to overall solutions. •Coverage of more issues related to this subject than are available in any other reference makes this a one-stop resource. •Internationally respected foreword writer, editors, and contributors provide a cross-disciplinary perspective valuable for putting solutions into a wider context. •Applications for Professionals boxes and Applications for Researchers boxes at the end of each chapter provide practical suggestions for implementing solutions. Youth Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior: Challenges and Solutions considers current research about youth physical activity and sedentary behavior across a range of personal factors as well as cultural and social influences. The text communicates the knowledge base on developmental, economic, psychological, and social factors related to youth physical activity and sedentary behavior and provides an overview of youth-specific approaches to addressing the problem of inactivity among youth.

Author: Selen Razon
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1134462441
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 664

View

Book Description
Applied Exercise Psychology emphasizes the application of evidence-based knowledge drawn from the fields of exercise psychology, health psychology, clinical and counseling psychology, and exercise physiology for physical activity behavior change. The book provides readers with: theoretical bases for understanding and promoting physical activity behavior; interventions to use for facilitating physical activity behavior change and the tools for measuring the effectiveness of these interventions; cross-cultural considerations for practitioners to ensure multicultural competency; considerations to guide best practices with special populations (e.g., persons with medical conditions and persons with mental health conditions); overall applied implications and future directions. The collection builds a bridge between up-to-date research findings, relevant field experiences, and applied implications. This is the first book to cover such breadth of topics in applied exercise psychology, with chapters bringing often overlooked issues to the attention of practitioners to promote not only evidence-based practice but also responsible ethics and referral.

Author: Rennae A. Williams
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American teenagers
Languages : en
Pages : 100

View

Book Description
"The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding of the physical activity behavior of Black female adolescents age 14-18 in the Charlotte, NC public school community by examining the relationship between physical activity and self-efficacy, social support, outcome expectations, and physical environment. The study sample consisted of 96 girls ages 14-19 from a public high school in Charlotte, North Carolina. Participants volunteered to complete a survey with demographic, physical activity (PA), and psychosocial questions. The predictor variables were self-efficacy and physical activity self-efficacy, social support, outcome expectations, and physical environment. The dependent variable was physical activity participation. Correlational analysis was employed to examine the relationship of the four predictor variables to physical activity. Self-efficacy was shown to be correlated with PA. The strongest correlation was between physical activity self-efficacy and PA. Correlations between outcome expectations and PA for the total sample were low and not significant. Total social support, family and friend social support were correlated with PA as well. Physical environment was not significantly related with PA for the Black adolescents in this study. Multiple regression was used to determine the relative strength of the four main predictor variables on the dependent variable of physical activity level. For the total sample, the four predictor variables explained 24% of the variance in physical activity participation. Of these variables, physical activity self-efficacy makes the largest unique contribution (beta=.36) with a significance level of .002. In order to understand PA habits and perceptions among Black adolescent females, the last section of the survey included 14 open-ended questions. Most Black participants understand the health benefits of physical activity, but cited tiring and sweating factors as reasons why they do not participate in physical activity. Findings suggest increasing physical activity self-efficacy and providing social support, as well as allowing girls to have a choice in their physical activity and offering activities they consider fun, may lead to increased physical activity among Black adolescent girls."--Abstract from author supplied metadata.

Author: Transportation Research Board
Publisher: Transportation Research Board
ISBN: 0309094984
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 269

View

Book Description
TRB Special Report 282: Does the Built Environment Influence Physical Activity? Examining the Evidence reviews the broad trends affecting the relationships among physical activity, health, transportation, and land use; summarizes what is known about these relationships, including the strength and magnitude of any causal connections; examines implications for policy; and recommends priorities for future research.

Author: Flint D. Mitchell
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

View

Book Description
This study examined personal, social, and demographic factors related to physical activity (PA) level and body mass index (BMI) in adolescent African American (AA) females. The participants were 211 AA females from selected parochial schools in a city in the southern U.S. Participants completed the Physical Activity Determinant Scale (PADS: Mitchell & Kontos, 2002), the Three Day Physical Activity Recall (3DPAR: Weston, Petosa & Pate, 1997), the Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ: Godin & Shepard, 1985), and demographic items. Height and weight measures were taken to assess BMI. Results from logistic regression indicated that the personal factor was a significant (p

Author: Rod K. Dishman
Publisher: Human Kinetics Publishers
ISBN:
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 424

View

Book Description
This text examines trends in physical activity, aerobic fitness in teenagers and older adults, the role of physical activity in weight loss, new technology, marketing techniques and perspectives on behaviour intervention strategies in exercise programming and views on habitual exercise.

Author: Maureen R. Weiss
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Health & Fitness
Languages : en
Pages : 632

View

Book Description
Research in mainstream psychology and sport psychology stresses the importance of a developmental perspective that considers continuity and change from infancy through older adulthood. Understanding age-related changes in perceptions physical competencies emotions social influences and achievement behaviours is critical in terms of developing theory enhancing the research knowledge base and devising applied programs to promote positive physical activity experiences for youth through older adults. This book demystifies this perspective for students and researchers and contributes interesting and innovative ideas for the field. The book examines the current sport and exercise psychology literature reviews mainstream theories from psychology and elaborates on how cognitive physical social and other developmental factors influence behaviours in physical activity settings. Section One reviews fundamental concepts and controversies. Section Two examines developmental issues in youth and adolescence such as parental influence competition and peer relationships. Section Three discusses young middle and older adulthood in terms of self-perceptions social influences motivational processes and self-regulation skills. Section Four covers expertise transitions moral development diversity disabilities and injury throughout the lifespan.

Author: Lilian Guadalupe Perez
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 129

View

Book Description
Background: Ecological models posit that interactions among factors at multiple levels (e.g., individual, psychosocial, and environmental) influence physical activity (PA). However, interactions involving environmental factors are the least understood. Intervention studies also suggest PA behavior change may depend on the environments in which participants are encouraged to be active but such evidence from interventions targeting Latinos is limited. Methods: Chapter 2 tested interactions between neighborhood environmental and socio-demographic factors on total moderate-to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among an international adult sample (N=10,258). Chapter 3 examined interactions between neighborhood environmental and psychosocial factors on context-specific PA among an adolescent sample from the Baltimore/Seattle regions (N=910). Chapter 4 assessed the moderating effects of neighborhood environmental factors on the impacts of a physical activity intervention targeting Latinas in San Diego, CA at 12-months post-intervention (N=319). Results: Chapter 2 found moderating effects by education and gender on the association between safety from crime and meeting high PA levels, with inverse associations found only among the high-education group and men. Education and gender moderated associations of safety from crime and the presence of transit stops with meeting minimum PA guidelines, with positive associations found for safety from crime only among women and the presence of transit stops only among men and the high-education group. Chapter 3 found moderating effects by decisional balance on the association between recreation facility density and neighborhood leisure-time PA among female adolescents, with a negative association found only among those with high decisional balance. Decisional balance also moderated the associations of neighborhood walkability with non-school MVPA among females and non-neighborhood leisure-time PA among males, with positive associations only among adolescents with high decisional balance. Chapter 4 showed higher total MVPA and leisure-time MVPA at 12-months post-intervention among participants with favorable perceived neighborhood aesthetics than those with less favorable evaluations. Conclusions: This dissertation supports the ecological models' hypothesized interactions between environmental and individual/psychosocial factors on PA and the moderating role of the neighborhood environment on the impacts of a multilevel PA intervention targeting Latinas. Findings support global efforts targeting multiple levels of influence to promote population PA, health, and environmental sustainability.