Occupational Physical Activity as an Indicator of Health and Fitness

2001 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 121-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon Hammermeister ◽  
Randy M. Page ◽  
Dennis Dolny ◽  
Tim Burnham
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
United States Forest Service ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Work Related ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Health And Fitness ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Recent Government

Recent government guidelines suggest that simply increasing physical activity, regardless of mode, leads to improved health profiles. This study examined the relationship between amount of work-related physical activity of United States Forest Service (USFS) workers and 12 indicators of health and fitness. Subjects were 110 USFS workers recruited from 8 separate USFS ranger stations in the Pacific Northwest. The associations between work-related physical activity and indicators of health and fitness indicated the 63 workers who were physically active on the job displayed better overall health and fitness patterns as evidenced by higher aerobic capacity, lower body fat, and greater muscular flexibility than their 47 inactive peers.

Psychosocial, Behavioral, and Biometric Characteristics of Stages of Exercise Adoption

2000 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon J. Hammermeister ◽  
Randy M. Page ◽  
Dennis Dolny
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Stages Of Change ◽  
Hdl Cholesterol ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Contemplation Stage ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Preparation Stage ◽  
Health And Fitness ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship

This study incorporates the Stages of Change model to examine the relationship between the stages of exercise adoption and indicators of health and fitness. Subjects were 198 United States Forest Service (USFS) workers recruited from 8 USFS ranger stations in the Pacific Northwest. Analysis indicated that those subjects in Action and Maintenance stages of exercise adoption differed significantly from those in Preparation and Precontemplation/Contemplation stages on a variety of indicators of both health and fitness. Also, interesting differences were noted among the physically inactive stages, e.g., Preparation stage subjects showed lower triglycerides, systolic blood pressure, and higher HDL cholesterol compared with subjects in the Precontemplation/Contemplation stage. Progressing to the Preparation stage, where the individual remains inactive but is aware of the problem and has begun to make small changes, is associated with a differing (more positive) health profile in this study compared to those in the Precontemplation/Contemplation stage. These results imply that simply advancing in stage can have a variety of health benefits.

scholarly journals Relationship between the intention–behavior gap and self-efficacy for physical activity during childhood

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsunenori Isa ◽  
Yuya Ueda ◽  
Ryo Nakamura ◽  
Shogo Misu ◽  
Rei Ono
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
High Activity ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Education Interventions ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Low Activity ◽  
Actual Participation

This study investigated the relationship of a gap between the intent to be physically active and actual participation in physical activity (‘intention–behavior gap’) and self-efficacy for physical activity during childhood. A self-report questionnaire was used to collect information from 946 children from the fourth and sixth grades in Japan on self-efficacy, intention, and physical activity. Children with an intention–behavior gap (high intent–low activity or low intent–high activity) had higher self-efficacy scores than those with low intent and low activity (27.66 or 27.65 vs. 21.69; p < .001). They had lower self-efficacy scores than those with high intent and high activity (27.66 or 27.65 vs. 30.56; p < .001). Children with an intention–behavior gap had lower self-efficacy for physical activity than those who intended to be and were physically active. Such children may benefit from education interventions that focus on improving self-efficacy.

Relationship Between Mental Health, Resilience, and Physical Activity in Older Adults: A 2-Year Longitudinal Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Maria Priscila Wermelinger Ávila ◽  
Jimilly Caputo Corrêa ◽  
Alessandra Lamas Granero Lucchetti ◽  
Giancarlo Lucchetti
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Regression Models ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Effective Interventions ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
The Relationship

The aim of this study was to longitudinally investigate the association between resilience and mental health in older adults and to determine the influence of physical activity on this relationship. A total of 291 older adults were included in a 2-year follow-up study. Adjusted linear regression models evaluated the association between resilience at baseline and mental health after 2 years in sufficiently and insufficiently physically active older adults. A negative correlation was found between resilience at baseline and depression, anxiety, and stress after 2 years for the overall sample. This association changed after stratifying the group. Sufficiently physically active individuals made greater use of the resilience components “Self-Sufficiency” and “Perseverance,” whereas insufficiently physically active individuals made greater use of “Meaning of Life” and “Existential Singularity.” Physical activity can influence the relationship between resilience and mental health. These results can help guide the devising of more effective interventions for this age group.

scholarly journals The motivational profile does matter: an exploratory survey on the influence of remote office work on physical behavior during the COVID19 lockdown

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Cabrita ◽  
Roos Bulthuis ◽  
Monique Tabak
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Work Behavior ◽  
Office Workers ◽  
Office Work ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Physical Behavior ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Motivational Profile ◽  
Facilitators And Barriers

Abstract Background: Most office workers were forced to work remotely due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, possibly leading to a reconfiguration of settled patterns of physical behavior, often characterized by a sedentary lifestyle. This study aimed to investigate the motivational profile, facilitators, and barriers that might have influenced a change in physical activity while working remotely due to the COVID-19 lockdown.Methods: An online questionnaire was distributed in May-June 2020 including demographics, self-reported physical- and work behavior throughout the day before and during the lockdown, Sports Motivation Scale-II assessing motivation for being physically active, and rating on facilitators and barriers for engaging in physical activity during the lockdown. One-way ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test was computed to investigate differences between those participants who become more-, less-, and equally active during the COVID-19 lockdown.Results: Ninety-nine people (Female=66) completed the questionnaire. Forty-four percent of the participants considered themselves less active than before the lockdown. Respondents reporting becoming more physically active (28%) were more intrinsically motivated than the remaining participants. The most important facilitators for physical activity were ‘good weather’, ‘no work-related travel’, and ‘flexible work schedules’. The most important barriers were ‘no active transportation’, ‘closed facilities’, and ‘work fatigue’. Conclusions: Strategies that adapt to the weather and fit the work schedule could facilitate physical activity among remote office workers. The results of this study will be used to design interventions to promote an active lifestyle among office workers, personalized to their motivation profile, needs, and preferences.

scholarly journals SLEEP QUALITY AS A MECHANISM LINKING PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S779-S779
Author(s):  
Alycia N Bisson ◽  
Margie E Lachman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Waking Up ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Second Wave ◽  
Moderating Role

Abstract Modifiable health behaviors, such as physical activity and sleep quality are important for cognition throughout life. A growing body of research also suggests that engaging in enough physical activity is important to sleeping well. One recent study found that sleep efficiency mediates the relationship between physical activity and cognition. It is still unknown whether other metrics of sleep quality are mediators. The present study tested mediation in the second wave of the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study. Using the PROCESS macro for SPSS, we found that those who were more physically active fell asleep faster, and had better executive functioning. In addition, those who were more physically active reported waking up fewer times during the night, and had better executive functioning and self-rated memory. Discussion will focus on the moderating role of gender and distinctions between findings with different measures of sleep, physical activity, and cognition.

Childhood Depressive Symptoms, Physical Activity and Health Related Fitness

2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 419-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lois Michaud Tomson ◽  
Robert P. Pangrazi ◽  
Glenn Friedman ◽  
Ned Hutchison
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Relative Risk ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Symptoms Of Depression ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Relationship Of ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Health Related Fitness

While research has confirmed a negative relationship between adult depression and physical activity, there is little evidence for children. This study examined the relationship of being classified as physically active or inactive by a parent or a teacher to depressive symptoms in children 8 to 12 years of age (N = 933). It also assessed the relationship of playing sports outside of school, and of meeting health related fitness standards, to symptoms of depression. Relative risk of depressive symptoms for inactive classification was 2.8 to 3.4 times higher than it was for active, 1.3 to 2.4 times higher for children not playing sports outside of school, and 1.5 to 4.0 times higher for those not meeting health related fitness goals.

Physical activity and the metabolic syndrome in Canada

2006 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E Brien ◽  
Peter T Katzmarzyk
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Health Surveys ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Heart Health ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
The Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Strenuous Activity ◽  
Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes ◽  
The Relationship

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of risk factors that predispose individuals to cardiovascular disease. Therapeutic lifestyle changes, including increased physical activity, are recommended for the prevention and treatment of MetS. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity and MetS in Canada. The sample included 6406 men and 6475 women aged 18-64 y who were participants in the Canadian Heart Health Surveys (1986-1992). MetS was classified using criteria modified from the US National Cholesterol Education Program. Participants were deemed physically active if they were active at least once each week for at least 30 min, engaging in strenuous activity some of the time. The relationship between physical activity and MetS was assessed using logistic regression, with age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and income adequacy as covariates. A total of 14.4% of Canadians had MetS and 33.6% were physically active. The odds ratio for MetS was 0.73 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.54-0.98; p < 0.05) for physically active vs. physically inactive participants. The corresponding odds ratios were 0.45 (95% CI: 0.29-0.69; p < 0.001) and 0.67 (95% CI: 0.44-1.02; p = 0.06) for men and women, respectively. In summary, physical activity was associated with lower odds of MetS, particularly in men. Further research is required to determine the effectiveness of physical activity in the treatment of MetS.Key words: metabolic syndrome, physical activity, Canadian Heart Health Surveys.

Reasons and Barriers for University Students’ Leisure-Time Physical Activity: Moderating Effect of Health Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (6) ◽  
pp. 1084-1100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saulius Sukys ◽  
Vida J. Cesnaitiene ◽  
Arunas Emeljanovas ◽  
Brigita Mieziene ◽  
Irena Valantine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Education ◽  
University Students ◽  
Leisure Time ◽  
Leisure Time Physical Activity ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Fitness And Health ◽  
The Relationship

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health education and motives and barriers for university students’ engagement in leisure-time physical activity (PA). The research sample included 709 students (312 females and 397 males) in different years of study, ranging in age between 18-25 years. A questionnaire survey method revealed a significant positive relationship between fitness and health motives and students’ leisure-time PA. External barriers were negative predictors of students’ leisure-time PA, while more health education-related courses per week were positively associated with students’ leisure-time PA. Finally, we found that the number of health education-related courses per week moderated the relationship between fitness and health motives and students’ leisure-time PA. These findings suggest that university students’ fitness and health motives and external barriers to be physically active outweigh other motives and barriers in determining their leisure-time PA. In addition, health education in university studies can effectively increase students’ health-related motivation for PA.

Forearm vascular responses to baroreceptor unloading at the onset of dynamic exercise

1993 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 979-985 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Nishiyasu ◽  
X. Shi ◽  
G. W. Mack ◽  
E. R. Nadel
Keyword(s):  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Dynamic Exercise ◽  
Central Command ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
Vascular Responses ◽  
Vasoconstrictor Response ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Forearm Vascular Resistance ◽  
Cardiac Stroke Volume

To determine the extent to which reflexes accompanying muscular exercise (associated with central command) interact with cardiopulmonary (CP) baroreceptor-mediated reflexes controlling forearm vascular resistance (FVR), we examined the forearm vasoconstrictor response at the onset of dynamic exercise, with and without CP baroreflex unloading, in 10 physically active men. CP baroreceptors were unloaded by application of lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at rest and during five 4-min bouts of supine exercise at 25 and 32 degrees C. Exercise intensities were 10 (essentially no load) and 100 W, and LBNP was applied at -10, -20, -30, and -40 mmHg during rest and at -20 and -40 mmHg during exercise. Resting FVR was 33.0 +/- 3.2 and 14.0 +/- 2.7 resistance units, and cardiac stroke volume (SV) was 117 +/- 7 and 126 +/- 9 ml/beat at 25 and 32 degrees C, respectively. We found a linear relationship between the increase in FVR and decrease in SV during LBNP; the slope of the relationship was significantly lower at 32 degrees C (FVR = 51.7–0.29SV) than at 25 degrees C (FVR = 123–0.79SV). At the onset of 100-W exercise without LBNP, FVR increased significantly to 50.2 +/- 9.0 and 21.2 +/- 3.2 units at 25 and 32 degrees C, respectively, whereas SV was unchanged. Application of -40-mmHg LBNP reduced SV significantly to 68 +/- 5 and 71 +/- 6 ml/beat and increased FVR significantly to 89.0 +/- 11.3 and 36.3 +/- 7.6 units at 25 and 32 degrees C, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

scholarly journals What drives the evolution of hunter–gatherer subsistence technology? A reanalysis of the risk hypothesis with data from the Pacific Northwest

2011 ◽  
Vol 366 (1567) ◽  
pp. 1129-1138 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Collard ◽  
Briggs Buchanan ◽  
Jesse Morin ◽  
Andre Costopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Pacific Northwest ◽  
Northwest Coast ◽  
Contact Period ◽  
Hunter Gatherers ◽  
The Pacific ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Relevant Variables ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

Recent studies have suggested that the decisions that hunter–gatherers make about the diversity and complexity of their subsistence toolkits are strongly affected by risk of resource failure. However, the risk proxies and samples employed in these studies are potentially problematic. With this in mind, we retested the risk hypothesis with data from hunter–gatherer populations who lived in the northwest coast and plateau regions of the Pacific Northwest during the early contact period. We focused on these populations partly because the northwest coast and plateau differ in ways that can be expected to lead to differences in risk, and partly because of the availability of data for a wide range of risk-relevant variables. Our analyses suggest that the plateau was a more risky environment than the northwest coast. However, the predicted differences in the number and complexity of the populations' subsistence tools were not observed. The discrepancy between our results and those of previous tests of the risk hypothesis is not due to methodological differences. Rather, it seems to reflect an important but hitherto unappreciated feature of the relationship between risk and toolkit structure, namely that the impact of risk is dependent on the scale of the risk differences among populations.

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