scholarly journals Diversification of Physical Activities: An Exploration of Provision Characteristics of Holistic Movement Practices in a Large Australian City

Author(s):  
Ineke Vergeer ◽  
Bojana Klepac-Pogrmilovic

Holistic movement practices (HMPs) are an emerging category of physical activity, contributing to the diversification of physical activity opportunities. Purposefully incorporating not only physical but also mental, social, and/or spiritual elements, HMPs have received limited research attention with respect to participation parameters. The purpose of this study was to begin to map HMPs’ participation potential by exploring the provision features of HMPs in Melbourne. Data were collected via internet searches, with a focus on events offered. Event features, including type, cost, duration, venue address, and target groups, were recorded. Associated neighbourhood characteristics were also explored by linking venue locations to selected census information. Provision was documented for Yoga and Pilates in central Melbourne (1011 events), for Tai Chi and Qigong (323 events), and for a range of smaller HMPs (149 events) across Greater Melbourne. Results indicated a wide range in provision features. Affinities with the holistic nature of HMPs were noticeable in venue choices and neighbourhood socio-demographics. Mention of specific target groups was infrequent. Results are discussed in light of implications for uptake. HMPs exemplify the increasing diversity of physical activity opportunities in modern-day societies. Further research to elucidate their place in the landscape of physical activities is warranted.

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya Brownie

One of the aims of this study was to examine the relationship between gender, health profile and physical activity patterns of older Australians. Using a self-administered postal questionnaire, data were obtained from 1,263 Australians (641 males, 622 females), aged 65-98 years, randomly selected from the 2000 Australian Electoral Commission roll. Participants provided general demographic data in addition to information about key health features and self-reported weekly participation in various physical activities. More than half (55%) of the sample averaged at least 30 minutes' exercise most days, excluding gardening and housework. Men participated in a wider range of physical activities and were more likely to average at least 30 minutes' exercise most days compared to women. Living arrangements, ethnicity, education and income were important sociological determinants of low, medium, or high levels of exercise participation. Perceived poor health, chronic disease, lack of motivation and energy, were barriers to achieving regular exercise. Gym training (4%) and tai chi/yoga (2%) were the least popular forms of exercise, yet weight resistance training and Tai chi are associated with improvements in strength, balance, flexibility and range of motion, and could play an important role in reducing the morbidity associated with ageing. General practitioners are well positioned to help older Australians take the first steps towards achieving the national target of at least 30 minutes' moderate-intensity activity most days.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
P.V. Sandhya Latha

Physical education is a course taught in school that focuses on developing physical fitness and the ability to perform and enjoy day to day physical activities with ease. Kids also develop skills necessary to participate in a wide range of activities such as cricket,basketball or swimming.Regular physical education classes prepare kids to be physically and mentally active, fit and healthy. Physical education helps students develop physical skills and confidence. They would be expected to journal about how they feel during the process and reflect on how these changes affect performance and mood.Physical education also helps students develop social skills.For example,team sports help them learn to respect others, contribute to a team goal, and socialize as a productive member of a team.This Study is to prove that there is a direct correlation between physical activity and the overall development of the child. It is to prove that there is a systematic, scientific improvement in the cognitive, emotional, social skills and also improvement in Health when physical education is implemented in the Childs day to day programme.The curriculum of physical education possesses a body of knowledge which is basic to health and fitness that leads to a fine living. It has a core of activity skill and technique in its content.We are living in a world layered in technology and convince.Physical Education is so important for our future because it is one of the best natural and pure means we have to promote and foster play and purpose for our children. Children need it more than we know and technology is slowly eating away at something we might never get back. Physical Education's purpose is to preserve the foundational history of health, fitness, and to allow our youth to develop into people with strong intrapersonal skills,core values,and respect and understanding of a healthy mind/body connection.With physical education being a crucial need especially for children, it should be implemented in all the educational organization.To make sure that it is implemented,it has to be a part of the curriculum.Certain norms have to be implemented to make sure PE is a part of the academic curriculum.Regular assessments will be helpful to work on the improvement of the Childs physical as well as overall development


1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-40
Author(s):  
昭和 周

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in Chinese; abstract also in English.Tai-chi Chuen as a Wushu item dose not only present a Chinese art, but also include significant cultural meanings. This article attempts to justify an inclusion of Tai-chi Chuen in school physical education programmes in Hong Kong through a consideration of various aspects. The paper argues that Tai-chi Chuen as a physical activity contributes to physical and mental health in pupils. As a low impact physical activity it balances school PE programmes, which at present are heavily committed to high impact physical activities. As a cultural activity Tai-chi Chuen extends Chinese cultural heritage. Moreover, it has high carry-over value. The paper also includes some discussion of strategies related to the teaching of Tai-chi Chuen in schools.太極拳是源遠流長的中國體育活動之一。它是一門有豐富內涵的文化藝術,亦是一項甚具敎育意義的活動。本文嘗試從學生生理及精神效益、社會文化體驗及學科活動平衡三方面,闡述太極拳融入香港體育課程的適合性,並就太極拳敎學方面提出一些意見。


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-364
Author(s):  
Yong Kang Cheah ◽  
Mohd Azahadi ◽  
Siew Nooi Phang ◽  
Noor Hazilah

Estimating the factors affecting participation decisions of physical activity has continuously received significant research attention. However, the effects of income and demographic factors on physical activity intensity have seldom been studied thoroughly, especially in developing countries. To fill this research gap, the income and demographic determinants of the time spent on both vigorous- and moderate-intense physical activities among Malaysian adults are estimated using a censored regression model. The results are comparable to those in developed countries, such as the USA and Australia, which show that income, age, education level and being unemployed are negatively associated with the time spent on both vigorous- and moderate-intense physical activities. Compared to females, males spend more time on vigorous-intense physical activity but less time on moderate-intense physical activity. The present study suggests that acquiring a better understanding of the factors that can affect physical activity intensity is important for policy development. JEL Classification: D01, I10, I12


Author(s):  
Sigit Arifwidodo ◽  
Orana Chandrasiri

Public Park is considered one of the essential settings for physical activity, especially in urban areas. Parks support physical activity through their accessibility, their provision to facilitate active pursuits; their capacity to provide opportunities to a wide range of users; and their semi-permanent nature. The paper explores the design intervention assessment of Benchakitti Park, which serves as the pilot project for active park and showcase during the past ISPAH 2016 conference. The objective of the paper is to understand the health and well-being benefits of an urban park in increasing PA levels of urban population and promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. Keywords: Public park; physical activity; urban landscape design; public health; SOPARC


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Robert Suminski Jr ◽  
Gregory Dominick ◽  
Philip Sapanaro

BACKGROUND A considerable proportion of outdoor physical activity is done on sidewalk/streets. For example, we found that ~70% of adults who walked during the previous week used the sidewalks/streets around their homes. Interventions conducted at geographical levels (e.g., community) and studies examining relationships between environmental conditions (e.g., traffic) and walking/biking, necessitate a reliable measure of physical activities performed on sidewalks/streets. The Block Walk Method (BWM) is one of the more common approaches available for this purpose. Although it utilizes reliable observation techniques and displays criterion validity, it remains relatively unchanged since its introduction in 2006. It is a non-technical, labor-intensive, first generation method. Advancing the BWM would contribute significantly to our understanding of physical activity behavior. OBJECTIVE Therefore, the objective of the proposed study is to develop and test a new BWM that utilizes a wearable video device (WVD) and computer video analysis to assess physical activities performed on sidewalks/streets. The following aims will be completed to accomplish this objective. Aim 1: Improve the BWM by incorporating a WVD into the methodology. The WVD is a pair of eyeglasses with a high definition video camera embedded into the frames. We expect the WVD to be a viable option for improving the acquisition and accuracy of data collected using the BWM. Aim 2: Advance the WVD-enhanced BWM by applying machine learning and recognition software to automatically extract information on physical activities occurring on the sidewalks/streets from the videos. METHODS Trained observers (one wearing and one not wearing the WVD) will walk together at a set pace along predetermined, 1000 ft. sidewalk/street observation routes representing low, medium, and high walkable areas. During the walks, the non-WVD observer will use the traditional BWM to record the number of individuals standing/sitting, walking, biking, and running along the routes. The WVD observer will only record a video while walking. Later, two investigators will view the videos to determine the numbers of individuals performing physical activities along the routes. For aim 2, the video data will be analyzed automatically using multiple deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to determine the number of humans along an observation route as well as the type of physical activities being performed. Bland Altman methods and intraclass correlation coefficients will be used to assess agreement. Potential sources of error such as occlusions (e.g., trees) will be assessed using moderator analyses. RESULTS Outcomes from this study are pending; however, preliminary studies supporting the research protocol indicate that the BWM is reliable and the number of individuals were seen walking along routes are correlated with several environmental characteristics (e.g., traffic, sidewalk defects). Further, we have used CNNs to detect cars, bikes, and pedestrians as well as individuals using park facilities. CONCLUSIONS We expect the new approach will enhance measurement accuracy while reducing the burden of data collection. In the future, the capabilities of the WVD-CNNs system will be expanded to allow for the determination of other characteristics captured by the videos such as caloric expenditure and environmental conditions.


Author(s):  
Lenin Pazmino ◽  
Wilmer Esparza ◽  
Arian Ramón Aladro-Gonzalvo ◽  
Edgar León

More minutes of physical activity (PA) accumulated during a day are associated with a lower risk of diabetes mellitus type 2. However, it is less known if distinct dimensions of PA can produce a different protective effect in the prevention of prediabetes. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of work and recreational PA on prediabetes among U.S. adults during the period 2015–2016 using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database. Individuals (n = 4481) with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) test values of 5.7% to 6.4% were included. A logistic regression multivariate-adjusted analysis was conducted to estimate the association between the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of prediabetes, with work and recreational PA. The prevalence of prediabetes among U.S. adults was lower in physically active individuals both at work (~24%) and recreational (~21%) physical activities compared to individuals who were not physically active (27 to 30%). Individuals lacking practice of recreational PA had a high risk of prediabetes (OR = 1.26, 95% CI: 1.080 to 1.466). PA may be a protective factor for prediabetes conditions depending on gender, age, ethnic group, waist circumference, and thyroid disease.


Bone ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 116128
Author(s):  
Karl Stattin ◽  
Jonas Höijer ◽  
Ulf Hållmarker ◽  
John A. Baron ◽  
Susanna C. Larsson ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Spyridoula Vazou ◽  
Collin A. Webster ◽  
Gregory Stewart ◽  
Priscila Candal ◽  
Cate A. Egan ◽  
...  

Abstract Background/Objective Movement integration (MI) involves infusing physical activity into normal classroom time. A wide range of MI interventions have succeeded in increasing children’s participation in physical activity. However, no previous research has attempted to unpack the various MI intervention approaches. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically review, qualitatively analyze, and develop a typology of MI interventions conducted in primary/elementary school settings. Subjects/Methods Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed to identify published MI interventions. Irrelevant records were removed first by title, then by abstract, and finally by full texts of articles, resulting in 72 studies being retained for qualitative analysis. A deductive approach, using previous MI research as an a priori analytic framework, alongside inductive techniques were used to analyze the data. Results Four types of MI interventions were identified and labeled based on their design: student-driven, teacher-driven, researcher-teacher collaboration, and researcher-driven. Each type was further refined based on the MI strategies (movement breaks, active lessons, other: opening activity, transitions, reward, awareness), the level of intrapersonal and institutional support (training, resources), and the delivery (dose, intensity, type, fidelity). Nearly half of the interventions were researcher-driven, which may undermine the sustainability of MI as a routine practice by teachers in schools. An imbalance is evident on the MI strategies, with transitions, opening and awareness activities, and rewards being limitedly studied. Delivery should be further examined with a strong focus on reporting fidelity. Conclusions There are distinct approaches that are most often employed to promote the use of MI and these approaches may often lack a minimum standard for reporting MI intervention details. This typology may be useful to effectively translate the evidence into practice in real-life settings to better understand and study MI interventions.


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