Bradley R. A. Wilson

A true challenge for any superhero: an evaluation of a comic book obesity prevention program.

The purpose of this study was to pilot test the Comics for Health program, a theory-based nutrition and physical activity intervention for children. Twelve after-school programs were randomized to either a theory-based (n = 37) or a knowledge-based (n = 34 children) version of the intervention. Pretests, posttests, and 3-month follow-up tests were administered to evaluate the programmatic effects on body mass index percentile, obesity-related behaviors, and constructs of social cognitive theory. Both interventions found significant, yet modest effects for fruit and vegetable consumption (P < .005), physical activities (P < .004), and water and sugar-free beverage consumption (P < .001) and self-efficacy for fruit and vegetable consumption (P < .015) and physical activities (P < .009).

Impact Evaluation of Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity Through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) Randomized Control Trial

Background. The family and home environment is an influential antecedent of childhood obesity. The purpose of this study was to pilot test The Enabling Mothers to Prevent Pediatric Obesity through Web-Based Education and Reciprocal Determinism (EMPOWER) intervention; a newly developed, theory-based, online program for prevention of childhood obesity. Method. The two-arm, parallel group, randomized, participant-blinded trial targeted mothers with children between 4 and 6 years of age. Measures were collected at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks to evaluate programmatic effects on constructs of social cognitive theory (SCT) and obesity-related behaviors. Process evaluation transpired concurrently with each intervention session. Results. Fifty-seven participants were randomly assigned to receive either experimental EMPOWER (n = 29) or active control Healthy Lifestyles (n = 28) intervention. Significant main effects were identified for child physical activity, sugar-free beverage consumption, and screen time, indicating that both groups improved in these behaviors. A significant group-by-time interaction was detected for child fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption as well as the SCT construct of environment in the EMPOWER cohort. An increase of 1.613 cups of FVs (95% confidence interval = [0.698, 2.529]) was found in the experimental group, relative to the active control group. Change score analysis found changes in the home environment accounted for 31.4% of the change in child FV intake for the experimental group. Conclusions. Child physical activity, sugar-free beverage consumption, and screen time improved in both groups over the course of the trial. Only the theory-based intervention was efficacious in increasing child FV consumption. The EMPOWER program was robust for inducing change in the home environment leading to an increase in child FV intake (Cohen’s f = 0.160).

Exercise intervention for fatigue-related symptoms in Thai women with breast cancer: A pilot study

The purpose of this pilot study was to preliminarily examine the effects of an exercise program on the symptoms of fatigue, sleep disturbance, mood disturbance, symptom distress, and physical fitness for Thai women with breast cancer. Twenty-three eligible women were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 11) or to a control group (n = 12). Data were collected and analyzed at baseline and again at 4, 7, and 10 weeks. At each time point, fatigue was measured at an expected high point during treatment. Participants in the exercise group demonstrated a trend toward improving the symptoms with mean score changes. Using generalized estimating equations analysis, a significant decrease in mood disturbance was found in the exercise group compared with control at 10 weeks (β = 0.03, P = 0.04). The participants exhibited significantly longer 12-minute walk distance at 10 weeks than those in the control group (t = 2.28, P = 0.04). These results indicate that exercise during adjuvant chemotherapy may be beneficial for Thai women with breast cancer.

A Process Evaluation of a Social Cognitive Theory–Based Childhood Obesity Prevention Intervention: The Comics for Health Program

Process evaluations are an often overlooked yet essential component of health promotion interventions. This study reports the results of a comprehensive process evaluation for the “Comics for Health” program, a childhood obesity prevention intervention implemented at 12 after-school programs. Qualitative and quantitative process data were collected using surveys, field notes, and open-item questionnaires, which assessed program fidelity, dose delivered, dose received, reach, recruitment, and context. Triangulation of methods was also employed to better understand how the program was implemented and received by the facilitator, staff members, and children in the program. Results indicated that program implementation had an almost perfect rate of fidelity with most lessons recording 100% tasks completed. Lessons were implemented in their intended order and lasted approximately 30 minutes as planned. After-school staff members reported that the program was well received by children, and this program should be replicated in the future. Attendance records showed that a majority of the children attended each lesson on the initial day of delivery (70.4%) and informal make-up lessons were implemented to compensate for the other children. Finally, several known sources of contamination were found such as past and concurrent exposure to similar health promotion interventions, which could potentially influence study outcomes. These findings will be used to help explain the results of this intervention and make recommendations for future intervention efforts.

Somatotype and Longevity of Former University Athletes and Nonathletes

A longitudinal study was conducted on 398 athletes and 369 nonathletes who were born before 1920 and attended Michigan State University. The subjects were compared to determine if intercollegiate athletic competition accounts for significant variation in longevity when considered with somatotype. Because some of the subjects were still alive at the time of the study, the BMDP Statistical Software was used to do a survival analysis with covariates. Preliminary comparisons considered the differences in somatotype between athletes and nonathletes. Two sample t-tests indicated that athletes were more mesomorphic and less ectomorphic (p less than .05) than nonathletes. When comparing the relationship between somatotype and longevity, the pooled data of athletes and nonathletes indicated that endomorphs were shorter lived than the other three comparison groups. When only the athletes were considered, similar results were found. However, the nonathlete group exhibited differences only between the mesomorphic and endomorphic groups. The endomorphs were shorter lived. Longevity was examined by using the Cox proportional hazards regression method with somatotype and athlete/nonathlete status as covariates. Somatotype, by itself, was found to be significantly related to longevity, (p less than .001). Athletic status was not significantly related to longevity, either by itself or when entered into the model with somatotype.

Characterizing Active Transportation Behavior among College Students Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

Physical inactivity poses concern for health risks among all groups in the United States. Active transportation (AT) (e.g., bicycling) is one way of being physically active and may be helpful in promoting physical activity. This study characterized active transportation behavior among college students using the Theory of Planned Behavior. This study sought to describe predictors, including Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs, of AT behavior among college students at a large Midwest university. Students were recruited through the university registrars office and e-mailed an electronic survey. Differences among AT users were determined using t-tests, and predictors of AT were identified using regression analysis. Significant differences between AT users for all TPB constructs were observed. Regression analysis using only TPB constructs accounted for 11.58% explained variation in AT use. Other variables added to the model resulted in 44.44% explained variation in AT use. The final model included subjective norms, age, perceived behavioral control, and transportation type and destination. The results of this research are insightful in explaining AT behavior. Perceived norms and the level of control students had regarding their method of transportation were important contributions to AT use. These results may be applied to promoting physical activity in community health.

The relationship between age and optimal performance of elite athletes in endurance running events

Abstract Numerous investigators (Bottiger, 1971, 1973; Hartley & Hartley, 1984; Moore, 1975; Stones & Kozma, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1986) have shown in cross-sectional studies that performance in endurance events peaks in the late twenties or early thirties for both men and women and then deteriorates gradually. The analyses presented in the literature primarily used world or national best times to study the relationships among performances across different distances within certain sports as well as to assess the similarity in such relationships across sports. Mention was made of using these data to assess the limits of human performance at various ages, but such applications were not found. Also, it has been implied in the literature that a study of record performances might supply otherwise unavailable data to those investigating the effects of age on performance. Ideally, longtitudinal data would be used, but appropriate data on elite runners who maintain equivalent training and desire over the years and ar...

SOMATOTYPE AND TYPE A BEHAVIOR IN COLLEGE-AGE ADULTS '

To study the relation between body build and the Type A behavior pattern, 194 college students were given the Jenkins Activity Survey as a measure of Type A behavior, Factor S (speed and impatience), and Factor H (hard driving and competitive) and the Heath-Carter somatotype method to measure body build. Subjects were grouped as endomorphs, mesomorphs, ectomorphs, or balanced. Two-way analyses of variance showed that, on raw and percentile Type A scores for Factor S, mesomorphs rated significantly higher than the other body builds and nonsignificantly on Type A and Factor H scores.

Effect of Yoga, Aerobic Exercise, and Weight-Training on Mood

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of yoga, aerobic dance, and weight training on mood. The Profile of Mood States (POMS) instrument, designed by McNair and colleagues, was used to assess mood. A convenience sample from a mid-western university generated 266 subjects. Students in aerobic dance and yoga classes were surveyed twice during the quarter, once at the beginning (2nd week), and once at the end (8th week). On each occasion, subjects were surveyed before and after the activity. Weight training subjects participated on one occasion by completing the POMS before and after their exercise session. ANOVA indicated that both the aerobic and yoga groups had a significant improvement in mood after exercise (a = .05). In fact, the yoga group showed an even greater improvement in mood after exercise than the aerobic group. However, there was not a greater improvement in mood at the end of the quarter compared to the beginning of the quarter in either the aerobic or yoga groups. T-tests revealed that the weight room exercisers showed a slight improvement in total mood score post exercise, but this improvement was not statistically significant. The results of this study indicate that one bout of aerobic dance or yoga has a significant positive impact on mood, and that mood enhancement does not improve significantly after longer-term participation in the activity. These findings emphasize the need to encourage yoga and aerobic dance as stress management techniques, regardless of the frequency of these activities.

Youth Perceptions of Heart Health Education: Utilizing the Application of Focus Groups

Abstract Traditionally, the American Heart Association (AHA) has provided heart education programs to elementary and secondary schools. Periodically, it is useful to collect data that enables organizations to redesign educational initiatives. Thus the AHA engaged a private market research firm to conduct focus groups as one component of a redesign effort. These focus groups interacted with 14- to 17-year-old respondents to identify perceptions of existing heart health education programs and collect suggestions for future initiatives. Respondents identified key issues that affect their perceptions of the importance and/or credibility of health messages. The findings of these focus groups indicated several directions for heart health education programs. Among these directions are the following recommendations: to interrelate heart health messages with other issues that 14- to 17-year-olds consider important; to integrate visual images of the consequences of heart disease; to utilize spokespersons who have d...