Dale DeVoe

Daughters and Mothers Exercising Together (DAMET): A 12-Week Pilot Project Designed to Improve Physical Self-Perception and Increase Recreational Physical Activity

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of a 12-week single-sex, family-based physical activity intervention grounded in Social Cognitive Theory. Mother/daughter pairs and triads (n = 20) attended physical activity and classroom sessions twice weekly. Physiological data (VO2peak, height, and weight), psychological data (physical self-perception profile subscale scores), information about physical activity participation (PAP, d?wk21) and qualitative impressions (QI) of the program were collected pre-and post-intervention. PAP and QI were also collected 6-months after completing the intervention. Although no significant increases in physical activity were reported, significant improvements in perceived sport competence, physical condition, and strength and muscularity were reported over time. The social cognitive theory, as used to plan this physical activity intervention, offered a promising theoretical perspective for facilitating improved physical self-perception in adolescent girls and their mothers.

Comparison of the RT3 Research Tracker and Tritrac R3D Accelerometers

This study compared the RT3 Research Tracker accelerometer to the Tritrac R3D accelerometer in both laboratory and field settings and tested the hypothesis that the RT3 records higher physical activity counts and smaller standard deviations than the R3D. The RT3 is relatively new and untested and its concurrent validity with existing instruments and physical activity needs to be assessed before being used in research. In this study the RT3 had higher average recordings of physical activity counts in all of the nine testing situations than the R3D. However, in terms of agreement between the instruments, the RT3 might be 582 below or 1,236 above (activity counts) the R3D in assessing physical activity. These results do not establish that the RT3 is more consistently measuring higher physical activity counts than the R3D. Comparing vector magnitude with oxygen consumption and heart rate across the 0% grade testing conditions indicated that the RT3 and R3D are sensitive to changes in various intensities of level ambulation. When the 5%, 10%, and 15% grade on the treadmill protocols were analyzed, low correlations between oxygen consumption and heart rate with vector magnitude responses were found for both the RT3 and R3D. Differences in agreement between the RT3 and R3D did not vary in any systematic way over the range in testing conditions which substantiates that the RT3 and R3D accelerometers are sensitive on flat surfaces but are insensitive to changes in grade.

Impact of Health, Fitness, and Physical Activity Courses on the Attitudes and Behaviors of College Students

To analyze the impact of health, fitness, and physical activity courses on attitudes and behaviors of college students the entire accessible population of subjects (n = 286) were surveyed during the first and the last week of regularly scheduled health classes. The results showed different course effects were found for many behaviors and attitudes with 66% of all participants making changes in at least one significant health-related behavior. It was concluded that significant attitude and behavior change can be attained in college students enrolled in health education, fitness, and/or physical activity classes.

Energy cost and physiological responses of males snowshoeing with rotating and fixed toe-cord designs in powdered snow conditions

The purpose of this study was to measure the energy cost and physiological responses of males while snowshoeing with two separate toe-cord designs (rotating toe-cord system vs. fixed toe-cord design) in powdered snow conditions. Eight males snowshoed at self-selected intensity for two, 1600 m trials in two snowshoes, with a rotating toe-cord system and a fixed-toe cord design. It was found that heart rate (HR) (140 vs. 134 beats min-1), oxygen consumption ([Vdot]O2) (63.4 vs. 34.0 ml kg-1min-1), energy cost (56.0 vs. 52.4 kJ min-1), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) (13 vs. 12) were significantly (p<0.05) higher while snowshoeing with the fixed toe-cord design than with the rotating toe-cord system. Snowshoeing with the rotating toe-cord system at an average speed of 3.96 km h-1 produced mean &Vdot;O2 values that were 56% of [Vdot]O2 max, while snowshoeing with the fixed toe-cord design at 3.86 km h-1 evoked mean [Vdot]O2 values that were 60% of [Vdot]O2 max. Mean HR while snowshoeing with the rotating toe-cord system was 70% of HR max, while the mean HR when snowshoeing with the fixed toe-cord design was 74% of HR max. These findings suggest that snowshoeing with a rotating toe-cord system results in lower cardiorespiratory strain in powdered snow conditions compared to snowshoeing with a fixed toe-cord design.

Attitudinal Changes Toward Exercise in Mexican American Women

BACKGROUND This experimental study was designed to examine the attitude changes and exercise adherence of a group of sedentary minority women. METHOD Fifty sedentary Mexican American women participated in a 9-month, biweekly education and exercise program that was preceded by a 6-month program initiation composed of weekly interactions to facilitate trust between participants and researchers. RESULTS Compared to Mexican American and Caucasian control groups, the experimental participants displayed significant changes in scores on the Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scales (EBBS) at three, six, and nine months. Adherence to the physical activity program was 84%. At pre-test, the Mexican American participants and controls displayed significantly lower EBBS scores than the Caucasian controls. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study are examined in light of existing reports on the facilitation of attitudes toward exercise, exercise adherence and health promotion particularly in regard to understanding the barriers to physical activity for minorities. The findings of this study are particularly important given the paucity of research about health promotion for individuals who belong to minority groups.

A Long-Duration (118-day) Backpacking Trip (2669 km) Normalizes Lipids Without Medication: A Case Study

Abstract Objective.—To evaluate the effects of a long-distance backpacking trip on body composition, weight, blood lipids, and lipoproteins. Methods.—Single-subject (male, aged 49 years) study of an experienced backpacker who hiked 118 days on the Appalachian Trail. Outcome measures that were assessed pre-hike and post-hike included body fat (%) by hydrostatic weighing and skinfold assessment, height and weight, body mass index (BMI), circumference measurements (umbilicus, anterior suprailiac, maximum hip, greater trochanter, minimum waist, umbilicus/anterior suprailiac ratio), and blood pressure (systolic and diastolic at rest and peak). Dietary analyses (total kilocalories, protein, carbohydrate, fat, cholesterol, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, dietary fiber) were conducted pre-hike, on days 54 through 56, and on days 98 through 100. Blood lipids and lipoproteins (triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein) were measured pre-hike, on day 89, and post-hike. Results.—Pre-post differences showed decreases in body weight, from 85.3 kg to 73.9 kg (−11.4 [−13.4%]); percent body fat, hydrostatic weighing, from 25.18 to 14.31 (−10.87 [−43.2%]); percent body fat, skinfolds (7-site), from 23.79 to 11.61 (12.18 [−51.2%]); and BMI, from 29.37 to 25.46 (−3.91 [−13.3%]). Pre-post differences in blood lipid changes over the course of 118 days were as follows: triglycerides (mg·dL−1) fell from 319 to 79 (−240 [−75%]); total cholesterol (mg·dL−1) fell from 276 to 196 (−80 [−29%]); high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (mg·dL−1) rose from 46 to 63 (+17 [+37%]); low-density lipoprotein (LDL) (mg·dL−1) fell from 167 to 118 (−49 [−29%]); LDL/HDL ratio fell from 3.63 to 1.87 (−1.76 [−48%]); and total cholesterol/HDL ratio fell from 6.00 to 3.11 (−2.89 [−48%]). Conclusion.—The physical activity and diet associated with an extended backpacking adventure can considerably reduce and clinically normalize blood lipids and lipoproteins without medication and can very positively affect body composition and weight.

Reliability and validity of the tritrac-R3D accelerometer during backpacking: a case study.

This study investigated the utility of the Tritrac-R3D accelerometer as a reliable and valid instrument in the quantification of physical activity while backpacking in the field and to evaluate heart-rate responses and oxygen consumption to assess the feasibility of using the Tritrac-R3D to estimate caloric expenditure. Two 7-day backpacking expeditions were conducted in two consecutive years by a single subject at Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. The average hiking heart rate ranged from 60% to 77% HEmax during the expeditions. The average rate of estimated caloric cost ranged from 6.8 to 11.7 kcals · min.−1 (equivalent to 408 to 702 kcals · hr.−1), indicating a relatively moderate to high level of exertion. The Tritrac had adequate consistency and reliability in the field between the two expeditions in recorded activity counts. The Tritrac underestimated caloric expenditure during backpacking with changes in terrain, and hiking speed contributed to even greater disparity in accuracy

Comparison of the RT3 Research Tracker and Tritrac R3D accelerometers during a backpacking expedition by a single subject.

This study compared the RT3 Research Tracker accelerometer and the Tritrac R3D accelerometer in a field setting. A six-day backpacking expedition (122.4 km in length) was completed by a single subject in the Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona. The overall correlation between the counts of vector magnitude activity for the RT3 and R3D was moderate (r = .75, p <.001), with the overall calculated bias [mean difference (RT3 minus R3D) and standard deviation of the differences] across all six days estimated at 235 ± 436 vector magnitude activity counts. However, agreement between the instruments is problematic; the RT3 might be 201 activity counts below or 671 activity counts above the R3D in assessing physical activity during backpacking.