Gerald J. Jerome

Predicting long-term maintenance of physical activity in older adults.

BACKGROUNDnConsiderable research has established that self-efficacy is a consistent correlate of physical activity. Additional factors, such as exercise-induced affect, social support, and value judgments, have also been identified as having the potential to influence adherence to activity. This study examined the utility of such variables in predicting the long-term exercise behavior of older adults.nnnMETHODnIn the context of a 6-month randomized controlled trial with an 18-month follow-up, we tested the extent to which adherence during the trial, affective responses to exercise, exercise value, and social support from the exercise group had either a direct or indirect effect through the mediation of exercise self-efficacy on physical activity levels at 6- and 18-month follow-up in a sample (N=174) of older adults (M age, 66 years). Structural equation modeling tested several models of exercise prediction.nnnRESULTSnThe best fitting model indicated significant paths from social support, affect, and exercise frequency to efficacy at the end of the program. Efficacy, in turn, was related to physical activity at 6- and 18-month follow-up. The model accounted for 40% of the variance in 18-month activity levels.nnnCONCLUSIONnThis prospective study provides support for the inclusion of social cognitive variables in models of exercise adherence and highlights the pivotal role of self-efficacy in long-term exercise behavior. Subsequent trials are called for to replicate and extend these findings.

Acute cardiovascular exercise and executive control function

Acute cardiovascular exercise effects on cognitive function were examined using an executive control task by comparing neuroelectric and behavioral performance at baseline with post-exercise in 20 undergraduates. A within-subjects design was used to assess the P3 component of an event-related brain potential (ERP) and behavioral performance using a task that varied the amount of executive control required. The baseline session involved participation on the Eriksen flankers task followed by a graded maximal exercise test to measure cardiovascular fitness. The exercise session consisted of a 30-min acute bout of exercise on a treadmill followed by the Eriksen flankers task after heart rate returned to within 10% of pre-exercise levels. Across midline recordings sites, results indicated larger P3 amplitude following acute exercise compared to baseline. Shorter P3 latency was observed during the baseline Eriksen flankers task for the neutral compared to the incompatible condition; an effect not found following the acute bout of exercise. These findings suggest that acute bouts of cardiovascular exercise affect neuroelectric processes underlying executive control through the increased allocation of neuroelectric resources and through changes in cognitive processing and stimulus classification speed.

Exercise self-efficacy in older adults: Social, affective, and behavioral influences

A 6-month randomized controlled trial examined the effect of walking and stretching/toning activity on changes in self-efficacy to overcome barriers and engage in incremental periods of activity in older, formerly sedentary adults (N = 174, Mage = 65.5 years). Additionally, we were interested in the extent to which social, affective, and behavioral influences contributed to self-efficacy at the end of the 6-month program. Multiple sample latent growth curve analyses revealed a nonsignificant curvilinear growth pattern for barriers efficacy with increases in efficacy occurring from base-line to 2 months and then declining at 4 and 6 months. In the case of efficacy related to continued activity participation, there was a significant growth pattern demonstrating declines in efficacy over the 4 time points. Structural modeling analyses revealed significant direct effects of physical activity, affect experienced during activity, and exercise social support on both types of self-efficacy. These relationships were not significantly different between modes of activity. The findings are discussed in terms of the need to target sources of efficacy information prior to program end and the implications that such an approach might have for long-term maintenance of physical activity in older adults.

Enhancing Brain and Cognitive Function of Older Adults Through Fitness Training

The present article provides a brief review of the human and animal literature that has investigated the relationship between fitness training and brain and cognitive function. The animal research clearly suggests that improvements in fitness can lead to both morphological and functional changes in the brains of older animals. Results of a recent meta-analysis suggest that fitness training can also have beneficial effects on human cognition, particularly on tasks requiring executive control processing. These effects are also moderated by a number of factors, including the proportion of men and women in the intervention studies, the length of training sessions, the age of the participants, and the combination of fitness training regimes. The article also discusses preliminary results that link, for the first time, fitness training and differences in human brain structure and function. Finally, we discuss the important issue of participant adherence to fitness training programs and the factors that influence fitness participation.

Physical activity and physique anxiety in older adults: Fitness, and efficacy influences

Employing a randomized controlled trial, this study documents the effects of six months of physical activity and six month follow-up on reduction in social physique anxiety (SPA) in older adults. In addition, the role played by changes in behavioral, physiological, and psychological predictors of changes in SPA were examined. Participants ( n = 174, mean age = 65 yrs) were randomly assigned to one of two activity groups and engaged in a six-month structured exercise program. Measures of physique anxiety were taken at baseline, six and twelve months. Latent growth curve analyses revealed significant reductions in SPA over the course of the 12-month period. Structural analyses controlling for treatment condition indicated that improvements in self-efficacy and fitness were significant predictors of changes in SPA but that changes in body fat and exercise frequency did not contribute to variation in SPA. Overall this model accounted for 19% of the variation in SPA changes. The extent to which changes in SPA may contribute to continued physical activity participation in older adults and how exercise programs might effectively influence predictors of SPA are discussed.

Self-efficacy Manipulation and State Anxiety Responses to Exercise in Low Active Women

The present study manipulated self-efficacy in an exercise context and examined its effect on the state anxiety of low active women. Participants ( N = 59) were randomly assigned to a low or high efficacy condition, and self-efficacy was manipulated by presentation of computer-generated false feedback after a graded exercise test. Participants returned for a second exercise bout several days later. Efficacy was successfully manipulated and participants in the high efficacy condition reported significantly less anxiety than those in the low efficacy condition both after the graded exercise test and before and after an acute bout of exercise. Results are discussed in terms of the effect of exercise intensity and manipulation condition on anxiety.

Self-efficacy effects on feeling states in women

In this study, exercise self-efficacy was manipulated in a laboratory setting and its effects on feeling state responses were examined. A sample consisting largely of Non-Latina White and Latina women (N = 59) were randomly assigned to a low- or high-efficacy condition, and efficacy was manipulated by provision of false feedback and computer data. Feeling state responses were assessed before and after exercise. Efficacy was successfully manipulated, and participants in the high-efficacy condition reported more positive well-being and energy and less psychological distress and fatigue than those in the low-efficacy condition. There wereno significant differences between the two ethnic groups for self-efficacy and feeling state responses. In addition, no clear pattern of relations emerged between efficacy and feeling state responses. The results support structuring exercise treatments in such a way that mastery experiences and positive feedback are maximized to enhance self-efficacy and improve subjective experiences.

Effects of aerobic fitness training on human cortical function: a proposal.

We briefly review the extant human and animal literature on the influence of fitness training on brain, cognition and performance. The animal research provides clear support for neurochemical and structural changes in brain with fitness training. The human literature suggests reliable but process specific changes in cognition with fitness training for young and old adults. We describe a research program which examines the influence of aerobic fitness training on the functional activity of the human using event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging, of humans in fitness interventions.