John R. Magel

Improvements in Heart Health Behaviors and Reduction in Coronary Artery Disease Risk Factors in Urban Teenaged Girls Through a School-Based Intervention: The PATH Program

OBJECTIVESnWe sought to assess the effects of a school-based intervention program on cardiovascular disease risk factors in urban girls.nnnMETHODSnWe compared heart health knowledge, health behaviors, cardiovascular risk factors, and physical fitness among a group of 442 multiethnic teenaged girls (310 experimental participants vs 132 control participants). Testing was conducted before and after a 12-week program of vigorous exercises integrated with lectures and discussions on diet, exercise, stress, and smoking.nnnRESULTSnSignificant differences in body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart health knowledge, and whether breakfast was eaten were observed between experimental participants and control participants.nnnCONCLUSIONSnAn integrated program of exercise and heart health-related lectures and discussions had a beneficial effect on health knowledge, health behaviors, and onset of risk factors for coronary artery disease among urban girls.

Coronary disease risk factor reduction and behavior modification in minority adolescents: The PATH program

PURPOSEnTo evaluate the impact of a unique school-based program of exercise, health education, and behavior modification on health knowledge, health behaviors, coronary risk factors, and cardiovascular fitness in minority adolescents.nnnMETHODSnA total of 346 students from an inner-city public high school participated in health promotion intervention or regular physical education volleyball classes. Subjects were African-American (47%), Asian-American (9%), Hispanic (21%), white (3%), and other (19%). The health promotion curriculum consisted of 11 weeks of daily circuit training exercise and health lecture-discussions.nnnRESULTSnThe groups were similar in age, height, weight, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Following intervention both boys (P < .001) and girls (P < .006) significantly improved health knowledge test scores. Significant benefits for girls included improved dietary habits (P < .05), reduced cholesterol (P < .004), and higher estimated V(O2)max (P < .0001). There were no other significant changes in boys.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThe results suggest that a school-based health promotion program of exercise and health lecture-discussion is beneficial for multiethnic, inner-city adolescents, especially females.

Health Promotion in Minority Adolescents: A Healthy People 2000 Pilot Study

PURPOSEnThe purpose was to evaluate the effects of a health promotion curriculum on health knowledge, behavior, cardiovascular fitness, and cardiovascular risk factors.nnnMETHODSnA multi-ethnic, multi-cultural sample (n = 54) of 10th grade males and females participated in a study of cardiovascular health promotion and coronary risk factor reduction. The sample was comprised of Asian-Americans (39%), blacks (33%), Hispanics (11%), whites (2%), and others (15%). Intervention consisted of a 10-week health promotion curriculum of classroom education modules in physical activity, nutrition, smoking cessation, stress management and personal problem solving, and an exercise program of walking and running. A nonintervention control group served as a basis for comparison. Classroom and exercise sessions met on alternate days.nnnRESULTSnFollowing intervention, a significant treatment effect (P = .007) was observed in lowered total cholesterol, and significant within group improvements (P < .01) were observed in diet habits, percent body fat, and cardiovascular health knowledge. Comparisons of knowledge and social effects revealed higher cardiovascular health knowledge (P < .05) in subjects of nonsmoking compared to smoking parents, higher self-perception of health (P < .01) in more active vs less active subjects and better dietary habits (P < .07) in children whose parents were college educated compared to parents who did not attend college.nnnCONCLUSIONSnPreliminary findings suggest that a health promotion curriculum consisting of health education, behavior modification, and regular aerobic exercise lowers cholesterol, improves health behavior and increases health knowledge.

Propelling Force Measured during Tethered Swimming in the Four Competitive Swimming Styles

Abstract The average propelling force exerted during 3-min. tethered swims was measured electrically by use of a force transducer in 26 highly trained college swimmers in each of the four competitive swimming styles. The swimmers were attached to a pulley and counterweight system by means of a restraining line atttached to a canvas belt worn around the swimmers waist. A force transducer was placed in the restraining line just above the weight rack. The tethered swimming test consisted of 3-min. swims with a 3–5 min. rest between each work level. The work load was increased each swim period by 1.14 kg until the swimmer could no longer support the counterweight during the 3-min. swim. Breaststroke swimmers recorded the highest average values for force exerted during 3-min. tethered swims. The average propelling force recorded for back crawl, front crawl, and butterfly tethered swimming did not appear to differ greatly. In breaststroke swimming, the work of the legs makes a much larger contribution to the t...