Zoe Rutherford

Reaching older people with PA delivered in football clubs: the reach, adoption and implementation characteristics of the Extra Time Programme

BackgroundOlder adults (OA) represent a core priority group for physical activity and Public Health policy. As a result, significant interest is placed on how to optimise adherence to interventions promoting these approaches. Extra Time (ET) is an example of a national programme of physical activity interventions delivered in professional football clubs for OA aged 55+ years. This paper aims to examine the outcomes from ET, and unpick the processes by which these outcomes were achieved.MethodsThis paper represents a secondary analysis of data collected during the evaluation of ET. From the 985 OA reached by ET, n=486 adopted the programme and completed post-intervention surveys (typically 12 weeks). We also draw on interview data with 18 ET participants, and 7 staff who delivered the programme. Data were subject to thematic analysis to generate overarching and sub themes.ResultsOf the 486 participants, the majority 95%, (n= 462) were White British and 59.7% (n=290) were female. Most adopters (65.4%/n=318) had not participated in previous interventions in the host clubs. Social interaction was the most frequently reported benefit of participation (77.2%, n=375). While the reach of the club badge was important in letting people know about the programme, further work enhanced adoption and satisfaction. These factors included (i) listening to participants, (ii) delivering a flexible age-appropriate programme of diverse physical and social activities, (iii) offering activities which satisfy energy drives and needs for learning and (iv) extensive opportunities for social engagement.ConclusionsFindings emerging from this study indicate that physical activity and health interventions delivered through professional football clubs can be effective for engaging OA.

'Motivate': the effect of a Football in the Community delivered weight loss programme on over 35-year old men and women's cardiovascular risk factors

The purpose of this study was to examine whether an innovative, inclusive and integrated 12-week exercise, behaviour change and nutrition advice-based weight management programme could significantly improve the cardiovascular risk factors of overweight and obese men and women over the age of 35. One hundred and ninety-four men and 98 women (mean age = 52.28 ± 9.74 and 51.19 ± 9.04) attending a community-based intervention delivered by Notts County Football in the Community over one year, took part in the study. Height (m), weight (kg), fitness (meters covered during a 6 min walk) and waist circumference (cm) were measured at weeks 1 and 12 as part of the intervention. Changes in body weight, waist circumference and fitness for men and women were measured by a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA, with significance set to p < 0.05.Weight, waist circumference and fitness significantly improved over time in both men (4.96 kg, 6.29 cm, 70.22 m; p < 0.05) and women (4.26 kg, 5.90 cm, 35.29 m; p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the FITC lead weight loss intervention was successful in significantly improving cardiovascular risk factors in both men and women. In particular, the weight loss reductions achieved were comparable to those seen in similar, more costly men-only programmes. This is the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of such an intervention in an inclusive, mixed gender programme and more specifically, in women.

Prediction of whole-body fat percentage and visceral adipose tissue mass from five anthropometric variables.

Background The conventional measurement of obesity utilises the body mass index (BMI) criterion. Although there are benefits to this method, there is concern that not all individuals at risk of obesity-associated medical conditions are being identified. Whole-body fat percentage (%FM), and specifically visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass, are correlated with and potentially implicated in disease trajectories, but are not fully accounted for through BMI evaluation. The aims of this study were (a) to compare five anthropometric predictors of %FM and VAT mass, and (b) to explore new cut-points for the best of these predictors to improve the characterisation of obesity. Methods BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist/height0.5 (WHT.5R) were measured and calculated for 81 adults (40 women, 41 men; mean (SD) age: 38.4 (17.5) years; 94% Caucasian). Total body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry with Corescan (GE Lunar iDXA, Encore version 15.0) was also performed to quantify %FM and VAT mass. Linear regression analysis, stratified by sex, was applied to predict both %FM and VAT mass for each anthropometric variable. Within each sex, we used information theoretic methods (Akaike Information Criterion; AIC) to compare models. For the best anthropometric predictor, we derived tentative cut-points for classifying individuals as obese (>25% FM for men or >35% FM for women, or > highest tertile for VAT mass). Results The best predictor of both %FM and VAT mass in men and women was WHtR. Derived cut-points for predicting whole body obesity were 0.53 in men and 0.54 in women. The cut-point for predicting visceral obesity was 0.59 in both sexes. Conclusions In the absence of more objective measures of central obesity and adiposity, WHtR is a suitable proxy measure in both women and men. The proposed DXA-%FM and VAT mass cut-offs require validation in larger studies, but offer potential for improvement of obesity characterisation and the identification of individuals who would most benefit from therapeutic intervention.

A qualitative study of the impact of the London 2012 Olympics on families in the East Midlands of England: lessons for sports development policy and practice

The dynamics and culture of families are central to individual and community sport and physical activity participation. This research project examined the lived experiences and day-to-day realities of the London 2012 Olympics from the perspectives of five families in the East Midlands region of England. The aims of the project were to assess the influence the Games had on shaping family sports participation, influencing social and health relationships within the families through sports and reactions to the 2012 Olympics. The study was conducted through the generation of rich qualitative data from pre- and post-Games interviews as well as production of video diary data by the families and young people themselves to gather micro-level information on the realities of ‘legacy’ for families. Findings from this research project illustrate that prior parental socialisation into sport shaped current attitudes to legacy and children and mothers and fathers had mixed reactions to the actual presence of legacy. There are also clear sports development challenges around accessibility, cost, project design, the non-family-friendly nature of some schemes present during the potential consumption of legacy that have consequences for future research in this embryonic area. Implications from the study include the need to locate the family as a more central concern for policy makers in sports development practice. The study has questioned the assumed virtuous legacy of the London 2012 Games from the perspective of families on a day-to-day micro-level. Instead, a far more complex and diverse picture from the perspective of the family has been presented that requires further critical research on this little explored topic of policy and practice in sports development.

Physical Qualities of International Female Rugby League Players by Playing Position

Abstract Jones, B, Emmonds, S, Hind, K, Nicholson, G, Rutherford, Z, and Till, K. Physical qualities of International Female Rugby League players by playing position and injury history. J Strength Cond Res 30(5): 1333–1340, 2016—The purpose of this study was to investigate the anthropometric, body composition, and fitness characteristics of female rugby league players by playing position. Data were collected on 27 players who were part of the English elite womens rugby league squad. Player assessments comprised anthropometric (stature and body mass), body composition (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) and fitness {lower-body power (countermovement jump [CMJ], 20 kg jump squat [JS], and 30 cm drop jump), 5, 10, 20, 30, and 40 m sprint, 505 agility, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1} measures. Players were classified into playing position (i.e., forwards and backs) before analysis. A multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated significant (p ⩽ 0.05) differences for body mass, stature, total fat, lean mass, and percentage body fat between forwards and backs. Positional differences were also observed for speed, agility, and lower-body power. Significant relationships were observed between total body fat and all fitness variables, and total lean mass was related to CMJ and JS peak power. This study provides comparative data for female rugby league forwards and backs. Body fat was strongly associated with performance and should therefore be considered in developing fitness characteristics. The relationship to match performance and trainability of these characteristics warrants further investigation.

Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior Clustering: Segmentation to Optimize Active Lifestyles

BACKGROUND Increasingly the health impacts of physical inactivity are being distinguished from those of sedentary behavior. Nevertheless, deleterious health prognoses occur when these behaviors combine, making it a Public Health priority to establish the numbers and salient identifying factors of people who live with this injurious combination. METHODS Using an observational between-subjects design, a nonprobability sample of 22,836 participants provided data on total daily activity. A 2-step hierarchical cluster analysis identified the optimal number of clusters and the subset of distinguishing variables. Univariate analyses assessed significant cluster differences. RESULTS High levels of sitting clustered with low physical activity. The Ambulatory & Active cluster (n = 6254) sat for 2.5 to 5 h·d(-1) and were highly active. They were significantly younger, included a greater proportion of males and reported low Indices of Multiple Deprivation compared with other clusters. Conversely, the Sedentary & Low Active cluster (n = 6286) achieved ≤60 MET·min·wk(-1) of physical activity and sat for ≥8 h·d(-1). They were the oldest cluster, housed the largest proportion of females and reported moderate Indices of Multiple Deprivation. CONCLUSIONS Public Health systems may benefit from developing policy and interventions that do more to limit sedentary behavior and encourage light intensity activity in its place.

Sustaining health improvement activities delivered in English professional football clubs using evaluation: a short communication

It has been suggested that football and communities are inextricably linked. Healthy lifestyles are an important component in maintaining the sustainability of local communities, not least, because a convincing evidence base supports the holistic benefits that can be derived from health-enhancing behaviours, such as regular physical activity. As such, efforts to promote health improvement through sport and physical activity include those interventions delivered in professional sporting settings. Johnman and colleagues (Johnman and Mackie, ‘The Beautiful Game’) have heralded sports clubs as important venues for the delivery of health improvement interventions for a range of groups across local communities. This includes health improvement activities delivered in professional football club community schemes. While exemplary practice shows how health improvement programmes can be implemented and evaluated, our experience and engagement with professional football club community schemes supports the notion that more needs to be undertaken to help clubs develop monitoring and evaluation strategies in order to assess the impact of their health improvement programmes. In our short communication, we share our plans for helping two professional football clubs develop their monitoring and evaluation strategies for their community health promotion programmes. Potential outcomes emerging from this process are twofold. (1) To help club community schemes in-build and sustain monitoring and evaluation practices within their future health improvement provision. (2) To use the impact and process outcomes emerging from programme evaluations, to successfully secure the necessary resources to sustain future health improvement activities for their local communities. Outcomes emerging from this study will be of interest to football clubs and evaluators alike, as they seek to develop evaluation strategies for their health improvement programmes.

Effects of emotional intelligence and supportive text messages on academic outcomes in first year undergraduates

Abstract An increase in the number of students entering higher education has intensified the need for targeted strategies to support a wider range of student requirements. Current research suggests that emotional intelligence (EI) may be associated with academic success, progression and retention in university students but the use of EI screening as a prospective measure of success requires further investigation. This study evaluates the utility of prospective EI screening to predict progression rates, mean grades, attendance and online engagement in a sample of first-year undergraduate students enrolled on the same degree programme (N = 358). A supportive text messaging intervention was employed during potentially stressful periods of the academic year with a subsection of participants (n = 60) who demonstrated low total EI scores relative to the cohort. Results showed no effects of EI classification on progression rates, mean grades, attendance or online engagement (all p > 0.418). Alternatively, the text messaging intervention was associated with significant improvements compared with a matched control group for progression rates (p = 0.027), mean grades (p = 0.026) and attendance (p = 0.007). The frequency of access to the virtual learning environment also tended to be higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (p = 0.059). In conclusion, this study did not identify any benefits of EI screening as a prospective indicator of student success but provides encouraging indications that a text messaging support intervention could help to improve progression rates, mean grades, attendance and online engagement in first-year undergraduate students. Further research is warranted to develop these proof-of-concept findings.

Bone Density and Cross-sectional Geometry of the Proximal Femur Are Bilaterally Elevated in Elite Cricket Fast Bowlers

The skeleton of a cricket fast bowler is exposed to a unique combination of gravitational and torsional loading in the form of substantial ground reaction forces delivered through the front landing foot, and anterior-posterior shear forces mediated by regional muscle contractions across the lumbo-pelvic region. The objectives of this study were to compare the hip structural characteristics of elite fast bowlers with recreationally active age-matched controls, and to examine unilateral bone properties in fast bowlers. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the proximal femur was performed in 26 elite male fast bowlers and 26 normally active controls. Hip structural analysis (GE Lunar; enCORE version 15.0) determined areal bone mineral density (BMD) of the proximal femur, and cross-sectional area, section modulus (Z), cross-sectional moment of inertia, and femoral strength index at the narrow region of the femoral neck. Mean femoral neck and trochanter BMD were greater in fast bowlers than in controls (p <0.001). All bone geometry properties, except for cross-sectional moment of inertia, were superior in fast bowlers (p <0.05) following adjustment for height and lean mass. There were no asymmetries in BMD or bone geometry when considering leg dominance of the fast bowlers (p > 0.05). Elite fast bowlers have superior bone characteristics of the proximal femur, with results inferring enhanced resistance to axial compression (cross-sectional area), and bending (Z) forces, and enhanced strength to withstand a fall impact as indicated by their higher femoral strength index. No asymmetries in hip bone properties were identified, suggesting that both torsional and gravitational loading offer significant osteogenic potential.

Engaging Older Adults With Physical-Activity Delivered In Professional Soccer Clubs: Initial Pre-Adoption And Implementation Characteristics

Older-adults are a priority within policy designed to facilitate healthy lifestyles through physical activity. Golden Goal is a pilot programme of physical activity-led health improvement for older-adults 55 years and older. Activities were delivered at Burton Albion Football Club. Sessions involved weekly moderate-intensity exercise sessions including exer-gaming (exercise orientated video-games), indoor bowls, cricket, new age curling, walking football, and traditional board games and skittles. Secondary analysis of data collected through the original programme evaluation of Golden Goal investigated the impact of the intervention on participants. Older-adults completed self-reports for demographics, health-screening/complications and quality of life. Attendees, n=23 males (42.6%) and n=31 females (57.4%) with a mean age of 69.38 (±5.87) (n=40), ranging from 55-85 years took part. The mean attendance was 7.73 (±3.12) sessions for all participants, (n=51). Older-adults with two or more health complications (n=22, 42.3%) attended fewer sessions on average (6.91 ±3.322) compared to those reporting less than two health complications (8.65 ±2.694). Self-rated health was higher for women (87.32 ±9.573) versus men (80.16 ±18.557), although this was not statistically significant (U= 223.500, p=0.350). Results support the potential of football-led health interventions for recruiting older-adults, including those reporting health problems.