Boston University. University Professors Program Senior theses. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-02

The diploma thesis focuses on the active lifestyle, physical fitness and fitness of the students of the district of Tábor, the age spectrum of 16.17 years. The research will be attended by students of the secondary school of informatics and communications Tábor. A major reason for writing the work is the deteriorating health condition and the changing lifestyle, especially among the teenage generation. It is becoming more and more economically demanding and often does not reach or improve the quality of life. The thesis is divided into two parts, one is theoretical and the other is practical. In the theoretical part, I try to answer and explain the concept of adolescence and all the influences that affect the adolescent. Another topic is lifestyle and ways of adolescent life. Significance and important benefits for performing adolescent movement activities. Influenza of non-infectious diseases of mass incidence affecting part of adolescents seeking passive lifestyle. Possibilities of realization of physical activities in the town of Tábor. In the practical part, physical tests will be carried out to answer the research prerequisites. Students will perform physical fitness tests, and motion activity will be determined using pedometers for 7 days. This test will be repeated after six months (at the beginning of the next school year). Based on the evaluation of the course of the practical part, a concrete output of the research assumptions will be achieved.The research is part of the GAČR Grant entitled "Multifactorial research into the built environment, active lifestyle and physical fitness of the youth" (No. 14-26 8965) and is part of the IPEN Adolescent International Survey: "Research of Built Environment and Adolescent Physical Activity".

The thesis is focused on leisure-time activities structure of high school students, with an emphasis on physical activity. In the theoretical part are elaborated chapters concerning the definition of leisure-time, physical activity and adolescence, describes negative impacts of hypokinesia and presents the basic information about procject COMPASS. The researsch study is focused on physical activities of adolescents in their leisure-time context. The data found from respondents (n=425) was registred via stadardized sociological questionnaire COMPASS. The aim of the study was find out gender and age differences in the structure of leisure-time physical activities of high school students. The results shows, that almost 85% of adolescents regulary participate in at least one sport or another type of physical activity in leisure time. Gender has bigger influence on differences in the leisure-time structure than the age. This study shows that physical activities are substantial part of leisure-time of adolescents.

Studien syftar till att söka fördjupad förståelse för hur sex personliga tränare talar om de metoder de använder för att stötta klienter att nå förändring från en stillasittande till en fysisk aktiv livsstil. Med grund i Illeris lärteori samt den transteoretiska förändringsmodellen undersöks vilka pedagogiska metoder som kan skönjas i informanternas berättelser. För att nå informanternas subjektiva erfarenheter har insamling av data skett via semistrukturerade intervjuer. Ur en tematisk analys utkristalliserades centrala teman och subteman som ligger till grund för studiens resultat. Resultatet visar att informanterna primärt utgår från individens känslor till den egna kroppen, till träning samt till det individuella målet i arbete med att stödja en livsstilsförändring. Vidare visar resultatet att det genom kommunikation och samspel skapas engagemang som främjar klientens utveckling. Förkortning av begreppet personlig tränare som används i detta arbete: PT, PT:n, PT:s, PT:arna.

The concept of wellness has transformed over the decades with the ever-adapting lifestyle of society and thus can be broadly defined as the responsibility of the individual through practicing health-promoting lifestyle behaviour. There are various factors that contribute to an individual's sense of overall physical wellbeing which can be categorised into skill-related and health-related components which have been extensively investigated. However, there is a considerable lack of evidence regarding the integration of these components. This study thus sought to determine a means of integrating the various components of physical wellness to provide an indication of wellness state. This was approached from two avenues: the first (Study 1) explored a component of wellness to ascertain whether it can be used as a measure in determining overall physical wellness and the second (Study 2) assessed the influence of physical activity on various wellness parameters and utilised these wellness parameters in the derivation of an overall physical wellness indicator to determine an individual's state of overall wellbeing. Study 1 involved comparing Sports vision between sedentary and active work environments in a sample of 158 university students and 230 training recruits. The participants were subjected to various visual skill assessments to determine if an active environment transfers to visual proficiency. The results indicate that while the recruits were more proficient in some skills, students displayed a greater aptitude in other areas. The findings obtained in this study are in concert with previous research, indicating that individuals exposed to physical activity, even for a short period of time, tend to acquire superior visual skills. However, the skills are honed according to the field of expertise due to the transfer effect that occurs in the brain. Comparing physical wellness in sedentary and active work environments July 2013 ix The concept of Sports vision that was explored in this study provided insight into its role in wellness and it was suggested that these assessments can be utilised in assessing overall physical wellness. Study 2 delved into the area of overall physical wellness and explored the components and influence of an active work environment on these components. 165 undergraduate university students and 234 training recruits and law enforcement employees underwent several wellness assessments in a bid to compare overall physical wellness in sedentary and active work environments. The individual results were compared, and scored into risk areas that were ultimately compounded to formulate an overall physical wellness indicator. It was found that the students were superior in some areas of wellness; however the recruits possessed a greater state of overall physical wellness. This indicates that physical activity does contribute significantly to attaining a state of overall physical wellness and thus reduces the risk of developing lifestyle-related chronic conditions. The overall findings suggest that maintaining a healthy lifestyle through physical activity and health-promoting behaviour will result in a greater state of wellness. This area of research has unfolded a host of possibilities for future research, especially into the overall wellness indicator and the integration of the health and skill-related components of overall physical wellness. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2013. / gm2014 / Physiology / unrestricted

The importance of physical exercise tends to be neglected in today’s modern lifestyle. This increased passive way of life conveys a notable increase in the prevalence of lifestyle disorders such as hypertension and vascular pathology which lead to cardiovascular strain. Taking this into account, the aim of this investigation was to explore the empirical association between the heart health status of an active and sedentary South African lifestyle, thus intending to provide insight into impact of the significant changes that are associated with the modernised society. With the aforementioned objective in mind, four separate studies were completed: Study 1 sought to investigate the cardiovascular status of 162 undergraduate university students in order to determine whether, despite their youth, students remained at risk of cardiovascular complications. Astonishingly, results indicate that a number of students between the ages of 18 and 25 in a university setting present with preeminent cardiovascular risk. This data highlights some serious concerns regarding the cardiovascular health among the youth. In sequel to study 1, study 2 permitted the comparison of a sedentary and active South African population, however some discrepancies originated due to the notable age difference between the groups. Nevertheless, results gained from this crosssectional comparison between the populations indicate significantly higher cardiac risk amongst the sedentary population. Study 3 was conducted on 202 infantry service recruits between the ages of 18 and 24 years. A pre- post intervention study design was incorporated in pursuit of determining the influence of an intense training programme on cardiovascular variables of a population over a 20 week time-frame. Results yielded from this study indicate a significant decrease in overall cardiovascular risk, as tested over three intervals (week 1, week 12, and week 20) during the 20 week training period. Study 4 was designed as a longitudinal study with self-controls for within group comparisons, as well as a comparative study between the two contrasting populations. Thus, affording the opportunity to determine the impact of physical activity on cardiovascular risk by comparing two divergent South African lifestyles over a 20-week time frame. The 202 infantry service recruits of study 3 served as the intervention group, while the control group comprised of 126 sedentary university students. Findings from this study conveyed strong association between the active population and decreased cardio-stress index and related heart health measurements in comparison to results of the sedentary population. This research validates the positive correlation between a physically active lifestyle and improved heart health, thereby implying reduced cardiovascular risk. In the combat against cardiovascular disease it is clear that focus should be shifted from pharmacological treatment to behavioural prevention. As a principle component of this preventative approach it is vital that individuals are equipped with screening technology that enables early detection and monitoring of probable cardiovascular complications. Several novel ideas were introduced in this research, including the endorsement of the cardio-stress index method as an efficient non-invasive technique to directly observe cardiovascular stress. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / lk2014 / Physiology / MSc / Unrestricted

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major public health problem and a primary cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Regular physical activity is recommended for prevention and management of CVD. Despite the cardiovascular health benefits of physical activity most adults are physically inactive. Therefore, the aim of this dissertation was to examine the factors associated with adherence to physical activity among individuals with or without CVD. The first paper is a report of a study conducted to examine which baseline demographic (age, gender, marital status, socioeconomic status, and place of residency), psychosocial (social support, depression, anxiety, and fatalism), and clinical (past history of exercising, comorbidity, and health literacy) variables predicted successful adoption of the active lifestyle recommendation of increasing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity by an accumulated 15 minutes or more each day following a CVD risk reduction intervention and 2) to identify which of those same factors predicted dropout from the CVD risk reduction intervention among at-risk individuals in rural America. The study sample consisted of 399 rural Americans. The results revealed that a higher anxiety level was a predictor of active lifestyle modification following a CVD risk reduction intervention. In contrast, younger age and low health literacy were predictors of dropout from a CVD risk reduction intervention. The second paper is a literature review of studies investigating the factors that affected enrollment in cardiac rehabilitation in patients with heart failure (HF). The aims of this review were to: (a) describe enrollment rates of patients with HF in cardiac rehabilitation programs, (b) review the literature on factors affecting enrollment of patients with HF, and (c) identify areas for future research. It is difficult to draw conclusion about enrollment rates because the period of time after hospital discharge that enrollment was measured varied across studies. A wide array of demographic, psychosocial, and clinical variables have been identified as potential barriers of enrollment in cardiac rehabilitation programs. Additional research including patients with HF is needed. The third paper is a report of a cross-sectional study of 279 patients with HF. The aims were to determine 1) the amount of variance in the functional status predicted by depressive symptoms, perceived control, self-rated health, HF self-care maintenance behaviors, and serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide ( NT-pro-BNP) biomarker of cardiac dysfunction in patients with HF and 2) whether NT-pro-BNP mediated the relationship between self-care maintenance behaviors and functional status. Depressive symptoms, poor self-rated health, non-adherence to physical activity, and greater serum NT-pro-BNP levels were independently associated with worse perceptions of functional status. Serum NT-pro-BNP levels partially mediated the association between adherence to physical activity and perception of functional status. The findings from this dissertation provided further evidence of the importance of adherence to physical activity and identify key variables that promote participation in interventions to promote heart healthy lifestyles and adherence to physical activity.

This diploma thesis deals with the physical activity and fitness of high school adolescents from Ceske Budejovice. 55 pupils at the age of 17 and 18 years entered the research completely voluntary, 38 girls and 17 boys. The theoretical part describes the lifestyle, physical activity and its reccomendation, fitness and adolescents. In the empire part, I analyzed the physical activity using the pedometer Yamax Digiwalker SW-700 and the quality of fitness using the Indares battery tests. The results were analyzed and compared according to physical activity reccomendation and other researchs. It has not been proven that the activity of adolescents is somehow strongly connected with their fitness. On the other hand big differences between pupils were confirmed. More than 3 of pupils comply with the recommended activity, but no more than 1 of participants passed 3 and more fitness tests. The main purpose of this thesis is to describe the ill health and different life style of teenagers, which is still more expensive but does not make the quality better. The research is a part of grant GARČ called ,, Multifactorial research on built environment, active lifestyle and physical fitness of adolescents?. It is connected with international study IPEN Adolescent: ?Multifactorial research on built environment and physical activity of adolescents?.

Neste estudo, analiso a forma como tem se constituído o que vem a ser um estilo de vida saudável na compreensão do Conselho Federal de Educação Física. Para isso, tomo como corpus de análise algumas reportagens apresentadas pela revista do Conselho Federal de Educação Física (CONFEF), denominada ‘Revista EF’, contextualizando, sobre os modos como esta revista tem produzido determinados tipos de profissionais de educação física. Para fundamentar tal discussão, tomei como base teórica o campo dos Estudos Culturais, especialmente aqueles de inspiração pós-estruturalista. Assim, pude problematizar como a revista tem se utilizado de estratégias que visam legitimar suas compreensões acerca do que vem a ser um estilo de vida saudável, bem como marcar a indispensabilidade dos profissionais de educação física na adoção desse modo determinado como “saudável/ativo” de conduzir a vida. Exploro os textos das Revistas EF, operando, principalmente, com o conceito de governamento. A partir das compreensões apresentadas pelas publicações das Revistas EF, acerca da adoção de estilos de vida mais saudáveis/ativos e a indispensabilidade do profissional de educação física como demonstrado pela revista, foi possível realizar uma articulação entre as compreensões da Revista EF, as formas de governamento, a atividade física entendida de forma medicalizante e a importância dos especialistas, refletindo, assim, as relações de poder-saber que envolvem e legitimam a Educação Física, no contexto do CONFEF, enquanto campo de saber. / In this study, I analyze the way how it has been constituted what a healthy lifestyle is in the understanding of the “Conselho Federal de Educação Física”. For this, I take as corpus of analysis some reports presented by the magazine of the “Conselho Federal de Educação Física” (CONFEF), denominated “Revista EF”, contextualizing about the ways how this magazine has produced certain types of physical education professionals. To substantiate this discussion, I took as a theoretical basis the field of Cultural Studies, especially those with a poststructuralist inspiration. Thus, I could discuss how the magazine has been using strategies that aim to legitimize their understandings about what a healthy lifestyle is, as well as mark the indispensability of physical education professionals in the adoption of this mode determined as “healthy/active” of leading the life. I explore the texts of “Revista EF” magazines working manly with the concept of governance. From the understandings presented by “Revista EF” magazines about the adoption of healthier/active lifestyles and the indispensability of the physical education professional as demonstrated by the magazine, it was possible to make a link between the understandings of “Revista EF”, the forms of governanance, the physical education understood as a medicalized form and the importance of the specialists, thus reflecting the relations of power-knowledge that involve and legitimize the Physical Education, in the context of CONFEF, as a field of knowledge.

Neste estudo, analiso a forma como tem se constituído o que vem a ser um estilo de vida saudável na compreensão do Conselho Federal de Educação Física. Para isso, tomo como corpus de análise algumas reportagens apresentadas pela revista do Conselho Federal de Educação Física (CONFEF), denominada ‘Revista EF’, contextualizando, sobre os modos como esta revista tem produzido determinados tipos de profissionais de educação física. Para fundamentar tal discussão, tomei como base teórica o campo dos Estudos Culturais, especialmente aqueles de inspiração pós-estruturalista. Assim, pude problematizar como a revista tem se utilizado de estratégias que visam legitimar suas compreensões acerca do que vem a ser um estilo de vida saudável, bem como marcar a indispensabilidade dos profissionais de educação física na adoção desse modo determinado como “saudável/ativo” de conduzir a vida. Exploro os textos das Revistas EF, operando, principalmente, com o conceito de governamento. A partir das compreensões apresentadas pelas publicações das Revistas EF, acerca da adoção de estilos de vida mais saudáveis/ativos e a indispensabilidade do profissional de educação física como demonstrado pela revista, foi possível realizar uma articulação entre as compreensões da Revista EF, as formas de governamento, a atividade física entendida de forma medicalizante e a importância dos especialistas, refletindo, assim, as relações de poder-saber que envolvem e legitimam a Educação Física, no contexto do CONFEF, enquanto campo de saber. / In this study, I analyze the way how it has been constituted what a healthy lifestyle is in the understanding of the “Conselho Federal de Educação Física”. For this, I take as corpus of analysis some reports presented by the magazine of the “Conselho Federal de Educação Física” (CONFEF), denominated “Revista EF”, contextualizing about the ways how this magazine has produced certain types of physical education professionals. To substantiate this discussion, I took as a theoretical basis the field of Cultural Studies, especially those with a poststructuralist inspiration. Thus, I could discuss how the magazine has been using strategies that aim to legitimize their understandings about what a healthy lifestyle is, as well as mark the indispensability of physical education professionals in the adoption of this mode determined as “healthy/active” of leading the life. I explore the texts of “Revista EF” magazines working manly with the concept of governance. From the understandings presented by “Revista EF” magazines about the adoption of healthier/active lifestyles and the indispensability of the physical education professional as demonstrated by the magazine, it was possible to make a link between the understandings of “Revista EF”, the forms of governanance, the physical education understood as a medicalized form and the importance of the specialists, thus reflecting the relations of power-knowledge that involve and legitimize the Physical Education, in the context of CONFEF, as a field of knowledge.