Thesis (M.A.(Applied.)--Victoria University of Wellington, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MA (HMS))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

Current social services provided in Canada for low-income women are primarily 'crisis management' in nature as they almost exclusively provide safe housing, adequate nutrition or employment training, and many are under severe financial pressure due to a shifting public policy. As a result, services offered for single mothers living below the poverty line rarely deal with health promotion in terms of physical activity, even though it has been demonstrated that socioeconomic status is a key determinant of health (Frankish, Milligan & Reid, 1996). Although there are many positive mental and physical health benefits associated with regular physical activity (King 1991), its organizational context remains problematic for those who live in poverty and are unable or unwilling to conform to dominant expectations inherent with the consumption of modern forms of physical activity. A moral reasoning tone pervades prescriptions for maintaining and improving health, and those unable to achieve and maintain good health are considered individually responsible, thus obscuring organizational and structural factors that limit involvement. The purpose of this case study of the YWCA was to examine the provision and consumption of health and wellness services for low-income single mothers. Research questions were posed in four areas: i) what meanings do low-income single mothers and YWCA service providers associate with the provision of health and wellness services; ii) how are health and wellness services located within the political, social and economic context of the YWCA; iii) are there points of disjuncture between the provision and consumption of health and wellness services for low-income single mothers; and iv) if points of disjuncture are uncovered, what are the possibilities for emancipatory change in service provision? Several bodies of literature were reviewed to inform the study: social construction of poverty, ideologies of health and physical activity, feminist organization theory, and feminist action research (FAR). FAR is a research process that merges participatory action research with critical feminist theory. Key principles of feminist action research include: 1) gender as a central piece to emerging explanatory frameworks (Maguire, 1987); 2) collaboration and negotiation at all stages of the research process between the researcher, the service providers and the research participants (Green et al., 1995); 3) empowerment through giving control of the research process and decision making to the research participant, while deconstructing the power structures associated with social class (Fals-Borda, 1991; Fawcett, 1991); and 4) social/organizational action and emancipatory change enabled through the democratic production of knowledge (Green et al., 1995). The research methodology involved an examination of: 1) The meanings and experiences of eleven low-income single mothers participating in the FOCUS Pre-employment Training Program which has a wellness component. The data collection strategies included focus groups; a validation meeting the original participants; observations during group meetings and program sessions; and informal discussions. 2) The meanings and experiences of five service providers who were either facilitators of FOCUS or occupied managment positions in the YWCA. The data collection strategies included one-on-one semi-focused interviews; observations of program meetings, group and informal discussions; and a final meeting to discuss potential change. 3) Relevant documents, including brochures, pamphlets, reports and promotional flyers to obtain background and contextual information about the YWCA. The data was analyzed using inductive analysis and the qualitative software program, Q.S.R. NUD.IST. The overall finding was that neither the service providers nor the single mothers viewed wellness as a priority. At the organizational level, the explanation for this finding was that physical activity opportunities were not valued by the funders, whereas employment training was their primary concern. The YWCA's upscale health and wellness services, which offered another opportunity for single mothers to participate, catered on a fee-for-service basis to middle and upper income women and men and pursued a market-driven ideology towards service provision, thus making low-income single mothers' involvement less likely. The social, economic and political context in which FOCUS was situated had a profound influence on the nature of service delivery, and funding constraints were a source of stress for the service providers and infringed on the nature and scope of the services offered for the single mothers. Themes related to points of disjuncture included the service providers' attitudes towards the provision of health and wellness services. Some providers believed that within the confines of the organizational structure and the FOCUS program guidelines, the physical activity opportunities offered to the women were sufficient. Conversely, other providers believed that the organization could take a more active and critical role in determining routes for change and establishing stronger connections between health and wellness activities and the other components of the FOCUS program. All of the service providers alluded to the importance of the women's input and the "organic growth" of the program, however the program's strict curriculum and scarce evaluations resulted in a non-collaborative approach to service delivery. From the single mothers' persepctives, stereotypes of the lazy and unmotivated "welfare single mother" inhited their involvement in community life, including organized forms of physical activity (Fraser & Gordon, 1994; Lord, 1994; Belle, 1990). The women reported experiences with discrimination, a cycle of poverty, complications with social assistance, social stigmas, and childcare responsibilities as their major constraints. Three main reasons for the women's lack of participation were their low sense of entitlement towards physical activity, their ambivalence towards their bodies, and little access to wellness facilities. However, involvement in health and wellness activities was a low-priority for the FOCUS participants, though some of the single mothers mentioned the desirability of incorporating more regular activity sessions into the FOCUS curriculum. Other tensions arose between the realities and ideals of feminist organizing. Distinctions based on class, ethnicity and age separated the upper managerial service providers, the on-site facilitators, and the women accessing the program, perpetuating an elitist, non-collaborative and hierarchical organizationial structure. Based on the single mothers and the service providers' suggestions, four major recommendations for change were provided. First, the participants should be central to and fully collaborative in the organizational processes of the YWCA. Second, if the women involved in the program value physical activity, they should determine ways in which it can become a part of their daily reality. Third, for those involved with the planning and implementation of the FOCUS program, the role of the funders vis a vis the needs of the participants should be determined, and a consistent and 'women-centered' approach to service delivery established. Finally, the YWCA's approach to wellness service delivery should be evaluated and re-conceptualized so that it fulfills and is congruent with the YWCA mission statement. What remained unexplored by the service providers was the potential for the women to redefine hegemonic notions of physical activity (Birrell & Richter, 1987) and to be involved in a meaningful and self-expressive form of activity (Hargreaves, 1990). By listening to the various perspectives and situating experiences within the organizational, political, economic and social contexts, this study provided the beginnings of a critial understanding of the tensions involved in women organizing for women to promote physical activity. / Education, Faculty of / Kinesiology, School of / Graduate

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to determine if a training program consisting of 30 minutes of running on a treadmill, 3 days per week for 6 weeks, would lower serum cholesterol and/or triglyceride concentration in women using oral contraceptives. The intensity of the training was maintained at approximately 75% of the subject's pre-training maximal oxygen uptake. Comparisons were made in the variables triglyceride, cholesterol, maximum ventilation and maximum oxygen uptake, prior to and following training, between subjects who used birth control pills and those who did not. Eighteen women volunteers between the ages of 25-39 years, participated in the training program. Nine women were using oral contraceptives of the combined type. The subjects were free of metabolic diseases and were judged to be sedentary. Fasting blood samples were taken prior to and following the training program for lipid analyses. Maximum oxygen uptake and ventilation were determined by pre-training and post-training stress tests. To isolate training as the factor responsible for any changes in serum lipid concentration, the factors of body weight, skinfold thickness, fasting times and dietary patterns were held constant across the training period. Using multivariate analysis of covariance, one-way classification, to compare the group using oral contraceptives with the group not using them, no significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the groups for either the blood lipids or the measures of functional capacity. Hotelling’s T² for comparison of pre-test to post~test differences within groups was employed using the linear combinations of the means of maximum ventilation and maximum oxygen uptake. The same analysis was used for the linear combination of the means of triglyceride and cholesterol. Only the group not using oral contraceptives showed significant difference (p < 0.05) in any of the variables. This difference was an increase after training, in maximum ventilation and maximum oxygen uptake. Other changes as a result of training were noted, although differences were not statistically significant at the 0.05 level of probability. These changes were 1) an improvement in the physical working capacity of the group using oral contraceptives, 2) a decrease in serum triglyceride and/or cholesterol levels in subjects whose initial values were in the upper ranges of clinical normality for these lipids. Exercise did not appear to affect the lipid levels of subjects who initially had low or average values. / Doctor of Education

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of moderate exercise on iron status, dietary intake and cardiovascular fitness in 56- to 67-year-old women. Women 56- to 67-years-old were randomly assigned to two groups: exercise (n=8) or non-exercise (n=9) groups. Women in the exercise group cycled on an ergometer three days/week, 30 minutes/session at 70-75% maximal heart rate for 10 consecutive weeks. At weeks 0 and 11, submaximal treadmill stress tests were obtained to determine cardiovascular fitness level. Venous blood samples were also obtained at weeks 0 and 11 to determine serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, serum iron, total iron-binding capacity, hematocrit and hemoglobin concentrations. Three-day dietary and activity records were obtained from each subject at weeks 0 and 10. Using paired t-tests for statistical analysis, the data indicated a significant increase in time to reach 70% maximum heart rate (p<0.001), a significant decrease in average heart rate/grade (p<0.05) and a significant increase in hemoglobin concentrations (p<0.01) in the exercise group at week 11. Student t-tests indicated significant differences between the groups in hemoglobin concentration at week 0 (p<0.005) and hematocrit concentration at weeks 0 and 11 (p<0.05). The exercise group had significantly lower vitamin C and monounsaturated fatty acid intake than the non-exercise group at week 0 (p<0.05). No other significant differences in nutrient intakes were observed between or within the two groups. Caloric intakes varied widely between the two groups, ranging from 1223.0 ± 248.4 to 1533.3 ± 480.8 kcal at weeks 0 and 10 in the exercise group; 1270.1 ± 376.3 to 1348.7 ± 334.8 kcal in the non-exercise group. Intakes of zinc were less than 70% of the 1989 RDA in both groups, ranging from 56.9 ± 14.6 to 66.6 ± 16.3 percent. The results indicate that moderate exercise does not significantly change the dietary intake and all parameters of iron status but enhances the cardiovascular fitness level in 56- to 67-year-old women. / Master of Science

The US population over the age of 65 years is growing rapidly, with elderly women outnumbering men by 50 percent. Studies show that aging is often accompanied by reduced energy intake, inadequate nutrition, and the loss of lean body mass with a subsequent increase in body fat, as well as the tendency towards inactivity. An increased level of physical activity elevates energy needs, which can lead to increased energy and nutrient intake, and has been shown to aid in the maintenance of lean body mass and the reduction of body fat. Positive health outcomes for seniors depends partly on a clearer understanding of the interrelationships between physical activity, diet, and body composition. The purpose of this study was to determine whether higher overall levels of physical activity among elderly women, were related to higher energy intake, nutrient adequacy, and less body fat, and to what extent age affected these associations. Sixty-three elderly women (aged 65-98 years) volunteers completed a three part study spanning 14 weeks. Mean level of physical activity (MLPA) and mean nutrient intakes were estimated using nine self-reported days of records, three predetermined days from each of three recording periods. MLPA was determined from self-reported hours spent in five physical activity categories (resting, very light, light, moderate, and heavy), multiplied by corresponding weighted factors of intensity (1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 5.0, 7.0, respectively). Nutrient analyses for seven vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12) and three minerals (calcium, iron, and zinc) were done using the Food Processor II computer software. A mean adequacy ratio (MAR) was calculated for each subject as the average percent of the RDA for intakes of all 10 nutrients. Body composition assessment included triplicate measures of: height and weight from which body mass index (BMI) was determined; waist-to-hip ratio (WHR); and an estimation of percent body fat (PBF) from the sum of four skinfolds (triceps, biceps, subscapular, suprailiac). It was determined that MLPA was not directly related to energy intake, nutrient adequacy, or the three body composition parameters. However, the correlation coefficients between MLPA and energy intake, mean adequacy ratio, and percent RDA for 8 of the 10 nutrients were positive, and the correlation coefficients between MLPA and all three body fatness measures were negative, as was expected. The small coefficient of variability of MLPA limited its discriminating power in determining associations with energy intake, nutrient adequacy, and body composition. Backward stepwise regression models were conducted to distinguish potential confounding effects of age, education, and MLPA on the variables kcal/day, kcal/kg/day, MAR, BMI, WHR, and PBF. Age was found to account for the largest portion of the variations, and was greater than the contribution of MLPA for all of these variables, except in the case of kcal/kg/day. When the subjects were divided into young-old (65-74 yr) and old-old (75-98 yr) subgroups, the younger compared to the older women were found to be more active as measured by MLPA (p=.02), explained by their engaging in more light activities of daily living (p=.04). The young-old compared to the old-old women consumed more kcalories/day (p=.01), and had a higher MAR score (p=.00). The nutrient densities of the two groups' diets were not significantly different. The younger women had slightly lower BMI, WHR, and PBF values. This study revealed age, rather than MLPA, was a better predictor of some parameters of diet adequacy and body fatness among this sample of elderly women. In addition, consistently higher levels of physical activity and greater dietary adequacy and was found among the younger compared to the older portions of this sample of senior women, suggesting that nutrition intervention programs for the elderly should encourage daily activeness as a strategy to maintain or improve dietary adequacy with advancing age. / Graduation date: 1993

The percentage of the American population who are 65 years old or older is rapidly increasing, especially the proportion of women. It is becoming crucial to encourage lifestyle behaviors that will enable senior women to remain in optimal health. Following the 1990 Dietary Guidelines' recommendations to limit fat intake and consume adequate amounts of dietary fiber has been shown to positively impact longevity and health status in the elderly by decreasing risk factors for chronic diseases. An expected outcome of engaging in regular exercise is a reduction in body fat, which is also associated with a lowered incidence of several chronic illnesses. However, the literature clearly indicates that nutritional quality of the diet and involvement in regular exercise decrease with increasing age. There is evidence that, with the adoption of one health enhancing behavior, there is a greater tendency to engage in other health promoting behaviors, but little data exist on the healthseeking behaviors of older adults. The purpose of this study was to ascertain if there were identifiable differences between self-defined exercising and self-defined non-exercising elderly women with respect to their nutrient intake, food sources of dietary fat and fiber, dietary change behavior, and body composition parameters, considering their age and education and income levels. The objective was to determine whether those women who had consciously undertaken a regular exercise program would also have higher micronutrient intakes, make lower fat and higher fiber food choices, report having made more dietary changes in the direction of the 1990 Dietary Guidelines, and have leaner body compositions than those who had not undertaken such a program. Thirty-three elderly women self-reported exercisers (mean age 74.1 years) and 30 self-reported non-exercisers (mean age 71.3 years) were enrolled in a 14 week study. Exercisers were defined as those who reported having engaged in a regular program of planned exercise a minimum of 15 minutes per session, 2 times per week, for at least the last year, and non-exercisers were those who had not. They kept three, 7-day food records at 5 week intervals. Nutrient intake was estimated from 9 days of food records, 3 predetermined days from each recording period, using the Food Processor n software. Dietary intakes were analyzed for energy, macronutrients, dietary fiber, and selected micronutrients. Food sources of dietary fat and fiber were determined using a food categorization adapted from Popkin and coworkers (1989). Information concerning dietary change behavior, obtained from questionnaire responses, was compared between groups using chisquare tests. Body composition, assessed through repeat measurements during each dietary recording period, included determination of percent body fat through skinfolds, waist-to-hip-ratio and body mass index. Average 9-day nutrient intakes and anthropometric measures were compared between groups using t-tests or Mann- Whitney U tests. Both elderly women exercisers and non-exercisers had similar energy, macronutrient, and dietary fiber intakes based on 9-day means. Their total fat intakes, expressed in grams and as percentages of energy, were not significantly different. Both groups consumed a lower percentage of their daily kcalories as total fat (32%) compared with national surveys of women over 65 (36%). Exercisers consumed more total vitamin A (p=.03) and carotene (p=.00) than the non-exercising women. A great proportion of both groups did not meet 75 % of the Recommended Dietary Allowances for calcium and zinc. A larger proportion of the exercisers than the non-exercisers reported using lower fat cheese (p=.02) and green and yellow vegetables (p=.03), which partially explained their higher total vitamin A and carotene intakes. Exercisers obtained less of their total fat intake from lower fat milk (p=.02) and more of their fat intake from lower fat lunch meats (p=.04) than the non-exercisers. The categories of legumes (p=.02) and lower fiber vegetables (p=.05) supplied greater amounts of dietary fiber for the exercisers compared with the non-exercisers. When asked about dietary changes made over the past decade, a greater percentage of the exercisers than non-exercisers reported having decreased red meat intake (p=.05) and increased consumption of cereals (p=.05) and legumes (p=.00). Actual intake data showed that the legume food category contributed more dietary fiber to the diets of the exercisers than the non-exercisers (p=.02). No differences were found in body fat measures between the exercisers and non-exercisers. The lack of observed differences between the two groups reinforces what other researchers have found, that a large number of factors influence body composition, of which exercise is only one. More research is needed to distinguish the interactions of age, energy intake, and physical activity on the body fatness of elderly women, as well as the most accurate instruments for assessing body composition for this age group. Exercise participation among elderly women in this study appeared to be associated with several positive dietary behaviors. Elderly women exercisers compared to non-exercisers made food choices leading to higher total vitamin A and carotene intakes, and also reported making more changes in food consumption behaviors in the direction of current dietary recommendations. These observed outcomes provide support for designing health-promotion programs for elderly women which include both nutrition education and exercise components. / Graduation date: 1993

A positive psychosocial intervention comprised of high autonomy support, task-involvement, and caring was implemented in physical activity classes to examine its effects on college women’s basic psychological needs (i.e. autonomy, competence, relatedness), exercise regulations (i.e. external, introjected, identified, integrated, intrinsic) and social physique anxiety (SPA). We hypothesized that at the end of the semester, participants in the intervention group (N = 73) would report greater need satisfaction, more self-determined regulations and less SPA than participants in the non-intervention group (N = 60). At T1 and T2, both the intervention and non-intervention participants reported “agreeing” with experiencing an autonomy supportive, task-involving, and caring environment. Furthermore, both groups at T1 and T2 reported moderate SPA. No significant group differences were found at T1. At T2, significant group differences were observed in the intervention and non-intervention groups’ report of external regulation and intrinsic regulation. The results suggests that group exercise instructors are capable of creating a positive psychosocial environment to enhance students’ intrinsic motivation.

Tam, Kok-wing = 從質性研究探討中國香港女性大學生運動習慣的決定因素 / 譚玨穎. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-116). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Tam, Kok-wing = Cong zhi xing yan jiu tan tao Zhongguo Xianggang nü xing da xue sheng yun dong xi guan de jue ding yin su / Tan Jueying. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iii / Table of Contents --- p.iv / List of Tables --- p.vii / List of Figures --- p.viii / Chapter CHAPTER ONE / Introduction --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Purpose of Study --- p.6 / Operational Definition of Terms --- p.6 / Assumptions --- p.7 / Delimitations --- p.8 / Limitations --- p.8 / Significance of the Study --- p.8 / Chapter CHAPTER TWO / Review of Literature --- p.10 / Psychological Aspects of Physical Activity --- p.10 / Theoretical Background --- p.10 / Reduction of Stress and Depression --- p.11 / Enhancement of Mood --- p.13 / Improvement in Self Concept --- p.14 / Higher Quality of Life --- p.15 / Reasons for Exercise Participation --- p.16 / Exercise Determinants --- p.17 / Research Related to the Determinants of Physical Activity --- p.18 / Personal Characteristics --- p.18 / Psychological and Behavioural Determinants --- p.19 / Environmental Determinants - Social factors --- p.21 / Environmental Determinants - Physical factors --- p.22 / Physical Activity Characteristics --- p.23 / Exercise Facilitators --- p.24 / Exercise Barriers --- p.24 / Gender --- p.25 / Decline of Young Adult Exercise Pattern --- p.27 / The Transtheoretical Model --- p.28 / Theoretical Background --- p.28 / The Five Stages of Change --- p.31 / Precontemplation Stage - --- p.31 / Contemplation Stage --- p.31 / Preparation Stage --- p.31 / Action Stage --- p.32 / Maintenance Stage --- p.32 / Research related to the Transtheoretical Model and physical activity --- p.33 / Summary --- p.35 / Chapter CHAPTER THREE / Method --- p.36 / Participants --- p.36 / Survey sample --- p.36 / Interview sample --- p.37 / Procedures --- p.37 / Surveying --- p.37 / In-depth interviewing process --- p.38 / Instrumentation --- p.39 / Questionnaire for the Survey Sample (818 students) --- p.39 / Exercise Stage Assessment --- p.39 / Interview guide for the interview sub-sample --- p.40 / Data Analysis --- p.42 / Questionnaire Analysis --- p.42 / Data analysis for the interview --- p.42 / Chapter CHAPTER FOUR / Results --- p.46 / The General Results from Exercise Stage Assessment --- p.46 / Background of the 15 Interviewees --- p.47 / Reasons for sedentary behaviour of the non-exercisers --- p.50 / Personal Characteristics --- p.52 / Psychological and Behavioural Determinants --- p.53 / Exercise Determinants - Physical aspects --- p.55 / Exercise Determinants - Social aspects --- p.58 / Physical Activity Characteristics --- p.60 / Reasons for the non-exercisers to change their sedentary behaviour- --- p.61 / Personal Characteristics --- p.62 / Psychological and Behavioural Determinants --- p.63 / Exercise Determinants - Physical aspects --- p.65 / Exercise Determinants - Social aspects --- p.66 / Physical Activity Characteristics --- p.67 / Reasons for the exercisers to be active --- p.67 / Personal Characteristics --- p.68 / Psychological and Behavioural Determinants --- p.70 / Exercise Determinants - Physical aspects --- p.72 / Exercise Determinants - Social aspects --- p.72 / Physical Activity Characteristics --- p.74 / Reasons for the exercisers to terminate their active behaviour --- p.75 / Personal Characteristics --- p.76 / Psychological and Behavioural Determinants --- p.76 / Exercise Determinants - Physical aspects --- p.78 / Exercise Determinants - Social aspects --- p.81 / Chapter CHAPTER FIVE / Discussion --- p.83 / Exercise Determinants in Personal Characteristics --- p.85 / Exercise Determinants in Psychological and Behavioural Dimensions --- p.89 / Exercise Determinants in Environmental - Physical aspects --- p.91 / Exercise Determinants in Environmental - Social aspects --- p.95 / Exercise Determinants in Physical Activity Characteristics --- p.96 / Summary and Conclusion --- p.97 / Recommendations --- p.100 / References --- p.102 / Appendix A --- p.117 / Appendix B --- p.119 / Appendix C --- p.120 / Appendix D --- p.122 / Appendix E --- p.124 / Appendix F --- p.126 / Appendix G --- p.128 / Appendix H --- p.130 / Appendix I --- p.131 / Appendix J --- p.133 / Appendix K --- p.135