This thesis is composed of an ethnography of the Women’s Running Network (WRN) – a non-elite women’s-only running group – and explores participant’s lived experiences of health and ageing (and the intersection of these) in this physical context. In-depth interviews (n = 25), inclusive of case studies (n = 3), with women between the ages of 29 and 66 allowed insight into the subjective contours of participant’s lives, and their particular biographical trajectories culminating in WRN participation. Several types of narrative analyses were applied to the emergent data, and results from these revealed insights into if, why, how, and when women engaged with health and ‘active ageing’ messages across the life course. Despite a prevalence of health knowledge, participants tended to report long periods of inactivity throughout their lives – citing the often documented barriers to physical activity such as a lack of time and caregiving responsibilities. However, a vast majority of participants also cited an utter lack of confidence with respect to physical activity, often stemming from highly influential poor early experiences. Embodying a perceived ‘non-sporting’ identity for as long as they had, they were foreclosed to the idea of physical activity despite simultaneously feeling pressure to participate. For many, it was particular life events - or ‘critical moments’ – that brought participation in physical activity to the forefront (i.e., birthdays, relationship issues, bereavement, and health scares). A consideration of these within this thesis explores the complex link that exists between health consciousness and action. In addition, alternative narratives about who could be a runner (within WRN advertising and by word of mouth) ‘hailed’ participants to reconsider their foreclosed narratives, by offering a ‘fun and non-competitive’ atmosphere for people ‘of all ages, sizes, and abilities’. Once pushed to action and within the WRN setting, participants described learning about themselves and their bodies, and thus developed the capacity to tell new stories. As such, through a narrative lens, this thesis introduces the stories that participants responded to (or not), and the stories that they used to tell, felt able to tell, and – in some cases – learned how to tell about health, about ageing, and about running/physical activity. Conclusions from this work have implications for both policy and practice, advocating for the necessity of comprehensive insight into people’s perceptions and lived experiences of (active) ageing within the context of life history, current life stage, and the everyday.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in higher-than-normal levels of anxiety and depression, especially among graduate students whose academic trajectory was disrupted. Physical activity and trait resiliency have both been shown to protect against stress-induced anxiety and depression during the pandemic. However, it remains unknown whether the same was true for graduate students and what biological mechanism, such as heart rate variability (HRV) might underpin these relationships. Method: We examined change in stress, current physical activity, and trait resiliency to identify key factors associated with better mental health outcomes in a national sample of graduate students (N = 61) who were recruited during the COVID-19 pandemic. We evaluated the unique contributions of change in graduate-school-related stress, physical activity (moderate, vigorous, and fitness), and trait resiliency to both anxiety and depression. We conducted moderation analyses to explore the processes through which these variables interact and mediation analyses to examine whether HRV was part of the underlying mechanism. Questionnaire were used to assess graduate-school-related stress, physical activity (moderate, vigorous), and trait resiliency. We estimated physical fitness using the six-minute walk test and captured resting HRV using a validated mobile application. Results: Graduate students reporting greater change in school-related stress were more anxious and depressed; however, those who engaged in more moderate physical activity were less anxious and those with higher trait resiliency were less anxious and depressed. Moderation analyses revealed a “stress threshold” for moderate physical activity whereby students who were more physically active were more protected from anxiety symptoms than their lower active peers; but this was only true for people whose stress levels increased a little or moderately but not for people whose stress levels increased a lot. In contrast, trait resiliency was shown to buffer against depression regardless of change in stress level. HRV did not mediate these relationships. Conclusion: Graduate students experienced significant mental strain during the COVID-19 pandemic, but physical activity and trait resiliency may be promising protective factors. / Thesis / Master of Science in Kinesiology

Previous reports have demonstrated that children’s physical activity is typically intermittent in nature. Accelerometers are reliable and valid tools for quantifying the pattern of activity in children. However, in order to interpret accelerometer output it is necessary to apply appropriate accelerometer thresholds for classifying physical activity intensity. Currently multiple accelerometer thresholds are available in the literature and it is unclear which are the most appropriate or whether thresholds should be sample specific. Additionally, there is little information regarding how the pattern of activity in children varies across groups and how activity patterns relate to health. The overall aim of the thesis was to describe the pattern of habitual physical activity, using objectively-measured physical activity data, in relation to health outcomes in pre-adolescent boys. The first objective was to characterize the pattern of boys’ habitual physical activity, using objectively-measured physical activity data. The second objective was to investigate the relationship between habitual physical activity and specific aspects of the activity pattern and health outcomes in boys. The final objective was to investigate the effects of continuously- versus intermittently- accumulated physical activity on acute health outcomes in boys, using an intermittent activity protocol based on the measured pattern of habitual activity in boys. The first four studies used a sample of 54 boys, aged 8 to 10 years. The final study used a different sample of 10 boys, aged 9 to 11 years. Both samples were from the county of Devon, UK. The first study of this thesis established sample-specific accelerometer-intensity thresholds through calibration research with ActiGraph accelerometers (counts•2s-1) in boys. The second study in the thesis demonstrated that relationships between time accumulated at different activity intensities and health (fatness, peak oxygen consumption and resting blood pressure) in boys were similar irrespective of whether sample-specific or published thresholds were employed as long as the threshold was at least equivalent to a brisk walk (i.e. >4 METs). However, the prevalence of children reported as meeting activity guidelines did differ according to thresholds employed. Study three showed that, despite little difference between overweight and normal weight boys in overall activity, time spent sedentary and minutes of light, moderate and vigorous intensity activity accumulated, aspects of the activity pattern (frequency, intensity and duration of ≥4 s (short) and ≥5-min (long) bouts of ≥light, ≥moderate, ≥vigorous and ≥hard intensity activity) differed by weight status. Overweight boys accumulated fewer and shorter bouts of activity, particularly sustained bouts of activity which were of moderate intensity or greater. Study four examined the relationship between activity pattern and health in boys further, focusing on body fatness, aerobic fitness, blood pressure and microvascular function. Results demonstrated that summary measures of activity were negatively related to body fatness, and positively related with both aerobic fitness (i.e., total, moderate, vigorous and hard activity) and endothelial function (i.e., total and light activity). Time spent sedentary was negatively related to endothelial function. The frequency and duration of activity bouts of ≥moderate intensity and the intensity of all activity bouts (i.e., ≥light intensity) were most important for body fatness and aerobic fitness. The frequency of all bouts (short and long) of at least light intensity was most important for endothelial health. Finally, study five moved away from chronic measures of health and examined the acute physiological effects of the recommended daily amount of physical activity (60 minutes of physical activity of ≥moderate intensity) on postprandial lipaemia and microvascular function in boys the following day. Furthermore, the study aimed to assess whether the effects differed depending on whether the activity was accumulated continuously or in a manner more similar to the children’s typical activity patterns identified in studies 3 and 4. In contrast to findings from adolescents and adults, 60 minutes of >moderate intensity activity did not impact on postprandial lipaemia or microvascular function the following day in healthy, active boys, regardless of how it was accumulated. The results of the present thesis indicate that aspects of the activity pattern are significantly related to health in boys and differ according to type of day and weight status. Furthermore, the benefits of sporadically-accumulated activity are equally as strong as continuously-accumulated activity to body fatness, aerobic fitness and endothelial health in boys. Since children typically accumulate short, intermittent bouts of activity, the promotion of sporadic activity (i.e., in intervention research and current physical activity guidelines for children and youth) might increase enjoyment and adherence. The benefits of acute intermittent exercise (which simulates free-living activity) on postprandial lipaemia and microvascular function in inactive children with risk factors for cardiovascular disease should be investigated. Longitudinal investigations into the activity pattern of a much larger and more age-diverse sample of boys and girls are needed to determine whether any changes in aspects of the activity pattern might alter these and other health outcomes (i.e., cardiovascular risk factors).

Name: Opinion of children of senior school age on physical activity, health and sport Aim: The aim of the diploma thesis is to create a comprehensive overview of issues associated with physical activity, health, sport and healthy lifestyle. This thesis investigates the knowledge and opinions of school children at second stage of Primary School on healthy eating, exercise and lifestyle. It further explores what factors influence students to take care of their lifestyles and whether there are differences in their opinions on healthy lifestyle influenced by gender, family or school they attend. The task of the work also determines whether the students of two selected primary schools in Slaný have a different opinion on the above mentioned physical activity, health, nutrition, physical education and sport. This thesis as well explains the students' motivation resulting in healthy lifestyle and discusses why are students entertained by physical education and sport as well as why they are not. Methods of the research: To obtain results relevant to the thesis, we have chosen a quantitative method - a questionnaire. It is a noninvasive anonymous survey which focuses on individuals in the older school-age - the second stage of Primary School. The essence of investigation is in collection of data and...

The aim of this work is to create an educational DVD with aerobics classes for beginners and intermediate exercisers. The DVD is designed for children and adults who want to work out at home in their free time, for novice teachers of aerobics, to liven up their lessons, and finally for heads of various sports clubs teachers who would like to include aerobics to their lessons. In the theoretical part the characteristic of aerobics is introduced, its effect on human health, and particular types of aerobics, including racing. In conclusion of the theoretical part basic steps of aerobics are described. In addition, there is also English terminology and explanation of teaching methods that are used in aerobics classes. The practical part is devoted to the learning DVD. The introduction describes the preparation for filming, followed by a transcript of choreography and stretching exercises that are used in the video, and also instructions on how to start with an exercise and what to avoid. The conclusion of the practical part is focused on a review of the DVD. The evaluation was carried out using a questionnaire survey, which was attended by a total of 60 respondents. It examined six different criteria that respondents assessed with grade 1 to 5. Overall, the DVD was evaluated by 61,7% respondents as...

<p>Insulin resistance has shown to be a precursor to a number of lifestylerelated chronic diseases and abnormalities in adults and is affected by a number of factors including genetics, age, physical activity and acute exercise, diet, obesity, body fat distribution and medication. Physical activity has shown to have marked effects on improving sensitivity to insulin though various physiological mechanisms, and numerous correlation studies have identified a relationship between these two variables, suggesting the beneficial role of exercise on insulin resistance.&nbsp / This study aimed to identify a relationship between current levels of physical activity, physical fitness and insulin resistance in adults between the ages of 35 and 65 years of age residing in a northern suburb community in Cape Town. A total of 186 volunteers participated in this study ranging from healthy individuals to those with diagnosed chronic conditions. Insulin resistance (determined by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), physical activity (measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire) and five health-related physical fitness tests were measured. The five components included body composition, determined by body mass index and waist circumference, the 3-minute cardiorespiratory step test, the handgrip&nbsp / muscle strength test, one-minute crunches for muscle endurance and the sit-and-reach flexibility test. Spearman correlation was used to identify the relationships between the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, age, body composition and physical activity and fitness.Results showed that body mass index and waist circumference were the only two variables which produced significant correlations with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (p &lt / 0.019). No physical activity or fitness data produced significant scores with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Body mass index in men was the only significant predictor of HOMA-IR and explained 37% of the variance in insulin resistance, whereas in women, only waist circumference was related to HOMA-IR, but explained less than 16% of the variance. Associations between reported MET-minutes from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the four fitness tests indicated significance with handgrip strength (&rho / = 0.17 / p =0.039), one-minute crunches (&rho / = 0.18 / p = 0.024) and sit-and-reach flexibility (&rho / = 0.17 / 0.034). This study has shown that body composition is an important component in influencing insulin resistance therefore physical activity interventions should be targeted at increasing physical activity levels and reducing body weight.</p>

<p>Insulin resistance has shown to be a precursor to a number of lifestylerelated chronic diseases and abnormalities in adults and is affected by a number of factors including genetics, age, physical activity and acute exercise, diet, obesity, body fat distribution and medication. Physical activity has shown to have marked effects on improving sensitivity to insulin though various physiological mechanisms, and numerous correlation studies have identified a relationship between these two variables, suggesting the beneficial role of exercise on insulin resistance.&nbsp / This study aimed to identify a relationship between current levels of physical activity, physical fitness and insulin resistance in adults between the ages of 35 and 65 years of age residing in a northern suburb community in Cape Town. A total of 186 volunteers participated in this study ranging from healthy individuals to those with diagnosed chronic conditions. Insulin resistance (determined by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance), physical activity (measured by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire) and five health-related physical fitness tests were measured. The five components included body composition, determined by body mass index and waist circumference, the 3-minute cardiorespiratory step test, the handgrip&nbsp / muscle strength test, one-minute crunches for muscle endurance and the sit-and-reach flexibility test. Spearman correlation was used to identify the relationships between the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, age, body composition and physical activity and fitness.Results showed that body mass index and waist circumference were the only two variables which produced significant correlations with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (p &lt / 0.019). No physical activity or fitness data produced significant scores with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Body mass index in men was the only significant predictor of HOMA-IR and explained 37% of the variance in insulin resistance, whereas in women, only waist circumference was related to HOMA-IR, but explained less than 16% of the variance. Associations between reported MET-minutes from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire and the four fitness tests indicated significance with handgrip strength (&rho / = 0.17 / p =0.039), one-minute crunches (&rho / = 0.18 / p = 0.024) and sit-and-reach flexibility (&rho / = 0.17 / 0.034). This study has shown that body composition is an important component in influencing insulin resistance therefore physical activity interventions should be targeted at increasing physical activity levels and reducing body weight.</p>

This diploma thesis deals with the influence of physical (in) activity on the health of an aging population using the data of the SHARE study. The first aim of the work was to find out which sociodemographic factors and health and lifestyle factors are related to the level of physical activity. Age and subjective health were found to be the most important factors related to the level of physical activity in the aging population. Another goal was to determine whether there is a relationship between the incidence of selected diseases (myocardial infarction, stroke, diabetes mellitus) and the level of physical activity. It has been shown that regular physical activity at least once a week reduces the risk of incidence of these diseases in an aging population. In the case of diabetes mellitus, even any physical activity reduces the risk of incidence of this disease. Key words: physical activity, health, ageing, SHARE data

The health and well-being of individuals is related to their activity-travel patterns. Individuals who undertake physically active episodes such as walking and bicycling are likely to have improved health outcomes compared to individuals with sedentary auto-centric lifestyles. Activity-based travel demand models are able to predict activity-travel patterns of individuals at a high degree of fidelity, thus providing rich information for transportation and public health professionals to infer health outcomes that may be experienced by individuals in various geographic and demographic market segments. However, models of activity-travel demand do not account for the attitudinal factors and lifestyle preferences that affect activity-travel and mode use patterns. Such attitude and preference variables are virtually never collected explicitly in travel surveys, rendering it difficult to include them in model specifications. This paper applies Bhat’s (2014) Generalized Heterogeneous Data Model (GHDM) approach, whereby latent constructs representing the degree to which individuals are health conscious and inclined to pursue physical activities may be modeled as a function of observed socio-economic and demographic variables and then included as explanatory factors in models of activity-travel outcomes and walk and bicycle use. The model system is estimated on the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) sample, demonstrating the efficacy of the approach and the importance of including such latent constructs in model specifications that purport to forecast activity and time use patterns. / text

Tyrimo objektas: vyresnio amžiaus žmonių fizinio pajėgumo kitimas. Tyrimo tikslas: apžvelgti vyresnio amžiaus žmonių (60- 80m.) fizinio aktyvumą ir fizinio pajėgumo rezultatų kitimą su amžiumi. Uždaviniai: 1. Palyginti fizinio pajėgumo rezultatus amžiaus grupėse. 2. Palyginti vyrų ir moterų fizinio pajėgumo testų rezultatų kitimą su amžiumi. Hipotezė: Su amžiumi fizinio pajėgumo rezultatai prastėja. Išvados: 1. Su amžiumi žymiai pratėja plaštakų jėga, pilvo raumenų ištvermė, aerobinis pajėgumas. Liemens juosmeninės dalies paslankumas pas vyresnius tiriamuosius buvo geresnis. Tam įtakos turėjo jų pastovus fizinis aktyvumas. Pusiausvyros rezultatams amžius didelės įtakos neturėjo. 2. Vyrai parodė žymiai geresnius rezultatus plaštakų jėgos teste ir 1000 m bėgime. Fizinio pajėgumo rezultatai tarp vyrų ir moterų žymiai nesiskyrė liemens juosmeninės dalies paslankumo, bei pusiausvyros testuose. Pilvo raumenų ištvermės testuose moterys pasiekė šiek tiek geresnių rezultatų negu vyrai. / Subjects: 60 - 80 years old people physical capability changes. Aim of research: Review 60- 80 years old people physical activity and physical capability changes. Objectives: 1. Compose physical capability result changes in age groups. 2. Compare mens and womens physical capability test results changes in aging. Hypothesis: With age physical capability results getting worse. Results: 1. With age dramatically getting worse grip strength, abdominal muscle endurance, aerobic capacity. Torso lumbar mobility in older people was better. This was influenced by the constant physical activity. Age had no influence to body balance. 2. In hand strength test and the 1000 m run men showed significantly better results. Physical capacity results among males and woman’s did not differ significantly in torso lumbar mobility and balance tests. In muscle endurance tests women showed slightly better results than men.