The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a school-based wellness program, Looking Good...Feeling Great! (Zacour & Zacour, 1991), on ninth grade students' wellness levels, and to evaluate student and teacher impressions of the program. Experimental groups (n = 62) from one urban and two suburban secondary schools participated in the four day 175 minute Looking Good...Feeling Great! program, while control groups (n = 37) from the same schools followed their regular academic schedules. All participants completed TestwellTM (National Wellness Institute, Inc., 1994), a wellness inventory for high school students, as a pretest, one week later as a posttest, and one and one half months later as a follow-up test. Student focus groups and teacher interviews were conducted after the posttest. Results showed that (a) experimental group wellness scores significantly increased from pretest to posttest (ES = .22), (b) experimental groups maintained their increased wellness levels one and one half months following completion of the program (ES = .24), and (c) there was no significant effect of gender on experimental group wellness scores, although females scored significantly higher than males overall. In general, students and teachers conveyed favourable impressions of the program. However, somewhat negative impressions of the program from the students and teacher at the urban secondary school imply that this type of school may benefit from a wellness program that better suits the needs of its constituents. The results indicate that the Looking Good...Feeling Great! program can be an effective tool in helping adolescents acquire healthy lifestyles through the enhancement of wellness levels.

Research has clearly shown that all individuals will benefit from regular physical activity. Unfortunately, young adults including college and university students are not physically active on a regular basis worldwide. In the developing world particularly in Sub- Saharan Africa, physical inactivity along with tobacco use, poor diet and nutrition are increasingly parts of today&rsquo / s lifestyle. Physical activity declines with age and the most important decline appear to be during the transition period from high school to university and during university years. The aim of this study was to assess the level of physical activity, to investigate the perceived constraints to physical activity and to determine whether socio-demographic characteristic have an influence on participation in physical activity and perceived constraints to physical activity among paramedical institutions students in Uganda. A cross-sectional study with descriptive quantitative design was conducted. Four hundred (400) paramedical institution students were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire adopted from the literature was used to collect the data. A response rate of 90% was obtained. Descriptive and inferential statistics using the statistical package for social sciences were used to analyze the data. The relationships and associations between different variables were determined by carrying out significant tests using chi-square tests. Alpha level was set at 0.05. The mean age of the sample was 22.44 years (SD = 2.03). Males constituted 73.9% and females constituted 26.1% of the sample. Students from eight (8) health professional courses participated in the study. Over half (59%) of participants were classified as physically active and 41% were classified as inactive or sedentary. For male participants, lack of the right equipment to exercise and wanting to do other things in their free time were perceived as the major constraints to physical activity. For female participants, lack of motivation and tiredness after exercise were perceived as the major constraints to physical activity. The findings of this study demonstrate that there is an influence of socio-demographic characteristics such as gender, year of the study and different departments/schools on participation in physical activity and perceived constraints to physical activity. They also indicate the need of health promotion intervention aiming at promoting physical activity among paramedical institution students in Uganda.

Thesis (MSc (Biomedical Technology))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2019 / Introduction: The provision of access to safe and effective contraception is a critical element in the health of women that enables them to make choices about their fertility. This element of control empowers them and indirectly enables them to access better social and economic opportunities. Hormonal contraceptives are a convenient, effective and relatively safe method of fertility control. Extensive research has been done on the effects of hormonal contraceptives on undesirable metabolic and haemostatic changes, but data on the relationship between oxidative stress and oral contraceptives is scarce and remains subject to debate. Aging of the skin due to oestrogen loss at menopause is thought to include atrophy, decreased collagen content, water content, and sebaceous secretions, loss of elasticity, wrinkling, poor wound healing and manifestations of hyperandrogenism. A number of studies have shown that oestrogens serve many important beneficial and protective functions in skin physiology. Despite extensive clinical experience, many metabolic effects of oral contraceptive treatment remain to be explored. The effects of progesterone on body weight and composition are of interest from several standpoints. Since hormonal contraceptives are widely used, it is important to investigate the effect thereof on oxidative status, skin parameters and anthropometric indicators, to enable women make informed choices about the use of contraceptives, or to adapt their lifestyle if necessary. The aim of the present study was therefore, to assess certain effects of contraceptives in a student population at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT). Objectives of the study: To determine the differences in skin health, anthropometric \parameters and oxidative stress status in female university students using various hormonal contraceptives versus non-contraceptive users. Research design: The study adopted a quantitative approach to examine a crosssectional research sample in order to provide a snapshot of the population at a particular time. Concenting participants were selected through the use of questionnaires aimed at ascertaining the type of contraceptive used as well as general health and lifestyle patterns. Blood samples were collected and the antioxidant status was determined. Body composition and skin analysis was conducted on each of the participants in the selected groups and the results were compared to determine the differences between contraceptive and non-contraceptive users. Results: With regards to oxidative stress status, the results indicated a significant increase in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities within the triphasic contraceptive group compared to the monophasic contraceptive group, suggesting higher levels of oxidative stress in monophasic contraceptive groups. There was also an increase in lipid peroxidation (TBARS) for the triphasic contraceptive group when compared to the control, monophasic contraceptive and injectable contraceptive groups respectively, indicative of increased oxidative stress levels in the triphasic contraceptive group. In this study, skin parameters evaluation revealed that there was a general increase in the presence of erythema in the monophasic contraceptive group compared to the control; injectable contraceptive; implant contraceptive and triphasic contraceptive groups, symptomatic of higher vascular activity in the monophasic group. Melanocyte activity measured in the forehead, cheek and chin areas were also significantly increased when the monophasic contraceptive group was compared to the control and other contraceptive groups, characterised by the pigmentation pattern of chloasma/melasma known to be caused by hormones. The hydration measurements were significantly increased in the implant contraceptive group compared to the control and monophasic contraceptive groups. Furthermore, a significant increase in hydration was evident in the injectable contraceptive group when compared to the control and monophasic contraceptive groups. Injectable contraceptives and implant contraceptives mainly contain progesterone which has been proven to combat signs of aging and increase collagen and elastin in the skin. With respect to anthropometric measurements, there was a significant increase in the measurement of waist to hip ratio in the implant contraceptive group compared to the control group (non-contraceptive). Progesterone influence on adipose tissue distribution indicated a more significant increase of adipose tissue in the abdominal region. Conclusion: In this study there was some evidence that the type of hormonal contraceptive used does have significant effects on the variables tested in the population sample. These effects are dependent on the composition of the contraceptive and the levels of progesterone and/or oestrogen.

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the association between body mass index as well as race/ethnicity and established correlates of disordered eating including drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, bulimia, dietary restraint and social physique anxiety in male and female college students. Difference between actual, desirable and perceived body weight was also assessed. ANOVA suggested that as actual body mass index increased, in general, attitudes and behavior toward weight, body shape and eating increased. A two-tailed t-test suggested that males and females differed significantly with regards to attitudes and behavior toward weight body shape and eating. ANOVA indicated that little to no association existed between race/ethnicity and established correlates of disordered eating.

No description available.

The problem of this study is that of comparing certain physical fitness and anthropometric measures for early adolescent Mexican-American and Anglo-American males. The purposes of the study are to determine if Mexican-American and Anglo-American males differ in physical fitness or anthropometric measures; to determine if the relationships between age and physical fitness, age and arthropometric measures, and anthropometric measures and physical fitness items are significantly different for Mexican-American and Anglo-American males; to compare the rate of maturation for pre-adolescent Mexican-American and Anglo-American males in physical fitness items and anthropometric measures.

Purposes for engaging in physical activities were examined from the perspective of university students enrolled in physical activity classes and kinesiology faculty. Data was collected from 473 students and 20 faculty members. Both groups completed the Personal Purposes and Meanings in Movement Inventory (PPMMI). Independent t-tests were conducted for each of the twenty-two purpose statements to determine differences between faculty and students in the rating of purposes. Students attending individual sport activity classes rated self-knowledge, transcendence, object projection/reception, awareness, competition, neuromuscular efficiency, movement appreciation, and muscular strength significantly lower (p<.01) than the faculty. Students attending team sport activities rated self-knowledge, transcendence, participation, object projection/reception, teamwork, awareness, competition, leadership, and expression significantly (pc.01) lower than the faculty. Students attending fitness activity classes rated self-knowledge, competition, leadership, transcendence, participation, teamwork, circulo-respiratory efficiency, and personal integration significantly (p<.01) lower than faculty.

University attendance includes various activities and experiences that can have a unique impact on psychosocial development and adult health behaviors, and can influence life course outcomes such as short- and long-term health and quality of life. College attendance and health are cyclical and reinforcing factors. Healthier students do better while at college, which allows them to effectively progress through university. College graduation is closely associated with improved health status in later life. In addition, students' personal development as part of their transition to adulthood during college, which includes psychosocial and interpersonal growth, is associated with greater gains in health and personal success in later life. Identifying the factors associated with enhanced health status while in college would ensure that a greater number of the overall population has access to the potential health benefits of progressing through and graduating from an institution of higher education. Because health behaviors can have a significant impact on how well a student progresses through college, as well as future quality of life, colleges and universities should recognize the role health is playing in the student experience. This study explored the connection of how factors such as student sub-group participation, health behaviors, and particular negative experiences affect the health status of college students attending a large, urban, top-tier university. It investigated which students were at an increased risk for negative mental health symptoms and overall lower general health and how students' participation in various groups (student athletes, students who are members of sororities and fraternities, and students who volunteer) is associated with health behavior (alcohol and other drug use, sexual behavior, and sleep), negative experiences (bias/discrimination and interpersonal violence), and health outcomes. In addition, the study analyzed how personal development at college mediates those relationships. This study is based on non-experimental cross-sectional survey data from the National College Health Assessment that was collected in collaboration with the American College Health Association at Columbia University (CU). All enrolled undergraduate students at CU in Columbia College or the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in the spring semester of 2009 (n=5708) were invited to participate in the survey, and 31.8% of the sample responded. This research used the Baron and Kenny model to examine the mediation effects of personal development on general health and mental health via a series of bivariate and regression analyses. While the overall general and mental health of respondents was good, particular groups were less likely to report overall excellent or very good general health and more likely to report mental health symptoms. Negative experiences and health behaviors varied significantly between student sub-groups. Health behaviors and negative experiences were predictive of overall general health and mental health symptoms. Sleep, drug use, and experiences of bias/discrimination and interpersonal violence (IPV) were most predictive of health. Personal development was found to partially mediate the relationship between IPV, sleep and overall general health. In addition, personal development was found to partially mediate the relationship between IPV, drug use other than or in addition to marijuana, and sleep and mental health symptoms. The findings from this study suggest that college and university administrators should consider directing resources into targeting particular groups of students for focused health promotion interventions related to specific topics as a method for improving overall general health and reducing mental health symptoms of students. College and university administrators are encouraged to consider the role of personal development as a unique factor in improving student health.

A large body of evidence suggests physical activity is inversely associated with several cardio-metabolic risk factors among children and adolescents. Despite these health benefits, a majority of youth are not meeting the physical activity guidelines set forth by the USDHHS. Schools have been identified as an ideal vehicle for interventions; however, research evidence indicates school-based interventions are not effective at increasing outside of school physical activity. Goal setting may be a potential effective strategy for increasing physical activity among youth; however no previous studies have examined the effects of goal setting on cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity in middle school students. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a S.M.A.R.T. goal setting and self-monitoring intervention on fitness and physical activity in middle school students. Two middle schools in Tallahassee, FL participated in this study. One school served as the intervention and the other served as a delayed intervention measurement only control. The students in the intervention school completed a one-time S.M.A.R.T. goal setting lesson. During the lesson, students were taught the definition of a goal, the importance of goal setting, and how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals. As part of the lesson, students completed a S.M.A.R.T. goal setting worksheet. The objectives of the worksheet activity were to teach students the concepts of S.M.A.R.T. goal setting and to apply this knowledge by creating personal fitness goals. Student fitness goals were entered into an interactive website that acted as a self-monitoring tool. Before and after the intervention, participating students completed a survey assessing student demographics, physical activity, and physical activity self-efficacy. Cardiorespiratory fitness levels, assessed by the PACER test, were also measured pre and post. Betweengroup differences in post-test scores, adjusted for baseline levels, were assessed for statistical significance using ANCOVA. Additional covariates included gender, race/ethnicity, grade level and weight status. After adjustment for baseline levels, students in the intervention school exhibited significantly higher PACER laps in comparison to the control school ((F[subscript (1,257)] = 58.0) p<0.0001)). The PACER scores in intervention school increased from 40.6 laps to 45.9 laps while the PACER scores in the comparison school decreased. There were no significant between-group differences for physical activity or self-efficacy Although these results require replication in larger studies using a group randomized study design and objective measures of physical activity, the results suggest that teaching students about S.M.A.R.T. goal setting may be a potentially effective strategy for increasing fitness in middle school students and worthy of further investigation / Graduation date: 2013

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences