School physical education (PE) not only offers and promotes health-related physical activity, but also encompasses the promotion and development of perceptions of mental health (USDHHS, 2010). It has been suggested that health-related quality of life (HRQOL) can predict future health, monitor childrens psychosocial health, and identify those most at risk or in need of support at an early stage. Assessing physical activity (PA) and health-related quality of life have become major issues in pediatric public health and also serve as a major goal of Health people 2020 (USDHHS, 2010). Research including assessment of theory-based mediators of health-related outcomes is needed (Ryan, Patrick, Deci, & Williams, 2008). Grounded in the expectancy-value (Eccles., 1983) and achievement goal (Ames, 1992a, 1992b) frameworks, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among the perceptions of motivational climate in PE, expectancy-value beliefs, intention to participate in PE, HRQOL, and PA among elementary children. A secondary purpose was to examine gender and racial differences in students motivation in physical education, intention, HRQOL and PA. Participants were 336 elementary school physical education students from three schools in the southeast US. They completed surveys and wore pedometers during three days of physical education classes. The findings support the assertion that children with higher expectancy beliefs were more likely to be physically active and report higher HRQOL than those with low levels of expectancy beliefs. Perception of a mastery motivational climate together with positive expectancy beliefs could be an advantage for physical and psychosocial health among children in this study, whereas perception of a performance motivational climate was associated with less physical activity (i.e. lower steps/min) during PE even if students view PE as important, interesting and useful. There were gender and race differences on childrens motivation, HRQOL and PA during PE, which suggests that interventions aimed at preventing physical inactivity and developing optimal mental health should be tailored to individual needs in light of those differences. This research may provide useful information on the translation of theory to practice designed to influence childrens health perceptions and behaviors.

Advances in powerlifting equipment have enabled athletes in that sport to achieve lifts once thought impossible. The effect of training using specialized powerlifting gear on performance has not yet been studied. PURPOSE: To examine the effects of powerlifting equipment on performance measures before and after 10 weeks of training. It was hypothesized that equipped lifters would achieve higher total training volumes and greater performance gains in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. METHODS: Eighteen powerlifters between the ages of 18 and 26 were randomized into either a group that trained and competed in equipment (Eq), or trained and competed without equipment (Non). Before and after the program changes in training volume, volume progression, and handgrip and vertical jump, and performance were assessed. RESULTS: Training volume increased significantly in the first 4 weeks for both groups. During this phase, volume lifted for the squat and the totals was slightly greater in the Eq. There were no differences in handgrip and vertical jump after training in either group. There was a significant increase in squat (ª19.05}30.97lbs, p=0.02), dead lift (ª19.05}21.17lbs, p=0.001) and the Total score (ª44.00}60.44lbs, p=0.005) for both groups combined. The improvements in the squat (Eq= 33.85 vs. Non= 5.74, p=0.07), and the totals (Eq= 66.59 vs. Non= 23.67, p=0.15) were more meaningful in the Eq. Both groups showed a significant and similar increase in the Wilks scores (+13.54 points, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend towards greater volume progression in Eq during the first four weeks of training. However, training volume and progression, handgrip and vertical jump were not statistically different between groups. Both groups significantly improved performance for the squat, and deadlift, and had higher totals, and Wilks scores, indicating significant strength gains. The greater magnitude of improvements in the squat and totals for the Eq lifters suggests a potential for a meaningful competitive advantage when training with specialized powerlifting gear.

There is a direct relationship between vascular health and physical function. The controllers of this relationship are unclear, but appear to involve biomechanical and biochemical influences on the vascular wall. Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was twofold: (1) to explore the relationship between vascular health and physical function in three populations (elderly, young and chronic heart failure patients); and (2) to determine the modifying role of physical activity, inactivity and exercise training on controllers of this relationship. Methods: Four projects were designed to address 3 key issues in exercise vascular biology, including the influence of the pattern of blood flow on the vasculature; the effects of exercise training with blood flow restriction vascular function; and the influence of exercise training on vascular function in individuals with known disease. Results: Projects 1 and 2 indicate an increase in oscillatory shear within the vasculature with aging. This appears to be associated with lower physical function. Those individuals who maintain a higher amount of daily physical activity have more favorable blood flow pattern and higher vascular function. Project 3 indicates that localized exercise training with blood flow restriction dissociates vascular and muscle gains leading to enhanced muscular strength but diminished vascular function. The controller involved in the lower vascular function may be reduced shear stress during exercise. The controller that contributes to greater muscle strength during blood flow restriction remains unknown. Project 4 concludes that localized exercise training significantly improves vascular function and muscular strength in heart failure patients, although the gains are less than in age-matched individuals. The underlying controllers are unclear but may involve localized increases in shear stress and reduced oxidative stress. However, the benefits of exercise training are transient with vascular function returning to pre-training levels within 4 weeks after cessation of the training stimulus. Conclusion: These projects confirm a direct relationship between vascular health and physical function. This relationship is modifiable with physical activity levels and exercise training. It appears that intermittent shear stress, as seen with acute exercise, and oxidative stress serve as important stewards of the relationship between vascular and physical function.

Every year thousands of overweight and obese people in the United States join weight loss programs such as Weight Watchers in an effort to become healthier and feel more attractive. Weight Watchers has increased its program focus on physical activity as a critical part of weight loss. Initiating a consistent physical activity routine, however, is generally one of the last behavior changes made by program members, despite its proven role in weight loss maintenance. Using self-determination theory as a framework, the purpose of this study was to examine how perceptions of fulfillment of three psychological needs (i.e. competence, autonomy, and relatedness), affected the motivation and physical activity patterns of five female Lifetime members of Weight Watchers, with the goal of exploring ways to facilitate motivation for physical activity in weight loss programs. The level of self-regulated motivation was also examined. Participants completed a Psychological Need Satisfaction in Exercise Questionnaire, kept written exercise logs, and participated in an in depth interview. Perceived need satisfaction for competence and autonomy facilitated participation in physical activity, but perceived relatedness was a key to overall psychological need satisfaction. Family, mind/body connections, and structure emerged as factors that served to enhance or constrain need satisfaction, and ultimately as either catalysts promoting need satisfaction or barriers to activity. Four participants mentioned guilt, an introjected externally-regulated motivation, as one motive for engaging in activity, but all five mentioned better health as a more internally-regulated motivation for their activity behaviors. Only one participant made comments that could be classified as indicative of intrinsic motivation for physical activity. The findings suggest that for weight loss programs to help their members lose weight, and keep it off, participation in physical activity should be introduced in a way that motivates the members to incorporate it into their daily routines. Stressing improved health and fitness as a valued outcome of regular participation in physical activity and encouraging individuals to identify ways to satisfy the psychological need of relatedness through family support and structure are strategies that emerged in this study as having the potential to facilitate long term behavior change.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the acute effects of stretching on pennation angle of the Medial Gastrocnemius and maximal voluntary isotonic plantar flexion. METHODS: 24 healthy college age subjects (14 female, 10 male, age 19-30) completed four trials using a randomized crossover design. Trials consisted of assessing the maximal voluntary isotonic contraction (MVC) and pennation angle (PA) before and after each treatment. Treatments consisted of either stretching (S) or mock stretching (MS). The S treatment involved four 30 second periods of stretching with 15 seconds of rest in between. During the MS treatment subjects were maintained in the same relative position as the S treatment, but were not stretched. RESULTS: There were no significant changes observed in PA from pre to post measurements, though during stretch PA was significantly reduced (p≤0.05). MVC was significantly reduced in the S treatments (p≤0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Stretching had little lasting effect on PA, while MVC was significantly reduced. This finding indicates PA is likely not strongly linked to the MVC reductions observed following stretching.

<p> According to the Centers for Disease Control, 33.9% of U.S. adults are overweight and 35.1% are obese. Individuals with the highest rates of overweight and obesity are African Americans (48%) followed by Latinos (43%), who in many cases are also underserved. Regular physical activity and proper nutrition have many health benefits; however, overweight and obese undeserved individuals may not be aware of the available resources, nor have the financial means to partake in quality fitness and nutrition programing. Kinesiology and Nutrition students, on the other hand, have limited opportunities to provide fitness and nutrition programming to underserved communities while developing their well-being, character, and leadership strengths. Because of the dual-natured need, the Beach Community Wellness Program (BCWP) was created. The BCWP is a free fitness and nutrition intervention program taught by CSULB Kinesiology and Nutrition students. The program is offered to underserved citizens in the North Long Beach area. The purpose of this project was to provide a comprehensive synopsis of the BCWP that focuses on: 1) the design and implementation of BCWP; and 2) the program&rsquo;s effects from both the adults and student perspectives.</p>

Introduction: Eighty percent restriction of normal dietary methionine (MR) intake has been shown to increase energy expenditure and attenuate the rate of adiposity gain in rodents, despite a paradoxical increase in energy intake. Energy expenditure in rats was shown to increase, even though physical activity level stays the same. This observation suggests that metabolic mechanisms account for the majority of increased energy expenditure measured in methionine restricted animals. Purpose: To observe and document the onset of physiological effects brought about and to determine the mechanistic role of the skeletal muscle on MR-induced metabolic changes in the C57BL6J mouse. Methods: C57BL6J mice were fed a control (CON) or MR diet for eight weeks in which food consumption, effect on body composition, physical activity, and energy expenditure were documented. Expression of skeletal muscle genes known to change with increased fatty acid oxidation (UCP3 and CPT1b) were measured post-mortem to determine any mechanistic changes of skeletal muscle fuel utilization. Results: MR-fed C57BL6J mice gain less overall body mass than CON animals, which can be measured within the first few weeks of MR intervention. Additionally, differences in energy expenditure can be measured within the first 14 days. Despite alteration in energy expenditure, MR mice maintain similar levels of activity compared to control animals. Expression of UCP3 and CPT1b, genes associated with increased fatty acid uptake and utilization in skeletal muscle do not change, suggesting increased metabolic affects of other tissues. Conclusion: MR-fed mice exhibit a similar phenotype to that previously reported in rats on MR. Shortly after consumption of MR, C57BL6J mice exhibited an increase in energy expenditure. The increase in energy expenditure in these mice was not influenced by a change in physical activity, or genes associated with increased fatty acid utilization in the skeletal muscle tissue.

Coed sport environments can be paradoxical settings where pre-existing gender biases influence participants enjoyment and success. Furthermore, gendered messages and stereotypes as well as low expectations for females within coed sports can create participation barriers by reducing feelings of confidence and performance. Within Campus Recreation, intramural sport administrators have a significant role in determining participation opportunities and experiences. This investigation examined administrators perspectives about coed intramural flag football gender modifications. Specifically, three research questions guided this study: (a) how do intramural administrators view coed flag football gender modifications?; (b) to what extent do intramural administrators perceive gender modifications to impact coed flag football environments?; and (c) what level of awareness do intramural administrators have about the gendered messages of coed flag football gender modifications? Qualitative interviews with variation sampling were used to obtain the perspectives of 12 intramural administrators from across the United States of America. Interpretative phenomenological analysis procedures were used to analyze all interview data. Administrators reported that coed gender modifications impacted perceptions about female ability, often by sending messages of inequity. Administrators also revealed that the modifications created competitive strategy that often diminished the integrity of the game and undermined perceptions of female ability. Findings also indicated that administrators were highly influenced by previously existing gender stereotypes, leading to an endorsement of the modifications. Endorsements were accompanied by questioning of the rules but reluctance to enact changes. These findings elucidate the necessity for administrators to scrutinize the existence and application of coed gender modifications. Furthermore, engaging participant feedback on the specific attributes of the coed modifications is important to better understand the needs of female populations. Lastly, eliminating some or all components of the modifications may help diminish the gendered messages that currently exist within coed flag football.

Background: Following spinal cord injury (SCI) declines in sub-lesional bone mineral density (BMD) occur, and are associated with a high prevalence of fractures. Conventional risk factors for osteoporosis diagnosis in the non-SCI population put all individuals with SCI at a high risk of fracturing, however not all experience fractures. Vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels have been linked to skeletal health in the non-SCI population, and therefore may be a fracture risk factor worth targeting post-SCI. Objectives: To evaluate: 1) the prevalence of suboptimal vitamin D (Serum 25(OH)D <75nmol/L) status and identify the relationships between 25(OH)D and bone quality; and 2) the prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism (Serum intact PTH ≥ 7.0 pmol/L) and identify the relationships between serum PTH and bone quality, in males and females with chronic SCI. Methods: Individuals were assessed via cross-sectional study design. Serum 25(OH)D was measured using a chemiluminescent immunoassay and serum intact PTH was measured using an electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. Bone quality parameters evaluated include: 1) DXA assessed distal femur and proximal tibia aBMD; and 2) pQCT assessed vBMD at the 4% tibia trabecular and 66% tibia cortical sites, and 66% tibia cortical thickness. Correlates of suboptimal vitamin D status were identified through univariate logistic regression analaysis. Pearson correlations were run to assess the relationships between the serum measures and the bone quality outcomes. Significance was p<0.05. Results: Thirty-eight percent of the included 45 adult males and females with chronic SCI had suboptimal serum 25(OH)D levels. Those with vitamin D assessed in the winter months (OR=6.3, p=0.022), not taking calcium supplements (OR=7.1, p=0.038), not taking vitamin D supplements (OR=10.5, p=0.049), and of younger age (OR=0.92, p=0.038) were associated with suboptimal vitamin D levels. A weak, non-significant association was observed between PTH and serum 25(OH)D (r=-0.327, p=0.068) and there was a trend towards an inverse association between PTH and 66% tibia cortical thickness (r=-0.353, p=0.071). Conclusions: Disruption of the vitamin D-PTH axis may contribute to the bone loss seen in the chronic SCI population, particularly in cortical bone. Optimal serum 25(OH)D levels in the chronic SCI population may be higher than in the non-SCI population.

Subcortical and cortical loci interact with the primary motor cortex (M1) and influence the neural circuitry mediating hand movement. Area 5 located within the superior parietal lobule has direct connectivity with M1, is largely dedicated to the representation of the hand, and is considered important for thumb opposition movements. The present study examined the modulation of inhibitory and excitatory neural circuits within bilateral M1 before and after continuous (cTBS), intermittent (iTBS), and sham theta-burst stimulation (TBS) over left-hemisphere area 5. Two experiments were performed to address the influence of area 5 on neural circuitry within M1. Specifically, inhibitory circuitry (short interval intracortical inhibition (SICI)) and excitatory circuitry (motor evoked potentials (MEPs), intracortical facilitation (ICF)), were examined for the representation of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle within bilateral M1. MEPs, SICI, and ICF were measured bilaterally before and at 5-20 minutes, 25-40 minutes, and 45-60 minutes after TBS cessation. The order for right versus left M1 recordings for MEPs, SICI, and ICF recordings were kept constant within subjects across each time block and this order of cortex stimulated (right, left) was randomized across subjects. The results of Experiment 1 and 2 demonstrate that area 5 selectively influences M1 circuitry such that MEPs are increased bilaterally following area 5 cTBS and increased in the right FDI following area 5 iTBS. Area 5 TBS does not modulate ICF or SICI. The novel findings from the Master’s thesis suggest area 5 is a cortical loci that influences M1 excitatory circuitry and possibly motor control of the hand.