Title: Possibilities of influencing overweight and fitness in volleyball players. Objective: To determine whether women playing volleyball competitively, overweight and lack of physical prowess, will be fundamental changes in body weight and physical fitness ment based on the intervention program, which consisted of dietary modifications and exercise aimed at increasing physical fitness. Method: For the study were selected twelve women who competed pays the third highest league in volleyball. These women suffer from mild overweight and poor fitness levels. The women are aged between 19-29 years. The probands were selected on the basis of observation and subjective evaluation. This study should demonstrate that the probands if they focus more on activities promoting physical fitness and acquire new habits in the diet, there is a positive change in the body and there will be a success and satisfaction on the playing field and in personal life. Selected individuals were asked questions about their health, leisure activities and tracks the weekly menu. Based on the answers to the questionnaire, baseline and motor tests were drawn up individual plans of intervention program to influence fitness and weight for 125 days. After the time allotted to an evaluation of the impact of the intervention program in...

Author's first name and surname: Bc. Eliška Svobodová Title of the master thesis: The Validation of czech version of 3DPAR questionnaire for adolescents Department: Department of Physiotherapy and Sports Medicine Supervisor: As. MUDr. Michal Procházka The year of presentation: 2013 Abstract: The aim of the study was to test the questionnaire of physical activity "3 Day Physical Activity Recall" and determine its reliability and validity. The research was accomplished by using pedometers Yamax SW 200 on a group of children from 15 to 17 years. The theoretical part of this thesis reviews the possibilities of monitoring the physical activity of youth by subjective and objective methods with some examples of studies already carried out. The results were statistically processed and described. Keywords: physical activity, 3DPAR questionnaire, pedometer I agree the thesis paper to be lent within the library service.

Title: Designing eating plans for women and men suffering from overweight. Objectives: Show an importance of lifestyle changes, a modification of diet habits and an inclusion of physical activities in overweight or obesity therapy. Find which aspects made positive influence to the state. Methods: The study selected five women and five men suffering from overweight. None of them did not operate or operate professionally or competitively any sports. Selected men and women would like to change your lifestyle and this study they had to be developed. I put probands and their questions about their past activities, health and relationship with food. In addition, I measured using bioelectrical impedance and tailoring meter. The last parameter that interested me was the weight, which I measured using scales. Based on all the identified model parameters was compiled weekly individual eating plan and recommended physical activity. The study lasted six months, during which I attended probands and continuously measured them. After 180 days was made final assessment of the impact of changes in eating habits to influence overweight and obesity. Results: The study demonstrate that physical activities, diet changes and lifestyle changes have a big influence on overweight or obesity fight. Keywords: obesity,...

In this thesis I will deal with people suffering from diabetes mellitus. I will focus on people who are engaged in or have experience with any physical activity, whether recreationally or competitively performed. The primary objective is to determine the habits and practices before, during and after physical activity. Furthermore, the knowledge people affected by the disease itself. So I am going to record how these people with this disease are able to cope by themselves, and how they can regulate their illness. For example, how long they are engaged in physical activity, how often and when they control thyer blood sugar and the like. To obtain information, use the method of surveys. Subsequently, each question will evaluate every particular. People for the poll I will search primarily on Internet forums for diabetics, sports clubs and diabetic clinics. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, physical activity, insulin, selfmonitoring Name: Habits of people with diabetes mellitus Objective: Map the habits of diabetics, their progress in physical activity and knowledge about the disease.

Master of Public Health / Department of Kinesiology / Katie M. Heinrich / Background and Purpose: Trails can help increase community physical activity levels but little is known about the role that collaborations play in building a trail. Social network analysis may be a useful tool to examine collaborations among various stakeholders, such as municipal public works, parks and recreation, community organizations, hospitals, local businesses, universities, and schools. The purpose of this project is threefold: a) to identify the number and type of organizations involved in trail building, b) to examine the centrality and density of social networks in the trail building process and c) to determine whether collaborations differ between the three phases of trail building (generation, grant funding and construction). Methods: Thirty-four successful trail project builders funded by the Sunflower Foundation of Kansas participated in an online survey designed to explore collaborations throughout the trail building process. Social network analysis adapted from procedures developed by Wickizer and colleagues (1993) was used to identify key organizations in building trails, to estimate the overall density and centrality of connections between the organizations, and to determine differences in collaborations by project phase. Results: Fifteen different groups (e.g. non-profit community organizations, city parks and recreation department, city public works, schools) were identified as part of the trail building process. Non-profit community organizations were most central to trail building during all three phases (generation (.36) grant writing (.38), and construction (.41)). All three phases of trail building were only weakly connected as indicated by density of social network scores measured during the generation (5.7%), grant writing (6.2%) and construction phases (7.5%). Centrality of social networks was high for all three phases of the trail building process, the generation phase (0.32) the grant writing phase (0.27) and the construction phase (0.36). Conclusions: This exploratory analysis suggests Social Network Analysis may be a useful tool to study organizations that collaborate to build trails for physical activity. During the distinct phases of trail-building, the role of collaborations changed. Some organizations were more important in the planning phase, grant writing or construction, while others (e.g. non-profit community organizations) were important throughout the entire process. Additionally, the density of social network increased as the trail projects progressed. The relationships between organizations were often weak but provided a flow of necessary information and skills to successfully build a trail. Future research should attempt to understand these time-dependent collaborations and encourage them in future trail and other built environment projects that support physical activity.

Master of Public Health / Department of Kinesiology / Mary McElroy / Background and Purpose: Registered nurses (RN’s) are well positioned to provide physical activity counseling (PA counseling) to their hospital patients. RNs educate during ‘teachable moments” as hospital patients often find themselves in a state of readiness to make lifestyle changes such as increases in regular physical activity. Although the health benefits of physical activity are well documented, PA counseling has not been well studied among the nursing population or in the hospital environment. The main purpose of this study was to identify the percentage of RNs who provide PA counseling to their patients and to explore the factors which contribute to their decisions to provide PA counseling. Methods: A web-based survey was used to gather information from 323 hospital-based RNs employed at five hospitals in four states. The survey gathered information including current physical activity levels, thirteen perceived barriers to physical activity based on the Exercise Benefits and Barriers Scale, and information regarding whether RNs provide PA counseling to their hospital-based patients. Results: RNs reported an average of 3.3 barriers to being physically active. One hundred and eighty- seven RNs provided PA counseling to their patients (57.8%) and 133 did not provide PA counseling (41.1%). The presence of barriers to being physically active was related to PA counseling for nine of the thirteen barriers. The following hypotheses were supported: 1) RNs who report lower levels of perceived barriers to being physical active were more likely to provide PA counseling than those who report higher levels of perceived vigorous physical activity were more likely to provide PA counseling than those who reported lower levels of light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. Conclusion: The findings from this study revealed RNs who are physically active and report fewer barriers to physical activity were more likely to provide PA counseling to their hospital-based patients. Future research needs to address types and quality of PA counseling as well as utilize theory driven intervention designs.

Master of Science / Department of Journalism and Mass Communications / Louise Benjamin / This study examined how health apps influence college students’ health behavior, because about 50 percent of college students do not comply with physical activity recommendations. Because mobile applications (apps) are popular among college students, they hold promise for promoting behavior change in physical activity. This research was conducted through an online questionnaire distributed to a randomized sample of 18-35 year-old Mid-Western university students. Questionnaire data were analyzed from 237 surveys using Pearson’s Product Moment correlation (r) and Pearson’s chi-square test (χ2). This study showed that college students generally perceived health apps to be useful with slightly over half of the participants using health apps (52.3 percent). Bivariate analysis indicated positive attitudes towards health apps and positive attitudes towards physical activity (p < .001). The amount of experience using health apps yielded a positive relationship with attitudes towards physical activity (p = .008). In addition, having strong beliefs towards physical activity indicated a positive correlation with engaging in physical activity (p < .001). This study provides valuable information regarding attitudes towards health apps and the intention to use health apps for physical activity. While health apps do not trigger an intention to do physical activity, having “belief strength” and positive attitudes towards physical activity increases the likelihood for engaging in physical activity. Health communication intervention strategies and health practitioners can use this information to educate individuals about the advantages for their health that can be associated with using health apps.

Human (h) growth hormone (GH) levels decline rapidly in response to excess caloric intake before there is any evidence of obesity. In this thesis, the mechanism underlying this response was examined by manipulating levels of caloric intake and physical activity at the levels of gene expression and chromosomal structure. Transgenic mice containing the intact hGH locus were used as a model system. Briefly, the findings are: (I) High caloric intake (high fat diet) for three days resulted in hyperinsulinemia and a decrease in both hGH synthesis and secretion. (II) Incorporation of physical activity (swim) muted the effects of excess caloric intake on insulin levels as well as hGH production. (III) Human GH RNA accumulation was shown for the first time to be negatively regulated by insulin in pituitary cultures, and (IV) an enhancer box (E-box) DNA element was implicated in this response. (V) Induction of the E-box associated transcription factor HIF-1α with insulin significantly decreased hGH RNA levels, and was accompanied by recruitment of HIF-1α to the hGH gene (hGH) promoter in situ. (VI) Both a reduction in HIF-1α synthesis and HIF-1 DNA binding blunted the negative effect of insulin on hGH RNA levels. (VII) The hGH response to insulin was associated with a decrease in histone H3/H4 hyperacetylation in the proximal hGH promoter region. The same pattern of chromatin remodelling was observed in pituitary cells in vivo in response to excess caloric intake. (IX) Increased recruitment of nuclear receptor co-repressor and decreased association of RNA polymerase II were also observed. Collectively, these effects are consistent with reduced hGH promoter function. (X) This reduction by excess caloric intake was also consistent with changes in the three dimensional-structure of the hGH locus including detected loss of physical interaction between hGH enhancer and promoter regions. (XI) By contrast, physical activity combined with the high caloric intake preserved the chromosomal structure of the hGH locus. These observations are discussed in relation to a physiological requirement for rapid control of hGH levels in response to energy homeostasis, as well as the molecular basis governing this process. / May 2015

Background: Despite the known benefits of physical activities in the management of many chronic diseases associated with aging, a majority of elderly patients within primary health care have difficulties reach the daily recommendation of physical activity and risking being inactive after physiotherapy. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors influencing their motivation in order to provide support for them to stay physically active after physiotherapy. Aim: To describe the perceived latent motivating factors to stay physically active after physiotherapy among elderly people. Method: The Data was collected by open-ended interviews conducted with ten Swedish patients aged 69-88 years and then analyzed using content analysis and interpreted within   a social cognitive theory framework context.[LN1]  Results: The results contributed to one theme “Ability to cope with one-self, others and the environment“ combined with three categories. The categories were subjective factors, physical activity-related factors, and environmental factors. The result supports the participants’ characteristics that were partially similar to those in older age population. However, the current study contributed with new knowledge within each category. The outcome of these factors has shown that all participants enjoy high self-efficacy despite the variation in their health conditions. Inner feelings such self-blaming, discouragement and fear of being left out and alone expressed as matter of high relevance to older adults’ motivation, but not often considered within physiotherapy. The results also showed that having others as role models was not as important as having professional support.  Additionally, relevant information, type of sport facilities and physical activities as well as having fixed routines for physical activities influenced their motivation. Conclusion: The ability to cope with one-self, others and the environment was the main motivating factor to stay physically active after physiotherapy. This coping ability was influenced by subjective factors, physical activity-related factors and environmental factors. Health care professionals should be aware of these motivating factors and use them as a guide to support elderly patients’ motivation to stay physically active.  [LN1]..within eller from a social cognitive theory framework???

A associação da atividade física a condições de saúde e qualidade de vida, tem sido um alerta para mudanças dos hábitos de vida da população. Nas últimas décadas foram intensificadas políticas e programas para estimular um comportamento fisicamente mais ativo. Para descrever mudanças no padrão de atividade física da população adulta do município de São Paulo, este estudo transversal de base populacional foi composto por dados provenientes de Inquérito domiciliar realizado no município de São Paulo nos anos de 2003 e 2008. Foram analisadas as prevalências de indivíduos fisicamente ativos segundo os domínios da atividade física na população adulta de 20 a 59 anos, bem como sua relação com fatores socioeconômicos e demográficos. Foi observado aumento da prevalência de indivíduos fisicamente ativos no período estudado, segundo sexo, situação conjugal, faixa etária, escolaridade e renda, bem como segundo os domínios de atividade física. Houve ainda modificações entre os grupos das variáveis independentes, de acordo com o ano do inquérito. / The association of physical activity to health and quality of life, has been an alert to changes in lifestyle of the people. In recent decades policies and programs to encourage a physically active behavior were intensified. To describe changes in physical activity patterns of the adult population in São Paulo, this cross-sectional population-based study comprised data from a household survey conducted in the city of São Paulo in 2003 and 2008. Prevalence of subjects were analyzed physically active according to the domains of physical activity in adults aged 20 to 59 years, as well as its relationship with socioeconomic and demographic factors. Increased prevalence of physically active individuals during the study period was observed according to sex, marital status, age, education and income, as well as according to domains of physical activity. There were also changes between groups of independent variables, according to the survey year.