No description available.

No description available.

Text messages can encourage people to carry out their plans, but it is unknown if text messages can encourage people to form plans. The primary objective of our study was to determine whether text messages could promote physical activity plan formation. We determined if text messages about planning increased planning more than text messages about physical activity. We examined whether messages tailored to suit the individual message recipient were especially effective in encouraging planning. Furthermore, we determined if planning was maintained over time. The secondary objective of the study was to determine whether text messages about planning could promote physical activity and strengthen the physical activity intention-behaviour relationship. Participants were inactive adults (n=239, Mage=30.7±4.8yrs) with access to email and text messaging. Participants received generic messages about physical activity, generic messages about planning, or tailored messages about planning. Each week for two months, participants were emailed a tool to plan their physical activity. Whether participants used this tool was assessed at baseline (T0), after one month of receiving text messages (T1) and after an additional month without text messages (T2). There were no differences in planning between groups that received messages about planning or physical activity at T1 or T2, ps>.05. More participants who received tailored text messages about planning made at least one plan by T1 than participants who received generic messages about planning, χ2(1)=3.889, p<.05. This difference did not persist at T2, p>.05. For all groups, planning was maintained from T0 to T1, ps>.05, but decreased from T1 to T2, McNemars χ2(1)>17.455, ps<.001. Physical activity increased over the intervention, ps<.05, but there were no differences in physical activity between groups over time, ps>.05. The strength of the intention-behaviour relationship did not differ between participants who planned and those who did not, p>.05. There seems to be little advantage to sending messages about planning relative to messages about physical activity for persuading planning behaviour. Regardless of content of the messages, planning may not be sustained over time. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2013-09-10 19:03:41.566

No description available.

In European, UK and Scottish policy social exclusion has been the main discourse of poverty and disadvantage for at least the last sixteen years. However social exclusion is a contested term and there is limited consensus about its nature and definition. Adult physical activity and adult literacy provision have been identified in policy as having a role in addressing social exclusion and so this study explored understandings of social exclusion in policy and in practitioners’ discourses about their practice in both these types of provision. I undertook an analysis of Scottish policy texts relating to social exclusion, literacy and physical activity. This showed that policy discourse about social exclusion had evolved between 1999 and 2011 from a combative to a more enabling style. It also showed an increasingly overt individualistic economic discourse established as the underpinning rationale for policy intervention. I then undertook a series of semi-structured interviews with nine literacy practitioners and seven physical activity practitioners. Using an approach informed by Critical Discourse Analysis I identified themes in the data. Practitioners’ narratives were analysed in reference to a typology, RED, MUD and SID, (Levitas, 2005) which describes the different ways social exclusion is understood in the UK. These are respectively, a redistributive discourse (RED) which links social exclusion to poverty, a discourse that deploys cultural explanations of social exclusion (MUD) and a discourse which analyses social exclusion in relation to the labour market (SID). The study indicated that social exclusion was understood and interpreted by practitioners in different ways but that a theme of economic individualism framed their discursive practices and echoed policy. The study also revealed discursive links between policy texts and practitioners’ discourses and these were more apparent in literacy practitioners’ discourses than in physical activity practitioners’ discourses. Similarities between both groups of practitioners were most evident in how they identified lack of confidence as a defining characteristic of people who experienced social exclusion and the central role of confidence building in their respective provision. My analysis showed that individual practitioners sometimes articulated simultaneously contradictory discourses about their practice however literacy practitioners’ discourses considered together were more uniform than those of physical activity practitioners. The findings illuminate the complicated and sometimes contradictory landscape of policy and practitioners’ discourses about social exclusion and their practice. They draw attention to the delimitations and constraints on practitioners’ discourses and to the need to support reflexivity in professional practice.

Rising obesity rates have generated serious policy concern and public interest. Along with biological and genetic factors contributing to weight gain, dietary and physical activity behaviours are considered the main determinants of individual body weight. In order to tackle the increasing obesity problem and change individual behaviour, effective policy interventions need to be developed which target specific groups within the population. Economic frameworks that have been designed to model individual choices can be applied to improve the understanding of how individual characteristics and socio-economic factors affect weight-related behaviours and body weight. This thesis uses data from the Scottish Health Survey and the HILDA (Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia) survey to empirically analyse (1) if average BMI and socio-economic characteristics differ across combinations of weight-related behaviours, (2) how diet and physical activity behaviours, as well as their determinants, can be adapted to explain BMI on average, (3) how determinants of BMI impact differently across a conditional BMI distribution, and (4) to what degree a change in BMI over time can be explained by changing influences. While previous economic research did not consider the combined effect of dietary and physical activity behaviours on body weight, this work will investigate the relationship between the weight-related behaviours and individual BMI on average and across the conditional BMI distribution to identify areas for policy interventions. Results indicate that an increase in individual physical activity is an effective measure to target individual weight. Although the energy balance framework suggests a promotion of both weight-related behaviours and traditional weight management measures promote a reduction in caloric intake, the analyses have shown that physical activity is the predominant behaviour regarding the influence on individual BMI (compared to individual diet measured by quality proxies rather than the overall caloric intake).

Master of Science / Department of Kinesiology / Emily Mailey / Background: Many adults spend a majority of their time at work engaging in primarily sedentary behaviors. Creating a health-promotion program can increase awareness of the importance of physical activity as well as provide benefits to the employee and employers. The main purpose of this study was to compare physical activity, motivation and support levels between participants and non-participants of a workplace movement challenge. Additionally, we examined factors associated with average steps and reasons for participating and not participating in the challenge.   Methods: Information about the four-week movement challenge was sent by email to all employees. Steps were monitored by personal activity trackers (e.g. pedometer, Fitbit, etc.) and self-reported at the end of each week. Steps were averaged within departments and a departmental leader board was posted weekly to encourage competition across campus. All individuals who participated in the program were invited to complete a brief follow-up survey one month later. Non-participants of the program were invited to complete a similar survey at the same time. To analyze the data we used t-tests and correlation tests. Results:  Of the 6,798 employees who received an email about the Movement Challenge, 650 (9.6%) submitted at least one survey and 376 completed all four surveys. Results of the follow-up survey showed employees with a departmental team leader accumulated significantly more steps than employees without a team leader (p= 0.03). Additionally, average steps were significantly associated with both social support (r=.21; p<.01) and motivation subscales including identified regulation and intrinsic regulation. Those who enrolled in the program reported they liked the tracking/accountability and departmental competition best. Participants of the program reported greater total physical activity (p< .001), total social support (p< .001), introjected regulation (p< .001), identified regulation (p< .002) and intrinsic regulation (p< .01) levels compared to those who did not enroll in the program. Conclusion: Worksite wellness campaigns can increase physical activity among employees, but additional strategies are needed to increase participation. The results of this study suggest future programs should increase competition and increase contribution from team leaders. They should also include team support across departments to build support within the program.

The placenta is responsible for mediating fetal growth and development, thereby influencing health across the lifespan. Physical activity (PA) confers benefits to mother and baby during pregnancy, but little is known about its impact on the placenta. There were two purposes of this study: i) to determine if maternal PA during pregnancy influences placenta mitochondrial protein content and function, and ii) to determine if there were differences in placenta mitochondrial protein content and function in different regions of the placenta, namely proximal or distal to the centre of the placenta. Healthy women between 12-28 weeks gestation were recruited, and free-living PA was objectively assessed at multiple time points during pregnancy using an accelerometer. Participants were grouped by minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) per day. Placenta tissue samples were collected from central and distal placental regions immediately post-birth and were used for two separate analyses. Half of the samples were flash frozen in liquid nitrogen and used for western blot analysis of mitochondrial complex I-V proteins. Fresh mitochondria were isolated from the other half of the samples, and high-resolution respirometry was used to measure placental mitochondrial respiration. There were significant positive correlations between maternal PA and mitochondrial protein content in peripheral tissue samples, but protein content was significantly higher in central tissue compared to peripheral tissue samples. In addition, state 3 respiration was higher in central tissue samples of placentas from participants with high MVPA compared to participants with low MVPA. Finally, complex I protein was higher in central tissue samples of placentas from female offspring compared to placentas of male offspring. However, many of these results are underpowered and further study is warranted. This study provides new avenues to explore the relationship between PA and placenta mitochondria in healthy populations.

Class of 2007 Abstract / Objectives: The purpose of the study was to determine the factors associated with regular physical activity of students in the college of pharmacy. Methods: Pharmacy students currently enrolled and attending classes at the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy were asked to fill out a questionnaire about physical activity/exercise, nutrition, and demographics. The questionnaires were passes out 10 minutes at the end/beginning of classes. Results: Students in the high exercise/physical activity group participated in exercise/physical activity for significantly greater lengths of time in one session than those in the low group (p < 0.001). Students in the high exercise/physical activity group were more likely than the low group to exercise in the morning before school or after school or work (p = 0.00469 and 0.0375 respectively). Students in the high exercise/physical activity group answered that pharmacists and other health care professionals can influence patients to a greater extent than those in the low group ( p = 0.0482). Conclusions: Students that participate in exercise/physical activity 3-4 times per week or more were more likely to do so for longer periods of time in one session and fit it into their schedule before school/work or in the afternoon/evening after school/work. It appears that these students were more likely to have a specific time for exercise and do not rely on incidental physical activity to get their exercise. Students that are regular exercisers may feel that pharmacists and other health care professionals can influence patients to a greater extent regarding exercise than those students who do not regularly exercise.

Background: Smoking contributes to health inequalities and there is a need to focus interventions on the disadvantaged. Abrupt quitting is widely advocated, but assisted ‘reduction’ may be an option for those not ready to quit. Physical activity acutely reduces cigarette cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and may increase long-term cessation and reduce weight gain. This thesis reports on the multi-method evaluation of an intervention delivered by Health Trainers (HTs) and a pilot randomised controlled trial of the Exercise Assisted Reduction then Stop (EARS) intervention for disadvantaged smokers who are not ready to quit, but do wish to reduce, without nicotine replacement therapy. This programme of research aimed to evaluate four aspects of the EARS trial: 1) Recruitment, 2) Study attrition, 3) Main quantitative outcomes, and 4) Intervention fidelity. Methods: 1) Recruitment: Smokers were recruited through mailed invitations from three primary care practices (62 participants) and one National Health Stop Smoking Service (SSS) database (31 participants). Six other participants were recruited via a variety of other community-based approaches. Data were collected through questionnaires, field notes, work sampling, and databases. Chi-squared and t-tests were used to compare baseline characteristics of participants. 2) Study Attrition: Disadvantaged smokers who wanted to reduce but not quit were randomised (N=99), of whom 61 (62%) completed follow-up assessments at 16 weeks. Univariable logistic regression was conducted to determine the effects of intervention arm, method of recruitment, and participant characteristics (socio-demographic factors, and lifestyle, behavioural and attitudinal characteristics) on attrition, followed by multivariable logistic regression on those factors found to be related to attrition. 3) Main quantitative outcomes: Data at 16 weeks were collected for various smoking and physical activity outcomes. Primary analyses consisted of an intention to treat analysis based on complete case data. Secondary analyses explored the impact of handling missing data, examining different methods including last baseline observation carried forward, last observation carried forward, and multiple imputation. 4) Intervention fidelity: Three researchers scored a total of 90 audio recorded consultations for 30 different participants split between three HTs delivering the intervention. Delivery was scored using a 0-6 likert scale for 12 different processes identified as being fundamental to the intervention. Results: 1) Recruitment: Depending on the intensity and time invested in following up those who did not initially respond to a letter, we randomised between 5.1–11.1% of those invited through primary care and SSS, with associated researcher time to recruit one participant varying from 18 –157 minutes. Recruitment rates were similar for invitations sent from primary care and SSS. Despite substantial time and effort, only six participants of our total of 99 were recruited through a wide variety of other community-based approaches, with an associated researcher time of 469 minutes to recruit one participant. Targets for recruiting a disadvantaged population were met, with 91% of the sample in social classes C2–E, and 41% reporting moderate to severe depression or anxiety. However, we under-recruited single parent smokers. Chi squared tests revealed that those recruited from the SSS database were more likely to respond to an initial letter, had used cessation aids before and had attempted to quit in the past year. Overall, initial responders were more likely to be physically active than those who were recruited via follow-up telephone calls. No other demographic or behaviour characteristics were associated with recruitment approach or intensity of effort. Qualitative feedback indicated that participants had been attracted by the prospect of being assigned to an intervention that focused on smoking reduction rather than abrupt quitting. 2) Attrition: Participants with low confidence to quit, and who were undertaking less than 150 minutes of moderate and vigorous physical activity per week at baseline were less likely to complete the 16-week follow-up assessment. Exploratory analysis revealed that those who were lost to follow-up early in the trial (i.e., by 4 weeks), compared with those completing the study, were younger, had smoked for fewer years and had lower confidence to quit in the next 6 months. Participants who recorded a higher expired air carbon monoxide reading at baseline were more likely to drop out late in the study, as were those recruited via follow-up telephone calls. Multivariable analyses showed that only completing less than 150 minutes of physical activity retained any confidence in predicting attrition in the presence of other variables. 3) Main quantitative outcomes: Compared with controls, intervention smokers made more quit attempts (36 v 10%; Odds Ratio 5.05, (95% CI: 1.10; 23.15)), and a greater proportion achieved ≥ 50% reduction in cigarettes smoked (63 v 32%; 4.21 (1.32; 13.39). Post-quit abstinence measured by exhaled carbon monoxide at 4 week follow-up showed promising differences between groups (23% v 6%; 4.91 (0.80; 30.24). No benefit of intervention on physical activity was found. Secondary analyses suggested that the standard missing data assumption of ‘missing’ being equivalent to ‘smoking’ may be conservative resulting in a reduced intervention effect. 4) Fidelity: All three HTs demonstrated high levels of skill in delivering a client-centred motivational interviewing based intervention. Processes relating to physical activity were not delivered as well as those relating to smoking behaviour. Processes related to social support were poorly delivered. There was little variation between individual HT scores and the scores of the researchers completing the scoring. Conclusions: 1) Recruitment: Mailed invitations, and follow-up, from health professionals was an effective method of recruiting disadvantaged smokers into a trial of an exercise intervention to aid smoking reduction. Recruitment via community outreach approaches was largely ineffective. 2) Study attrition: The findings indicate that those who take more effort to be recruited, are younger, are heavier smokers, have less confidence to quit, and are less physically active require more effort to be retained once recruited . 3) Main quantitative outcomes: A smoking reduction intervention for economically disadvantaged smokers which involved personal support to increase physical activity appears to be more effective than usual care in achieving reduction and may promote cessation. The effect does not appear to be influenced by an increase in physical activity. 4) Intervention fidelity was deemed to be successful overall. Key areas for improvement have been identified, including recommendations for future training as well as methodological implementation.