Title: Habitual physical activity of Portuguese university students in the period of summer holidays Aim of the study: The aim of study is to evaluate habitual physical activity of Portuguese university students and to find out if they are meeting physical activity recommendations and could be seen as a sample of active population. Methods: Sample of the study was made of Portuguese university students, exactly students of physical education and sport sciences faculty. Sample size was 125 respondents, 81males and 44females. The sample refers to young adult age group from 18 years old, both genders. Instrument used was International physical activity questionnaire (IPAQ), long version. Data were collected electronically by Google Docs and then analyzed in Microsoft Excel 2007 and IBM SPSS Statistics 20. Results: Physical activity and sport scientist's students can be seen as a sample of active population. 122 (97.6%) respondents are meeting physical activity recommendations from which 87 (69.6%) are over-meeting these recommendations. PAL of the sample was high in 69,6%, moderate in 28% and low in 6,8% of the cases. No statistical significance was found between total physical activity score and academic year. The habitual physical activity of the sample is not influenced by their study curriculum....

Regular moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with significant physiological and psychological health benefits (Department of Health, DoH, 2004). However, many children are not undertaking recommended levels of physical activity (PA) (DoH, 2009). This research examined relationships between physiological health parameters, psychological determinants and PA levels in 10-14 year old schoolchildren (N = 249) and assessed the influence of three school-based PA interventions on these constructs in the context of the Health And Physical activity Promotion in Youth (HAPPY) study. Study 1 revealed that sedentary behaviours, moderate PA (MPA), vigorous PA (VPA) and MVPA levels were higher on weekdays than weekend days (p < .001). However, schoolchildren’s PA is often difficult to measure accurately. The self-report measure utilised in study 2 underestimated total MVPA versus accelerometry for both sexes on weekdays and girls on weekend days (p < .01). However, study 3 highlighted a lack of agreement between two RT3® triaxial accelerometer cut-offs for all activity categories. The importance of VPA for promoting health was highlighted in the updated PA guidelines (DoH, 2011). Study 4 reported that cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was positively associated with VPA but not MPA (β = .27, p < .01) and inversely correlated with measures of body composition (% body fat; body mass index; waist circumference) (r = -.74, r = -.60, r = -.39, p < .001). Knowing the health benefits of regular MVPA and VPA, it is important to understand the determinants of PA intentions and behaviours to more effectively promote PA in less active children (studies 5 and 6). An exploratory analysis of the constructs in the Revised Theory of Planned Behaviour and the Modified Social Learning Theory for children predicted PA intentions (R2 = .38, F(5, 171) = 20.19, p < .001; R2 = .13, F(6, 147) = 3.4, p < .01, respectively) but the constructs in either model were unable to predict PA. Recognising the need to promote PA levels, study 7 investigated the effectiveness of three school-based interventions (vs. control) on outcome variables included in studies 1, and 4-6. The Health Education and Psychology Health Promotion conditions produced significant positive change scores between data collection 2 and 3 for CRF (vs. control) whereas the Youth-Led condition produced significant change scores between baseline and data collection 2 for generalised self-efficacy (vs. control). No significant change scores were reported for PA, the RTPB constructs or intentions. In conclusion, this research has emphasised the importance of employing a multidisciplinary approach to aid understanding of schoolchildren’s PA levels. Specific highlights include low weekend day PA as a possible future PA promotion target, although it is vital that accelerometry cut-points are standardised, and the relevance of VPA and body composition in predicting CRF. The psychological models identified some important determinants of PA intentions, but a prominent intention-behaviour gap and a need for more intensive interventions to promote PA levels was apparent.

INTRODUCTION: Direct observation (DO) systems have been used for decades to assess free-living PA in children. These traditional DO systems identify the highest intensity observed during alternating observe-and-record periods. Using video-taped DO would allow researchers to code activities and contextual information each time the participant changes their behavior. PURPOSE: To develop and test a novel video-based DO system for children’s free-play activity. METHODS: Following iterative DO system development (The Observer XT, Noldus), 28 children (age=8.4 ± 1.5 years) participated in a 30-minute simulated free-play session that was recorded with a GoPro camera. Participants wore a portable indirect calorimetry (IC) device and an accelerometer on the hip (AG-H) and non-dominant wrist (AG-W). The DO system includes Whole Body Movement (body position, main movement pattern) that was further described with four modifiers: 1) Locomotion, 2) Limb Movement, 3) Activity Type, and 4) MET value. To assess intrarater reliability, an expert coder coded six randomly selected videos from the main sample and recoded the same videos one week later. Six novice coders were trained and coded three videos from the subsample to assess interrater reliability. To assess construct validity, total energy expenditure and time spent in activity intensity categories from DO were compared with IC and accelerometer estimates. RESULTS: Percent agreement for intrarater reliability was above 80% except for Locomotion (47%; video 3) and Limb Movement, MET value and Locomotion (19%, 78%, 26%), respectively, video 4). Across all variables, percent agreement for interrater reliability ranged widely from 12%-96%, 0-100%, and 36%-97% for videos 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Mean estimated time spent in PA intensity categories from AG-H overestimated sedentary (SED) and underestimated light, moderate, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (LPA, MPA, and MVPA; p < 0.001-0.008). AG-W and IC underestimated SED (p=0.03, p=0.03) and LPA (p< 0.001, pONCLUSION: The current DO system is feasible for observing detailed changes in children’s free-play activity. However, refinement to the system must be made to improve reliability before it is adopted as a criterion measure for free-play activity in children.

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The purposes of this study were to test the effect of four-week PACE&copy / program in increasing participants&rsquo / physical activity level and stages of change and examine the relationship between physical activity level and stages of change. A controlled trial, experimental design was applied. Physical activity level and stages of change were recorded at baseline and at study conclusion. For the data collection What is Your PACE Score Questionnaire, FADA Questionnaire and Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR&ndash / Q) were used. Descriptive statistics, one way repeated measures of ANOVA and simple linear correlation were used to analyze data. Participants were 182 women Middle East Technical University personnel from different units. Study participants were randomized into intervention and control groups. 87 women received the PACE&copy / program were compared 95 women in the control group who did not receive PACE&copy / program. The intervention group received PACE&copy / program with respect to their stages and a booster phone call or e-mail two weeks later after counseling. After 4 weeks, all participants were reassessed for stages of change and physical activity level. There was a significant difference in measurement of physical activity level and stages of change between intervention and control group before and after intervention. The intervention group&rsquo / physical activity level (p &lt / .05) and stages of change (p &lt / .10) increased but the control group decreased. Besides, changes in physical activity level were moderately and positively correlated with stages of change.

A significant problem of the 21st century, across different countries, is currently insufficient physical activity and a large increase in obesity . Influence of physical impairment on the prevalence of obesity is proven. At this time the physical activity is not sufficient for biological needs of man and as a result of this is a threat to the human species. With the alarming rise of health problems, which results from improper lifestyle , against all the progress in medical science, these conditions are a reality of modern civilization. Physical activity with its health benefits is one of the key topics of health education. In this thesis, the state of physical activity among female students of The Faculty of Education, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, both day and part-time bachelor's and master's degree program is monitored by using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The theoretical part deals with concepts such as physical activity and a summary of the activities practiced out in a unit of time and definition and classification of them. Another two chapters are devoted to the health benefits of physical activity and another aspects of physical activity in relation to health. The practical part of this thesis analyzes in detail the results of the standardized questionnaire IPAQ, which monitors the activity of the individual within seven days. Female Students responded to 27 questions , which were divided into four part evaluation exercise. A separate part of the evaluation was the time spent sitting and personal anamnesis of the respondent. The evaluation was processed using simple statistical method and recorded in a bar graph.

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Published Article / Adolescent and young adult university students' decreasing physical activity levels impact considerably on their psychological stress levels. Acute and long-term bouts of exercise can reduce psychological stress (Taylor, 2000). In this study, the Leisure-time Exercise Questionnaire and the Positive Affect Negative Affect Scale were used to determine students' physical activity levels and emotional states before their first and second test weeks, in order to ascertain the effect of therapeutic recreational activities on their appraisals of their feelings and emotions during academically demanding times. The recreational therapy was presented between these test weeks. Results indicated that both the physical activity levels and the emotional state of the experimental group improved. Future studies could include determining which recreation activity has the greatest therapeutic effect while better controlling participants in both groups. In view of its potential value for relieving stress, therapeutic recreation could be used as a technique in relieving stress prior to tests and examinations.

This research programme had three principal objectives. First, to assess the stability of the exercise heart rate-music tempo preference relationship and its relevance to a range of psychological outcomes. Second, to explore the influence of two personal factors (motivational orientation and dominant attentional style) in a naturalistic exercise-to-music setting. Third, to examine means by which to enhance the exercise experience above and below the ventilatory threshold. In Study 1, a mixed-methods approach was employed to capture responses to differing music tempo conditions across a range of exercise intensities. Results in Study 1 did not support a cubic relationship (Karageorghis et al., 2011) but rather a quadratic one, and there was a weak association between the optimal choice of music tempo and positive psychological outcomes. Music conditions reduced the number of associative thoughts by ~10% across all exercise intensities. Study 2 employed questionnaires with a large sample of female participants (n = 417) attending exercise-to-music classes. Results indicate that motivational orientation and attentional style (Association vs. Dissociation) influence responses to an exercise-to-music class. Study 3 examined the effects of external stimuli (music and video) on psychological variables at moderate and high exercise intensities. Findings served to demonstrate that manipulations of attentional focus can have a salient influence on affect and enjoyment even during high-intensity exercise. The contributions of the research programme include providing empirical evidence that attention can be manipulated during high-intensity exercise using theoretically-guided music selections, and music in combination with video footage, which enhance the exercise experience. Further, the research programme advances understanding of how motivational orientation and attentional style influence responses to music during exercise.