Validation of Using Fitness Center Attendance Electronic Records to Assess the Frequency of Moderate/Vigorous Leisure-Time Physical Activity Among Adults

The purpose of this study was to provide three construct validity evidence for using fitness center attendance electronic records to objectively assess the frequency of leisure-time physical activity among adults. One hundred members of a fitness center (45 women and 55 men; aged 18 to 64 years) completed a self-report leisure-time physical activity questionnaire. The theory of planned behavior constructs (e.g., intention and perceived behavioral control), VO₂max, and % BF were assessed. Fitness center attendance electronic records were expressed as the weekly mean number of mandatory check-in records retrieved from the fitness center's electronic database over a 12-week period prior to participant's physical fitness evaluation. A continuous (frequency) and categorical (“adherent” versus “non-adherent”) scores were computed. Results indicated that perceived behavioral control was associated with fitness center attendance electronic records and mediated the fitness center attendance electronic records–intention relationship. Fitness center attendance electronic records were associated with VO₂max and self-report leisure-time physical activity. Therefore, results provide three evidence of construct validity of using fitness center attendance electronic records scores to assess leisure-time physical activity behavior.     

Notes: Russian Studies of Vision in Relation to Physical Activity and Sports

Abstract

The central purpose of this study was to determine the origin of sports extant in English-speaking countries. The method of research utilized was principally historical-bibliographical and was concerned with the collection, criticism, and synthesis of source material in an effort to establish past actuality. Specific documentary evidence concerning the date, place, and significant circumstances associated with the origins of 95 sports was synthesized. In most instances, establishing the date and place of origin was possible. Often, however, determining the personnel and circumstances connected with the origins was not possible. Charts show the dates of the origins chronologically, the origins attributed to various countries, and the activities from which the 95 sports evolved.     

Barriers to Physical Activity in Disadvantaged Population: A Qualitative Comparison between Roma and Non-Roma Women

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Despite the well-known health benefits of physical activity (PA), disadvantaged populations usually have lower PA levels than the rest of the population. Some intra- and interpersonal factors such as different types of barriers to PA may influence PA levels, particularly among disadvantaged adult women. The first aim of this qualitative study was to identify the barriers to PA perceived by disadvantaged adult women. The second aim was to analyse the differences in perceived barriers to PA between adult Roma and non-Roma women. Methods: Eleven disadvantaged adult women participated in the current study (M = 37.72; SD = 8.34), seven of whom belonged to the Roma population. Data were obtained from discussion groups as well as from one-to-one interviews, and these were analysed by NVivo Pro 11. Results: Three categories of perceived barriers to PA were identified: personal (i.e., economy, labour, physical limitations, illness, and psychological characteristics) social (i.e., culture, lack of social support, and family), and environmental. Family was identified as the main common and most frequent barrier to PA in disadvantaged adult women. Differences in perceived barriers to PA between adult Roma and non-Roma women were found. While Roma women perceived culture, physical limitations, and lack of social support barriers to PA, non-Roma women mainly perceived labour-related barriers to PA. Conclusions: Multilevel interventions addressing specific barriers to PA for disadvantaged adult women are required to overcome barriers to PA and, consequently, increase PA levels. Particular attention should be paid to specific barriers to PA among adult Roma and non-Roma women, respectively.     

Construct Validity Evidence for Single-Response Items to Estimate Physical Activity Levels in Large Sample Studies

Valid measurement of physical activity is important for studying the risks for morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to examine evidence of construct validity of two similar single-response items assessing physical activity via self-report. Both items are based on the stages of change model. The sample was 687 participants (men = 504, women = 183) who completed an 8-response (PA8) or 5-response (PA5) single-response item about current level of physical activity. Responses were categorized as meeting or not meeting guidelines for sufficient physical activity to achieve a health benefit. Maximal cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and health markers were obtained during a clinical examination. Partial correlation, multivariate analysis of covariance, and logistic regression were used to identify the relations between self-reported physical activity, CRF, and health markers when controlling for gender and age. Single-response items were compared to a detailed measure of physical activity. Single-response items correlated significantly with CRF determined with a maximal exercise test on a treadmill (PA8 = .53; PA5 = .57). Differences in percentage of body fat and cholesterol were in the desired direction, with those self-reporting sufficient physical activity for a health benefit having the lower values. The single-response items demonstrated evidence of construct validity and may provide feasible, cost-effective, and efficient methods to assess physical activity in large-scale studies.     

Using Social Cognitive Theory to Predict Physical Activity and Fitness in Underserved Middle School Children

Abstract

Few researchers have used social cognitive theory and environment-based constructs to predict physical activity (PA) and fitness in underserved middle-school children. Hence, we evaluated social cognitive variables and perceptions of the school environment to predict PA and fitness in middle school children (N = 506, ages 10-14 years). Using multiple regression analyses we accounted for 12% of the variance in PA and 13-21% of the variance in fitness. The best predictors of PA were barrier self-efficacy, classmate social support, and gender; whereas, only gender predicted fitness. The results affirmed the importance of barrier self-efficacy and gender differences. Our findings regarding classmate social support are some of the first to illuminate the importance of school-specific peers in promoting PA.     

在体育教学中采用多媒体课件的利与弊

文章分析了多媒体计算机与体育教学有机的融合,并讨论了基于多媒体教学的电教法在体育教学中的作用和弊端,提出了体育教师提高自身素质,搞好体育教学的措施。     

从体育统计处理系统的角度重新认识统计总体

统计总体是研究目的的具体化和定量化，是数据分析的起点和归宿。根据体育科学定量研究的目的，将统计总体概括地分为两大类：(1)以获得关于研究对象特征为目的的统计总体；(2)以比较不同处理效应为目的的统计总体。分析了与相应统计总体匹配的常用统计方法，指出统计总体是将物化的研究对象转化为统计符号信息的首要环节，确定统计总体是体育统计分析的关键环节。同时，从统计处理系统的角度指出提高统计处理的效果应当注意两个问题：(1)防止统计推断的误用；(2)保持样本与总体的同质。     

The Association between Physical Activity Behavior and Commonly Reported Barriers in a Worksite Population

Recent experiments on the ski simulator produced ambiguous results and raised unanswered questions concerning the true nature of “novice” behavior and the occurrence of behavioral changes during learning. The aim of the present experiment was to analyze the evolving behavior of three beginners during six practice sessions on a ski simulator. The position of the apparatus platform was recorded as time series and used for constructing dynamical models, including stiffness and damping functions. The results showed that novices tended to exploit a Rayleigh damping behavior during the first trials and then transition toward a van der Pol damping. These results replicate previous observations by Nourrit, Delignières, Caillou, Deschamps, and Lauriot (2003) and suggest the transition to the expert behavior could arise early in practice, when the task is of moderate difficulty. The discussion focuses on the properties of the observed learning dynamics and proposes a global conceptualization for acquiring complex motor skills.     

Physical Activity Classification in Youth Using Raw Accelerometer Data from the Hip

ABSTRACT

This study developed and evaluated machine learning algorithms to predict children’s physical activity category from raw accelerometer data collected at the hip. Fifty participants (mean age = 13.9 ± 3.0 y) completed 12 activity trials that were categorized into 5 categories: sedentary (SED), light household activities and games (LHHAG), moderate-vigorous games and sports (MVGS), walking (WALK), and running (RUN). Random Forest (RF) and Logistic Regression (LR) classifiers were trained with features extracted from the vector magnitude using 10?s non-overlapping windows. Classification accuracy was evaluated using leave-one-subject-out cross validation. Overall accuracy for the RF and LR classifiers was 95.7% and 94.3%, respectively. Classification accuracy was excellent for SED (96.3% – 98.1%), LHHAG (92.3% – 95.2%), WALK (94.5% – 97.1%), RUN (99.5% – 99.6%); and MVGS (87.5% – 92.7%). The results indicate that classifiers trained on features in the raw acceleration from the hip can be used for activity recognition in young people.

Abbreviations: VM: Vector Magnitude; RF: Random Forest; LR: Logistic Regression; LOSO: Leave-One-Subject-Out     

乒乓球直拍正手攻球技术纠错法探讨

通过对体育教育专业乒乓球普修课进行观察统计，发现学生在学习乒乓球直拍正手近台攻球时，出现的错误动作较多，影响了技术动作的形成与基本技术的提高。为预防和纠正错误动作的产生和发展，本文提出了以手指调节为重点，以拍形和挥臂为关键的教学基本方法。     

Studies of Physical Education in the United States Using SOFIT: A Review

Purpose: An objective database for physical education (PE) is important for policy and practice decisions, and the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) has been identified as an appropriate surveillance tool for PE across the nation. The purpose of this review was to assess peer-reviewed studies using SOFIT to study K–12 PE in U.S. schools. Method: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses informed the review, and 10 databases were searched for English-language articles published through 2016. A total of 704 records identifying SOFIT were located, and 137 full texts were read. Two authors reviewed full-text articles, and a data extraction tool was developed to select studies and main topics for synthesis. Results: Twenty-nine studies that included direct observations of 12,256 PE lessons met inclusion criteria; 17 were conducted in elementary schools, 9 in secondary schools, and 3 in combined-level schools. Inconsistent reporting among studies was evident, including not all identifying the number of classes and teachers involved. All studies reported student physical activity, but fewer reported observer reliabilities (88%), lesson context (76%), teacher behavior (38%), and PE dosage (34%). The most frequently analyzed independent variables were teacher preparation (48%), lesson location (38%), and student gender (31%). Conclusions: SOFIT can be used reliably in diverse settings. Inconsistent reporting about study procedures and variables analyzed, however, limited comparisons among studies. Adherence to an established protocol and more consistent reporting would more fully enable the development of a viable database for PE in U.S. schools.     

Evaluating the Responsiveness of Accelerometry to Detect Change in Physical Activity

The responsiveness to change of the Actical and ActiGraph accelerometers was assessed in children and adolescents. Participants (N = 208) aged 6 to 16 years completed two simulated free-living protocols, one with primarily light-to-moderate physical activity (PA) and one with mostly moderate-to-vigorous PA. Time in sedentary, light, moderate, and vigorous PA was estimated using 8 previously developed cut-points (4 for Actical and 4 for ActiGraph) and 5-sec, 15-sec, and 30-sec epochs. Accelerometer responsiveness for detecting differences in PA between protocols was assessed using standardized response means (SRMs). SRM values ≥.8 represented high responsiveness to change. Both accelerometers showed high responsiveness for all PA intensities (SRMs = 1.2–4.7 for Actical and 1.1–3.3 for ActiGraph). All cut-points and epoch lengths yielded high responsiveness, and choice of cut-points and epoch length had little effect on responsiveness. Thus, both the Actical and ActiGraph can detect change in PA in a simulated free-living setting, irrespective of cut-point selection or epoch length.     

Test-Retest Reliability of a Survey to Measure Transport-Related Physical Activity in Adults

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the degree of original learning and the length of two nonpractice periods on reminiscence in badminton. Two groups were used, one having 6 weeks of instruction, the other 9 weeks. The nonpractice periods were 6 weeks and 12 weeks. The wall volley and short serve tests were given at the beginning and end of the instructional periods and at the end of each nonpractice period.

Reminiscence did occur in the wall volley skill during the first nonpractice interval for the group having 9 weeks of instruction and during the second nonpractice interval for the group having 6 weeks of instruction. Reminiscence did not occur for either group on the short serve skill.     

Relationship between a 14-Day Recall Measure of Leisure-Time Physical Activity and a Submaximal Test of Physical Work Capacity in a Population Sample of Australian Adults

Abstract

This paper reports on the validity of a 14-day recall measure of leisure time physical activity (LTPA) in a sample of Australian adults (N = 986). Submaximal cycle ergometry was used to assess physical work capacity per kilogram of body mass (pwc75/kg). The self-report energy expenditure estimates were used to categorize respondents as vigorously active, moderately active, and low active/sedentary. Multiple regression analyses showed that pwc75/kg increased significantly across energy expenditure categories for adults aged less than 40 years; that the vigorous and moderate activity categories had greater mean pwc75/kg values than the low/sedentary category for 40 to 59-year-olds; and, that there were no differences in pwc75/kg between activity categories for those aged 60 years or older.     

Quantifying Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity in High School Physical Education: A Pedometer Steps/Minute Standard

The primary objective of this research was to quantify the recommended minimum level (i.e., 50% of the class time) of moderate to vigorous physical activity within high school physical education via pedometry steps/min. A secondary objective was to explore the influence of lesson duration (i.e., traditional vs. block schedules) on quantifying moderate to vigorous physical activity via steps/min. Data (N = 218) were collected from 27 physical education classes taught by 10 certified physical educators in 6 schools. Physical activity measures were steps/min, percent of time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (%MVPA), and time engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPAtime, min.). Steps/min and %MVPA were strongly associated for all data and traditional and block schedules (r ≥ .94, p ≤ .01). Diagnostic statistics suggest that steps/min accurately discriminates between achievement and non-achievement of the 50% moderate to vigorous physical activity criterion. A steps/min interval of 82 to 83 was the most accurate indicator of the 50% criterion for all data. Steps/min and MVPAtime were strongly associated for traditional and block schedules independently (r ≥ .93, p ≤ .01) but not for all data combined (r ≥ .64, p ≤ .01). In conclusion, steps/min accurately quantifies the 50% moderate to vigorous physical activity criterion in high school physical education, and it is recommended as a physical education physical activity surveillance measure.     

Attraction to Physical Activity in Urban Schoolchildren: Parental Socialization and Gender Influences

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the contribution of parental socialization processes and gender to children's interest in physical activity using Eccles' expectancy-value model of motivation. An additional purpose was to examine the nature of these relationships among children of a lower socioeconomic level, a sample that has been underrepresented in pediatric exercise research to date. Fourth- through sixth-grade children (N = 107) from a large metropolitan school district were participants in this study and completed questionnaires assessing attraction to physical activity, perceived physical competence, and perceptions of their parents' physical activity beliefs and behaviors. Multivariate regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between parental socialization processes and children's perceived physical competence and attraction to physical activity. Gender differences were also identified and were primarily related to liking of the exertional characteristics of physical activity and exercise. These findings are consistent with theory and research regarding parental and gender-role socialization during childhood.     

Factors Related to Rural Young Adolescents' Participation in Outdoor,Noncompetitive Physical Activity

Purpose: Young adolescents who have little interest in participating in competitive team sports are at an increased risk for physical inactivity. Noncompetitive outdoor physical activity can provide young adolescents with increased opportunities to participate in physical activities that appeal to them and have positive health effects. The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to rural young adolescents' participation in noncompetitive outdoor physical activity to inform intervention design. Method: Young adolescents aged 10 to 14 years old (N = 1,032) from 1 rural county completed a self-administered questionnaire assessing constructs from self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB) related to noncompetitive outdoor physical activity. Structural equation modeling was used to examine an integrated conceptual model of hypothesized relationships among constructs. Results: The hypothesized conceptual model provided a good fit to the data with greater perceptions of autonomy support and self-determined motivation having statistically significant positive indirect effects on participation in noncompetitive outdoor physical activity mediated by the constructs of the TPB. All direct paths in the model were statistically significant; however, the direct effect of attitudes on intention was weak (.08) and self-determined motivation had no indirect effect on intention through attitudes (.03). Conclusions: Constructs of SDT and TPB should be accounted for by interventions targeting noncompetitive outdoor physical activity among young adolescents. More research is needed to determine young adolescents' preferences for noncompetitive and competitive physical activity and the potential influence that noncompetitive outdoor physical activity may have on total daily physical activity.