Promoting physical activity using a wearable activity tracker in college students: A cluster randomized controlled trial

This study examined the effects of utilizing a wearable activity tracker in a credit-based physical activity instructional program (PAIP) for promoting physical activity (PA) in college students. Fourteen PAIP courses in a large public university were randomly assigned into intervention (k = 7; n = 101) and control (k = 7; n = 86) groups. All courses focused on a core curriculum that covers basic exercise and behavioral science contents through lectures and activity sessions. A Misfit Flash activity tracker was provided to students in the intervention group. Objective PA assessments occurred at baseline, mid-, and end-of-semester during a 15-week academic semester. The control group showed a significant reduction in moderate- and vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA) minutes from baseline to the end-of-semester (P <.05), whereas the intervention group showed no changes in MVPA minutes over time. However, the intervention group also showed increased sedentary time and decreased time spent in light-intensity PA during the intervention period. Taken together, the present study found null effects of utilizing the wearable activity tracker in promoting PA in college students suggesting that intervention of primary using the wearable activity tracker as a behavior change strategy may not be effective to increase in PA in this setting.     

eSports – Competitive sports or recreational activity?

eSports is growing around the globe, with more and more individuals are engaged as players or spectators. In this paper, the authors reflect on whether eSports can be considered as sport based on evaluating five characteristics of sport and assessing them for eSports. Currently, eSports are not a sport but there is the potential that eSports will become a sport. Different opportunities how marketers and managers can attend to eSports are outlined.     

eSport: Construct specifications and implications for sport management

The purpose of this article is to add to the conceptual discussion on eSport, analyze the role of eSport within sport management, and suggest avenues for future eSport research. The authors suggest that debates surround the degree to which eSport represents formal sport, and disagreements likely stem from conceptualizations of sport and context. Irrespective of one’s notion of eSport as formal sport, the authors suggest the topic has a place in sport management scholarship and discourse. Such a position is consistent with the broad view of sport adopted by Sport Management Review, the perspective that eSport represents a form of sportification, and the association among eSport and various outcomes, including physical and psychological health, social well-being, sport consumption outcomes, and diversity and inclusion. Finally, the authors conclude that eSport scholarship can advance through the study of its governance, marketing, and management as well as by theorizing about eSport.     

Effects of an unsupervised pedometer-based physical activity program on daily steps of adults with moderate to severe asthma: a randomized controlled trial

Supervised exercise has shown benefits for subjects with asthma, but little is known about the effectiveness of unsupervised physical activity on this population. We investigated the effects of a 12-week unsupervised pedometer-based physical activity program on daily steps and on clinical and psychological parameters of adults with asthma. Clinically stable adults with moderate to severe asthma were encouraged to take daily 30-minute walks and were randomized to pedometer and control groups. The pedometer group received pedometers and individualized daily step targets. Changes in daily steps (average of steps taken during six consecutive days), six-minute walk test (6MWT), health-related quality of life, asthma control and anxiety and depression levels were assessed 12 weeks after intervention and 24–28 weeks after randomization. Thirty-seven participants were recruited and 30 completed the intervention. At 12 weeks, the groups differed significantly in daily steps (adjusted average difference, 2488 steps; 95% confidence interval [CI], 803 to 4172; p = 0.005) and in the 6MWT (adjusted average difference, 21.9 m; 95% CI, 6.6 to 37.3; p = 0.006). These differences were not significant 24–28 weeks after randomization. The program was effective in increasing daily steps of adults with moderate to severe asthma 12 weeks after intervention.     

New insight for activity intensity relativity,metabolic expenditure during object projection skill performance

This study examined the metabolic cost (METs) of performing object projection skills at three practice trial intervals (6, 12, and 30 seconds). Forty adults (female n = 20) aged 18–30 (M = 23.7 ± 2.9 years) completed three, nine-minute sessions of skill trials performed at 6, 12, and 30 second intervals. Participants performed kicking, throwing and striking trials in a blocked schedule with maximal effort. Average METs during each session were measured using a COSMED K4b2. A three (interval condition) X two (sex) ANOVA was conducted to examine differences in METs across interval conditions and by sex. Results indicated a main effect for interval condition (F(5,114) = 187.02, p < .001, η² = 0.76) with decreased interval times yielding significantly higher METs [30 sec = 3.45, 12 sec = 5.68, 6 sec = 8.21]. A main effect for sex (F(5, 114) = 35.39, p < .001, η² = 0.24) also was found with men demonstrating higher METs across all intervals. At a rate of only two trials/min, participants elicited moderate physical activity, with 12 and 6-second intervals exhibiting vigorous PA. Demonstrating MVPA during the performance of object projection skill performance has potential implications for PA interventions.     

Weekday–weekend variations in mother-/father–child physical activity and screen time relationship: A cross-sectional study in a random sample of Czech families with 5- to 12-year-old children

This study assessed the associations between these factors in a random sample of Czech families with preschool and school-aged children. A nationally representative sample comprised 185 families with preschool children and 649 families with school-aged children (dyads; both parents and child n?=?365, mother and child n?=?730, and father and child n?=?469). The participants wore Yamax Digiwalker SW-200 pedometers at least four weekdays and both weekend days and completed family logbooks (anthropometric parameters, daily step counts (SC), and screen time (ST)). When a parent (fathers at weekends and mothers both on weekdays and at weekends) achieved 10,000 SC per day, their children were also significantly (OR?=?2.93–6.06, 95% CI?=?2.02–9.26) more likely to meet the daily SC recommendation. On the contrary, the involvement of fathers in organized leisure-time PA reduced their children's odds of meeting the SC recommendation on weekdays (OR?=?0.53, 95% CI?=?0.31–0.89) and at weekends (OR?=?0.41, 95% CI?=?0.24–0.72). The excessive ST of parents at weekends reduced the odds of their children meeting the SC recommendation (mother–child dyads: OR?=?0.44, 95% CI?=?0.26–0.72; father–child dyads: OR?=?0.63, 95% CI?=?0.37–1.06). High levels of parents’ PA contribute to the achievement of the recommended daily PA in children on weekdays and at weekends. Excessive weekend ST of parents reduces their odds of their children achieving the recommended daily PA; however, the influence of parents’ PA on their children’s achieving the recommended daily PA is stronger than the inhibitory effect of ST.     

Successful learning: balancing self-regulation with instructional planning

Many recent studies have stressed the importance of teacher candidates’ (TCs) self-regulated learning (SRL) skills for successful learning. Because of the promising consequences of SRL for academic performance, teacher educators (TEs) are encouraged to increase TCs’ SRL opportunities in educational programs. Because of the difficulty and complexity for TEs to successfully guide TCs towards SRL, the present study contributes to the discussion how to best facilitate TEs in finding a balance between student- and teacher-control. For this purpose, a conceptual model is presented. The model draws upon literature related to the perspective of the learner, the teacher and the learning task. Besides the context of teacher education, the model is beneficial for higher education as well as teaching and teacher professionalization. It will help instructors provide a more balanced approach between teacher- and student-controlled learning, and support students develop essential SRL skills.     

创造性资产寻求、子公司影响力与逆向知识转移

我国海外投资企业日益关注东道国创造性资产寻求,希望借此实现自主创新能力提升,那么如何获取东道国知识资源成为亟待解决的难题。在外商在华FDI活动中,我国企业往往借助知识和技术溢出效应获取资源和提升技术水平,而在我国向发达国家的OFDI活动中,这一方式则不太适用,我国企业需要更具主动性和针对性的知识获取途径和共享模式,而由海外子公司向母公司的针对性逆向知识转移则更能有效满足我国企业的特定资源需求,并有助于我国企业实现自主创新能力提升。本文试图从逆向知识转移方式出发,探究其作为我国企业获取东道国创造性资产路径的可行性,同时深入研究其影响因素和内在作用机制。为揭示我国跨国公司母公司微观因素对逆向知识转移的推动作用,本文围绕母公司战略因素和子公司逆向知识转移评价设计问卷,以我国海外投资企业问卷调研数据为基础,采用中介效应检验和结构方程模型探究了母公司国际化动因,子公司影响力对逆向知识转移的影响作用。实证结果证实以上两类因素对逆向转移的应用和创新效果具有促进作用,其中国际化动因体现为对海外创造性资产寻求的重视程度,子公司影响力从母公司对子公司的战略、文化和股权控制三方面实现对逆向知识转移的显著影响,而创造性资产的影响作用还通过转移意愿的中介效应体现,子公司影响力则借由渠道建设的中介作用实现。最后综合实证分析和华为案例佐证的结论,本文构建基于母公司战略和子公司影响力、转移意愿和渠道建设的逆向知识转移作用机制,为我国企业实践提供对策建议：（1）鼓励我国海外投资企业关注创造性资产寻求,尤其关注东道国技术、管理、市场和文化知识。（2）鼓励创造性资产寻求动因,提高对子公司的战略、文化和股权控制水平,提升子公司绩效对母公司的影响力,借以促进子公司逆向转移意愿;同时借由母公司控制程度提升,激励子公司完善渠道建设,实现基于编码和人员的双轨道知识转移系统,从而促进逆向转移效果。（3）增强全资子公司或控股合资等高控制度的海外市场进入模式实现更高水平的股权控制,同时通过对子公司的统一战略规划和资源支持加强其战略控制水平,通过构建更具内部凝聚力和控制力的强文化体系来加强对子公司的文化影响。（4）不仅关注逆向知识转移后的知识应用过程,更关注知识再创新和自主创新过程,实现后发国家的技术追赶。