BACKGROUND: The transtheoretical model of change (TTM) is an approach to behaviour change, which has been successful in increasing physical activity levels. This study examined the application of a TTM approach to increase physical activity in people with type 2 diabetes by a specialist dietitian. METHODS: Forty participants were recruited ...

Clinical coagulopathy frequently occurs in the presence of hypothermia. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of hypothermia on clotting protein fibrinogen metabolism and on coagulation function in a swine model. Twelve pigs were randomly allocated into control and hypothermia groups. Hypothermia of 32 degrees C ...

BACKGROUND: Many patients do not maintain physical activity levels after completion of phase III exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation. DESIGN: This study determined the effect of an exercise consultation on maintenance of physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness 12 months after completion of a phase III exercise programme. Seventy cardiac patients were randomized ...

Randomised controlled trials have shown that exercise training has a mild or moderate favourable effect on many metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors that constitute or are related to the metabolic syndrome (MetS). Epidemiological studies suggest that regular physical activity prevents type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and premature mortality in large ...

OBJECTIVES: Significant weight gain is a serious side effect of many antipsychotic medications, yet successful strategies for significant weight loss are lacking. The transtheoretical model for weight management can be used to identify people who are ready to change (contemplation-preparation group) their eating habits and physical activity. This study compared ...

Paired associative stimulation (PAS) based on Hebb's law of association can induce plastic changes in the intact human. The optimal interstimulus interval (ISI) between the peripheral nerve and transcranial magnetic stimulus is not known for muscles of the lower leg. The aims of this study were to investigate the effect ...

A study was formulated to assess the level of awareness regarding different exercise activities among four groups vis-a alpha- vis doctors, lawyers, teachers and businessmen. It has been observed that all four groups are equal in their awareness of various activities (Jogging, sports, walking, swimming, morning activities, heath club activities, ...

The rising overweight and obesity trends demonstrate the need for programs aimed at increasing physical activity for adolescents to combat the onset of disease and reduce the economic burden of overweight and obesity-related diseases. The high rates of physical inactivity and disease associated with physical inactivity among adolescents in the ...

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease resulting in impairments in motor and mental performance and restrictions in activities. Self-report instruments are commonly used to measure activity patterns; alternatively, actigraphs can be placed on several parts of the body. The aims of this study were to evaluate the superiority and ...

Canadian public health messages relating to physical activity have historically focused on the prescription of purposeful exercise, most often assessing leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Although LTPA contributes to total energy expenditure (TEE), a large part of the day remains neglected unless one also considers the energy expended outside of purposeful ...

Physical activity and psychological stress are two potential triggers for the onset of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). To examine the mechanisms underlying this association, we systematically reviewed the literature to determine the effects of acute psychological stress and physical activity on haemorheology and haemostasis. Studies examining the haemorheological and haemostatic ...

This study examined the effects of exercise self-efficacy on enjoyment of physical activity in a sample of low to moderately active college-aged women (N = 28). Participants were randomized into a low- or high-efficacy condition, and efficacy beliefs for engaging in moderate intensity physical activity were manipulated by providing bogus ...

BACKGROUND: To compare and contrast youth physical activity (PA) and inactivity patterns in two developing Asian countries: the Philippines and China. METHODS: Comparative analysis of 1997-1999 Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey and the 1997 China Health and Nutrition Survey, large-scale surveys that included questions on type, frequency and duration ...

Increasing physical activity has been associated with reduced risk of mortality and of cardiovascular disease. The proportion of people doing no physical activity in a week varies between countries, but can reach nearly 25% in Europe and the Americas. METHODS AND OUTCOMES: We conducted a systematic review and aimed to ...

QUESTION: What type of physical activity or exercise is undertaken by people with rheumatoid arthritis? What type of physical activity or exercise do they prefer? What is their attitude towards physical activity or exercise? What are the perceived barriers to undertaking physical activity or exercise? DESIGN: Survey of a random ...

OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence from research relevant to participation in physical activity and exercise in Greece. METHOD: Systematic search of peer-reviewed literature. RESULTS: No such previous review was found for Greece. Thus, its originality should provide valuable information. Selected publications included 36 papers, published between 1993 and 2006, concerning ...

Automatic estimation of physical activity using wearable sensors can be used for promotion of a healthier lifestyle. In this study, accelerometers and gyroscopes attached to ankle, wrist and hip were used to estimate intensity of physical activity. The estimates are compared to metabolic equivalent (MET) obtained from a portable cardiopulmonary ...

The present study evaluated changes in hemodynamics and fibrinolysis during 6 weeks of participation in an exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation program. Fourteen patients trained for 3 days per week for 6 weeks using American College of Sports Medicine guidelines for intensity and duration. Blood samples were taken at baseline and after ...

BACKGROUND: The Internet has potential as a medium for health behavior change programs, but no controlled studies have yet evaluated the impact of a fully automated physical activity intervention over several months with real-time objective feedback from a monitor. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to evaluate the impact of a physical ...

BACKGROUND: Understanding the relationships between physical activity (PA) and disease has become a major area of research interest. Activity monitors, devices that quantify free-living PA for prolonged periods of time (days or weeks), are increasingly being used to estimate PA. A range of different activity monitors brands are available for ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of 2 Internet-based physical activity interventions for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A total of 160 physically inactive patients with RA who had a computer with Internet access were randomly assigned to an Internet-based physical activity program with individual guidance, a bicycle ergometer, and ...

Several relatively uncommon, but important cardiovascular diseases are associated with increased risk for acute cardiac events during exercise (including sudden death), such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) and myo-pericarditis. Practising cardiologists are frequently asked to advise on exercise programmes and sport participation in ...

This study examined motivation variables, self-determination and self-schema, in relation to physical activity, among psychiatric patients with experience with physical activity as part of their treatment. Participants were patients (N=109) from 15 psychiatric hospitals or day-care institutions. Data were collected by questionnaires. A positive relationship between physical activity level, positive ...

PURPOSE: To use muscle functional MRI (mfMRI) to compare activation levels within and among triceps surae (TS) muscles. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven healthy males performed five sets of 10 repetitions of a unilateral heel-raise exercise. T2-weighted images were obtained before and immediately after the exercise. Pixels that showed T2 greater ...

BACKGROUND: Physicians report that they fail to counsel patients about physical activity due to a lack of practical tools, time, reimbursement, knowledge, and confidence. This paper reports concurrent and criterion validation of the Physical Activity Assessment Tool (PAAT), designed to rapidly assess patient physical activity in clinical settings and reduce ...

A new individual computerized technique for psychophysiological training of operators before performing psychomotor activity on a computer model (psychomotor concentration and spatial orientation test) was developed. Qualitative criteria for the prediction of safe operator activity were formulated. Preliminary testing of operators' activity quality showed great dispersion of individual results: The ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Randomized clinical trials have documented that lifestyle changes through physical activity can prevent diabetes. However there is no data whether such strategies are applicable at community level, that is, in a real life setting. This study demonstrates the first attempt in India, to our knowledge, of increasing ...

We report the case of a 45-year-old man who was diagnosed in June 1969 9 years old as having mild haemophilia A following a traumatic left shoulder bleed when his factor VIII (FVIII) activity was 11 IU dL(-1) based on a two-stage assay. The bleed resolved following treatment with intravenous ...

Exercise is considered to be beneficial for free fatty acid (FFA) metabolism, although reports of the effects of increased physical activity on FFA uptake and oxidation in different tissues in vivo in humans have been inconsistent. To investigate the heredity-independent effects of physical activity and fitness on FFA uptake in ...

The growing prevalence of obesity and inadequate physical activity levels in the population highlight an opportunity to examine public opinion about exercise, as well as the perceived adequacy of exercise among adults. This article summarizes findings from a 2004 survey of exercise habits and beliefs among Michigan adults using bivariate ...

Electronic pedometers were used to quantify locomotor physical activity during an entire 9-week United States Army Basic Combat Training (BCT) cycle. Pedometers were worn on the hips of 4 trainees in each of 10 BCT companies during all BCT activities. Investigators obtained pedometer readings (steps) on a daily basis, and ...

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects nearly one million people in the United States and Canada. While current pharmaceutical treatments are effective in controlling symptoms, patients continue to experience a reduced quality of life (QOL). Based on preliminary studies, QOL in CD patients may be ...

This review describes the definitions of sedentary used to screen community-dwelling adults in physical-activity-intervention trials published from 2000 to 2005. Results of 42 trials showed that definitions of sedentary varied from <20 to <150 min/week of physical activity, and few reported the type (work, household, or leisure) or intensity of ...

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an 8 week aerobic exercise class for women on changes in their physical activity behaviour. This was a descriptive, retrospective and comparison study. Because the data were collected after an 8 week aerobic exercise class, there were two groups ...

The use of oral contraceptives (OC) is associated with an increased risk of thrombosis, suggesting OC exert procoagulant and/or antifibrinolytic effects. Given that physical exercise physiologically leads to an activation of blood coagulation and fibrinolysis, this study tested the hypothesis that OC might compromise the fibrinolytic response to exercise. Fibrinolytic ...

BACKGROUND: Aerobic exercise training is associated with lower central arterial stiffness, but little information exists on the effects of physical activity intensity or duration on central arterial stiffness. Using a cross-sectional and interventional approach, we tested the hypothesis that both moderate and vigorous physical activity reduce central arterial stiffness in ...

The insertion (I) variant of the angiotensin-1 converting enzyme (ACE) I/D genetic polymorphism is associated with lower circulating and tissue ACE activity. Some studies have also suggested associations of ACE I/D genotype with endurance phenotypes. This study assessed the relationships between circulating ACE activity, ACE I/D genotype, mechanical efficiency and ...

INTRODUCTION: The Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA) was developed to provide an easily administered and interpreted means of assessing levels of physical activity among adults older than 50 years. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature, a survey of geriatricians, focus groups, and cognitive debriefings with older adults were ...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical activity (PA) patterns of children. Forty-four 7th-grade students (19 boys, 25 girls) recorded pedometer data for 2 consecutive weeks. Separate 2 x 3 repeated measures analyses of variance were used to examine differences in total steps/day between boys and girls ...

Variation in patients' independent exercise and activity after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery may contribute to variable functional gains but have never been quantified. We pilot tested daily exercise logs and step activity monitors to quantify exercise and general home activity post-TKA. Patients successfully maintained logs and wore activity monitors. ...

PURPOSE: Few studies have explored how relationships of perceived environment and physical activity vary across different activity domains and populations. This question was explored in five physical activity intervention trials funded by the National Institutes of Health Behavior Change Consortium. DESIGN: Observational. SETTINGS: San Francisco peninsula, California (N = 94); ...

Lifestyle habits, such as exercise, may significantly influence risk of major vascular thrombotic events. The risk of primary cardiac arrest has been shown to transiently increase during vigorous exercise, whereas regular moderate-intensity exercise is associated with an overall reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases. What are the mechanisms underlying these paradoxical ...

The leisure-time physical activity of 13-year-old Finnish adolescents was assessed in the prospective STRIP study. A self-administered questionnaire (N=565) was used. The leisure-time physical activity index (PAI; MET h/week) was calculated on the basis of reported exercise intensity, duration and frequency (N=558; 53% boys). The participants were divided into Sedentary, ...

We assessed the interactive effect of genetic polymorphisms and exercise training on fibrinolysis in 50 - 75 yr old men (n = 17) and women (n = 28). Subjects had tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) antigen levels and activity and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity measured before and after 6 mo ...

The chronic and immediate post-exercise responses in the hemostatic and fibrinolytic systems have been shown to be variable and reflect differing adaptations with ageing and responses to exercise protocols. This study investigated the effects of acute and exhaustive exercise on the amplitude and duration of hemostatic and fibrinolytic responses in ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of a Social Cognitive Theory-based intervention designed to increase the frequency of leisure time planned moderate and vigorous physical exercise among rural high school students attending physical education class. METHODS: Students in treatment and comparison groups were exposed to ...

PURPOSE: Examine associations among observed, self-reported, and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) environmental features and physical activity among adolescent males. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Boy Scout troops and neighborhoods in Houston, Texas. SUBJECTS: Two hundred and ten 10- to 14-year-old Boy Scouts. MEASURES: Accelerometry to obtain minutes of sedentary, light, and ...

It is unclear whether a relationship between physical activity (PA) and maximal oxygen uptake (V'(O2,max)) exists in cystic fibrosis (CF) and, if so, whether the relationship reflects a direct effect or is mediated by the effects of confounding variables, such as pulmonary or muscle function. The objective of the present ...

BACKGROUND: Elderly caregivers report less leisure-time physical activity than same-aged non-caregivers. However, through caregiving tasks, caregivers may be as physically active as non-caregivers. This study compared leisure-time exercise and overall physical activity in elderly women caregivers and non-caregivers. METHODS: The sample included 179 caregivers (153 cared for spouses and 26 ...

This study compared the attitudes of 16 adolescents (8 males and 8 females) with cystic fibrosis (CF) toward exercise and physical activity (PA) before and after a 6-week exercise program. Although the boys and girls had similar ages (12-18 years), the boys were fitter and leaner and had higher pulmonary ...