Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “PHYSICS”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Physical activity patterns of college students with and without high school physical education.

The purpose of this study was to examine differences in physical activity patterns of high school graduates in Texas who completed physical education class credit during high school and those who did not but who were varsity athletes. A questionnaire was designed and tested for reliability prior to being administered to 201 college students. Analysis indicated that participants who completed high school physical education class credit do not currently participate in regular physical activity as much as those who were not required to complete such credit. Conversely, athletes who did not participate in physical education reported currently engaging in more cardiovascular exercise and team sports than the physical education students during high school.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Effectiveness of a training program with physical education students and experienced physical education teachers in scoring the Test of Gross Motor Development.

Recently there has been an increase in the need for instruction and assessment of motor skills of students with disabilities for the regular physical education teacher; however, research has indicated that training of physical educators in assessment of motor skills for students with disabilities is often inadequate. Models of teaching preparation such as the infusion approach stress the need to integrate teaching and assessment techniques applicable to students with and without disabilities. In this study, the effectiveness of assessment training on the accuracy of scoring the Test of Gross Motor Development was investigated. Two students (one special education, one nonspecial education) were filmed and evaluated by three experts in the field of adapted physical education. The expert raters' scores were then compared to scores obtained by 26 physical education students and 26 experienced physical education teachers. Results of the study indicate that the instruction received in an assessment course enables undergraduate physical education students to assess accurately the motor skill performance of students with and without disabilities.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Accuracy and repeatability of the Yale physical activity survey in assessing physical activity of older adults.

The purpose of this study was to extend the initial evaluation of the Yale Physical Activity Survey to assess physical activity in older adults. The survey yields three indicators of physical activity reflecting activities performed during a typical week of the previous month (Total Time, Total Energy Expenditure) and the past month (Total Activity Summary Index). Questionnaire validity was studied in 56 men and women, ages 56 to 86 years, by comparing the average of 3- or 7 day 24-hr. physical activity records (n=56), predicted maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max) (n = 23) and the sum of three skinfold measurements. Two-week repeatability was estimated by calculating an intraclass coefficient using an analysis of variance with repeated measures. Spearman rhos were used to study questionnaire validity. Analysis showed the survey was easily administered and scored and exhibited moderate-to-good repeatability. For the first administration the Total Energy Expenditure Index was significantly associated with the physical activity diary (r = .27). On the second administration, correlations were significant for the physical activity diary with the Total Energy Expenditure Index (r = .30), the Total Activity Summary Index (r = .36), and the Total Time Index (r = .27), and for VO2 max and the Total Time Index (r = .49) and Total Activity Summary Index (r = .64). Relative to the criterion measures used in this study, some validity was evident for the second administration in this relatively active and healthy sample of older adults.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

[The evaluation of the relationships between physical factors and effects of exercise intervention on physical functions in community-dwelling older people].

AIM: It is necessary to determine the effect of exercise on each individual in order to target a person for an exercise regimen intended to prevent specific health defects in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between physical conditions and changes in functional measurements after exercise intervention. METHODS: Two hundred seventy-six subjects aged 60 years and older practiced exercise intervention for three months. The measurements were maximal walking speed, one-leg standing with eyes opened or closed, functional reach test, timed up and go test, sit and reach, handgrip strength, and knee extensor strength. We evaluated the associations between physical measurements and changes in functional measurements. RESULTS: Except for one-leg standing with eyes closed, all measurements of physical function were significantly improved after exercise intervention. The changes in functional measurements showed significant negative correlations with the initial physical performance measurements, except for maximal walking velocity. CONCLUSIONS: These results provided valuable information on more effective strategies for improving or maintaining physical functions of community-dwelling older people. Comprehensive approaches that adapt the methods of training to the fitness level of each subject are needed to effectively improve the physical function of older people.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

Physical activity, physical fitness, and osteopenia in postmenopausal Taiwanese women.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate whether physical activity level and physical fitness parameters differ between postmenopausal Taiwanese women with normal and subnormal bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: Seventy-six postmenopausal women aged from 42 to 65 years participated in this study. Women taking medication that might influence BMD measurements were not included. The BMDs of the lumbar spine (L2-4) and right femoral neck were measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Thirty-one women with both BMD values within the normal ranges (1.055 +/- 0.092 g/cm2 for the spine and 0.845 +/- 0.088 g/cm2 for the right femoral neck) of premenopausal Chinese women served as the normal density group. Another 43 women with both BMD values more than one standard deviation below the normal value (0.760 +/- 0.089 g/cm2 for the spine and 0.656 +/- 0.052 g/cm2 for the femoral neck) were recruited as the osteopenic group. Physical activity level was assessed with a 7-day recall questionnaire. Physical fitness assessment included tests of flexibility, muscular strength, endurance, body composition, and cardiopulmonary fitness. A multiple linear regression model adjusted for age, body weight, height, and years since menopause was used. RESULTS: The results revealed that energy expenditure and maximal oxygen consumption were significantly lower in the osteopenic group than in the non-osteopenic group (p < 0.05), while flexibility, body composition, muscle strength and muscular endurance did not differ significantly between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that physical activity may play a major role in BMD levels in postmenopausal women in Taiwan. Future studies should emphasize the effect of physical exercise training on BMD in postmenopausal women.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Relationship of measures of leisure time physical activity to physical fitness indicators in Spanish adults.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of our study was to examine the association between estimates of energy expenditure obtained by the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity questionnarie (LTPA) and physical fitness indicators. METHODS. PARTICIPANTS: An adaptation of the LTPA was assessed in a sample of Spanish population: male (n = 44) and female (n = 38). INTERVENTIONS: the LTPA 1 year recall questionnaire was administered twice with a 12-month interval and participants also responded monthly the Four Week Physical Activity History (FWH) questionnaire. MEASURES: test-retest reliability of the LTPA and the relationships between changes in V.O2max, percent body fat and leisure time physical activity were examined. RESULTS: Corresponding components of the LTPA and the FHW were highly correlated and scores in heavy leisure time activities and household chores showed a relatively low variance ratio, indicating an acceptable reliability of the questionnaire. Heavy intensity physical activity and household chores were highly related to V.O2max and there was a weaker association to moderate or light activity. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the Spanish version of the LTPA is a relatively valid and reliable measure of regular physical activity and a valid estimator of cardiorespiratory fitness in adults.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relation of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness to coronary heart disease, Part I: A meta-analysis of the independent relation of physical activity and coronary heart disease.

BACKGROUND: This paper is the first of two reports that together review the scientific evidence regarding the inverse relation between physical activity and cardiovascular fitness and coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: In Part I, the evidence suggesting a causal link between physical activity and CHD protection independent of other CHD risk factors is reviewed, accounting for bias, confounding, and different study designs. RESULTS: A strong, consistent inverse relation is found. Using meta-analytic techniques, the relative risk of the independent relation of physical inactivity to CHD is 1.37, with a 95 percent confidence interval (1.27-1.48). CONCLUSIONS: A graded biologic response of CHD protection to physical activity is shown, but the intensity, duration, and frequency of activity necessary for CHD benefit remain unclear. Plausible biologic mechanisms for the inverse relation of physical activity to CHD are the risk factor modifications that accrue with physical activity.

Causality↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relation of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness to coronary heart disease, Part II: Cardiovascular fitness and the safety and efficacy of physical activity prescription.

BACKGROUND: This paper is the second of two reports that together review the scientific evidence regarding the inverse relation between physical activity and cardiovascular fitness and coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS: Using a MEDLINE search with the key words exercise, physical fitness, coronary heart disease, and cardiovascular disease, more than 75 articles were reviewed, evaluating study design, measurement error, bias and confounding, the strength of associations, consistency of results, temporal and dose-response relation, and biologic plausibility. RESULTS: The relative risk in epidemiologic studies comparing the least to the most fit categories ranges from 1.2 to 4.8, which is greater than that for physical inactivity. The differences between cardiovascular fitness (an attribute) and physical activity (a behavior) are highlighted. The range of correlation (r = 0.02 to 0.44) between cardiovascular fitness and physical activity is discussed relative to measurement error and genetic and environmental factors. Studies reporting the safety of regular physical activity suggest an injury rate as high as 35 injuries per 100 persons per year. Efficacy studies limited to secondary prevention trials report a 66 percent compliance rate and 15 percent reduction in total mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The scientific evidence implying a causal relation between cardiovascular fitness and CHD is strongly positive, but the clinical and public health implications are unclear. Further research and clinical guidelines are suggested.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗
PubMed1995

Physical work load, physical capacity and strain among elderly female aides in home-care service.

A study was undertaken to investigate physical work load, physical capacity, physical strain and perceived health among elderly aides in home-care service. A secondary aim was to compare the work load and strain between the two main types of home-care service available in Sweden today. Work tasks and their distribution among 20 elderly aides (aged 45-65 years), working in open home-care service (clients living in their original flats or houses) and at service apartment houses (clients living in private flats constructed for the elderly and handicapped with service functions) were observed during whole work days. Heart rate and number of steps taken were also measured continuously during the whole work day. Oxygen consumption and work postures for upper arm and back were measured during parts of the work day. The results showed that home-care work is characterised by long periods of standing and walking and that postures potentially harmful for the low back and shoulders occurred frequently. Average physiological strain measured as relative oxygen consumption and heart rate during the work day did not exceed present recommendations. Average physical work load and strain in open home-care service slightly exceeded those in service apartment houses because of more frequent cleaning and walking outdoors. Many aides in this study showed slightly reduced physical capacity, and musculoskeletal problems were common. Many elderly aides in home-care service are probably exposed at work to high risks of overexertion and impaired health as a result of high postural loads in combination with other known important factors, such as time stress and lack of equipment.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Perceived physical environment and physical activity across one year among adolescent girls: self-efficacy as a possible mediator?

PURPOSE: This study involved an examination of the direct and mediated effects of perceived equipment accessibility and neighborhood safety on physical activity across a one-year period among adolescent girls. METHODS: Adolescent girls (N = 1,038) completed self-report measures of perceived environment, barriers self-efficacy, and physical activity in the Spring semesters of 1999 (baseline) and 2000 (follow-up) when students were in the 8th and 9th grades. RESULTS: An initial analysis demonstrated that neighborhood safety did not exhibit cross-sectional or longitudinal direct effects on physical activity, whereas equipment accessibility exhibited a statistically significant cross-sectional, but not longitudinal, direct effect on physical activity. The secondary analysis demonstrated that self-efficacy for overcoming barriers mediated the cross-sectional effect of equipment accessibility on physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the cross-sectional effect of perceived equipment accessibility on physical activity is mediated by self-efficacy for overcoming barriers among adolescent girls. This is consistent with the reciprocal relationships among the environment, person, and behavior described by social-cognitive theory.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Self-reported physical functioning was more influenced by pain than performance-based physical functioning in knee-osteoarthritis patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To test the hypothesis that self-reported physical functioning is more influenced by pain than performance-based physical functioning. METHODS: 163 knee-osteoarthritis patients completed the performance-based DynaPort KneeTest (DPKT), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and SF-36 (self-report measures of pain and physical functioning) before, 3, 6, and 12 months after knee replacement. RESULTS: Correlations between (two) self-reported measures of functioning and (two) pain measures were higher (0.57-0.74) than correlations between the performance-based measure of functioning and the two pain measures (0.20 and 0.26). In factor analysis, WOMAC and SF-36 pain and physical functioning subscores loaded on the first factor (eigenvalue 3.2), while DPKT KneeScore2 loaded on the second factor (eigenvalue 0.92). Before surgery, correlations between performance-based and self-reported physical functioning were higher in patients with less pain (0.43) compared to patients with more pain (0.17), for the WOMAC (as expected), but not for the SF-36. After surgery, when the pain had diminished, the correlations between performance-based and self-reported physical functioning were higher, especially for the WOMAC. CONCLUSIONS: Our hypothesis was convincingly supported by the results of the WOMAC, and somewhat less by the results of the SF-36. We consider this as evidence for a lack of content validity of the WOMAC.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2005

Can current physical activity act as a reasonable proxy measure of future physical activity? Evaluating cross-sectional and passive prospective designs with the use of social cognition models.

BACKGROUND: The standard methodological approach for evaluating social cognitive theories when predicting physical activity behavior is the passive prospective/longitudinal survey design. Although this design is logical, a cross-sectional design may be a cost-effective alternative if the relationships between social cognitive constructs and physical activity are relatively stable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of a concurrent measure of physical activity used in a cross-sectional design in comparison to the standard prospective measure. METHODS: This study included two 6-month prediction time-periods, between 1997 and 1998, for the purpose of analysis replication, and the theory of planned behavior, the transtheoretical model, protection motivation theory, and social cognitive theory as the models of interest in a population sample (N = 703). RESULTS: Results showed trivial (69% of tests; q < 0.10) to small (31% of tests; q = 0.11-0.18) differences in the correlations between social cognitive constructs and vigorous physical activity occur when using a cross-sectional or prospective design. The cross-sectional design estimated slightly larger coefficients than the prospective design. CONCLUSIONS: It appears that a measure of concurrent physical activity included in a cross-sectional design can act as a reasonable proxy measure of future behavior measured in a passive prospective/longitudinal design. These findings support the use of cross-sectional designs when researchers seek a standard correlational investigation of physical activity and social cognitive constructs with the possibility that coefficients may be slightly biased upwards.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Personal, social, and physical environmental correlates of physical activity in rural African-American women in Alabama.

BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity is prevalent among African-American women in rural Alabama. The purpose of this study was to explore personal, social, and physical environmental factors associated with activity to help plan interventions. METHODS: As part of the Women's Cardiovascular Health Network Project, telephone surveys were collected from African-American women residing in three rural counties. The women reported the number of minutes engaged in moderate or vigorous activities and were categorized into the following groups: (1) inactive (no moderate or vigorous activities), (2) insufficient (not meeting recommendations), and (3) meets recommendations (engaged in moderate activity five times per week for at least 30 minutes or vigorous activity three times per week for at least 20 minutes). Logistic regression modeling was used to identify personal, social, and physical environmental factors associated with the more active groups. RESULTS: Among the 567 women who were classified in physical activity groups, 221 (39%) met the recommendations, 260 (46%) were insufficiently active, and 86 (15%) were inactive. In the adjusted model, the social environmental factors associated with women meeting the recommendations (versus inactive) were attending religious services and seeing people exercise in the neighborhood. Attending religious services, knowing people who exercise, and a higher social issue score were associated with women who reported any activity (versus inactive). No physical environmental factors were associated with the more active groups. CONCLUSIONS: Social environmental factors were associated with higher levels of activity and need to be considered when planning interventions. More research is needed to identify associations between specific aspects of the social environment and physical activity behaviors.

Black or African American↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Selective attentional biases for physical threat in physical anxiety sensitivity.

Anxiety sensitivity is a trait susceptibility associated with the fear of anxiety-related sensations. One reason why such fears exist may be because those high in anxiety sensitivity selectively attend towards such sensations. However, few studies have actually investigated these cognitive biases in high anxiety sensitive individuals. The current study, therefore, sought to investigate selective attentional biases using the visual dot-probe paradigm. Since recent research suggests that at least one component of anxiety sensitivity is linked to the fear of physical sensations, individual were selected on the basis as to whether they were high or low in their anxious concern for physical sensations. In order to determine whether a general or specific attentional bias exists, the emotionality of material presented to participants was varied in terms of whether it was physically threat-related, socially threat-related, or positive. Consistent with predictions, those high in physical anxiety sensitivity were found to exhibit a selective attentional bias in favour of the location of physically threatening material. Furthermore, those low in anxiety sensitivity were found to avoid such material. Interestingly, a similar attentional bias was not found for either socially threatening or positive material. If anything, those high in physical anxiety sensitivity avoided positive material. These findings are discussed in light of current theories of anxiety sensitivity and future research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Does adherence to a lifestyle physical activity intervention predict changes in physical activity?

This study examined whether adherence to a lifestyle physical activity intervention predicted weekly participation in at least 150 min of moderate to vigorous physical activity among 244 sedentary healthy adults. Structural equation modeling was used to assess the association between adherence and physical activity. Markers of adherence were attendance, homework completion, and self-monitoring for a group-based intervention and telephone call completion, homework completion, and self-monitoring for a telephone and mail-delivered intervention. For both interventions, adherence significantly predicted moderate to vigorous physical activity. Adherence to lifestyle physical activity interventions ought to be encouraged to increase the likelihood that participants will engage in an adequate amount of physical activity for health benefits to occur.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Husbands' and wives' marital adjustment, verbal aggression, and physical aggression as longitudinal predictors of physical aggression in early marriage.

Marital adjustment, verbal aggression, and physical aggression have long been associated in the marital literature, but the nature of their associations remains unclear. In this study, the authors examined these 3 constructs as risk factors for physical aggression during the first 2 years of marriage in 634 couples recruited as they applied for marriage licenses. Couples completed assessments at the time of marriage and at their 1st and 2nd anniversaries. Results of path analyses suggest that prior verbal aggression and physical aggression by both partners are important longitudinal predictors of physical aggression but do not support the role of marital adjustment as a unique predictor of subsequent physical aggression. Contrary to prior research, results also failed to support physical aggression as a unique predictor of marital adjustment.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2000

Obesity and physical and emotional well-being: associations between body mass index, chronic illness, and the physical and mental components of the SF-36 questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the associations between obesity and health-related quality of life by exploring the associations between physical and emotional well-being in relation to obesity and the presence of other chronic illness. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: The study data were collected as part of a postal-survey within the old Oxford Regional Health Authority of England in 1997. Completed questionnaires were returned by 8889 of 13,800 randomly selected adults aged 18 to 64 years. The main outcome measures were body mass index in five categories (underweight, normal weight, overweight, moderately obese, morbidly obese); chronic illness status (any vs. none and number of such illnesses 0, 1 to 2, 3+); and mean SF-36 questionnaire score in two summary component measures reflecting physical and emotional well-being. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 31% were overweight and an additional 11% were obese. Body mass index was significantly associated with health status, but the pattern varied according to whether the measure reflected physical or emotional well-being. Physical, but not emotional, well-being deteriorated markedly with increasing degree of overweight and was limited in subjects who were obese but had no other chronic condition; subjects with chronic illnesses other than obesity were compromised in both dimensions. In terms of the number of chronic illnesses reported, the additional presence of obesity was associated with a significant deterioration in physical but not emotional well-being. DISCUSSION: Overweight and obesity are associated with poor levels of subjective health status, particularly in terms of physical well-being. The limitations in emotional well-being that are reported here and in other studies may be a result of confounding by the presence of accompanying chronic illness.

Adolescent↗