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PubMed2003

Effects of physical training on the physical capacity of frail, demented patients with a history of falling: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: to develop a physical training programme to improve balance in dependent, demented, people with a history of falling, and so decrease falls and increase autonomy. METHODS: the study was undertaken on 20 demented elderly people with a history of falling with an average age of 81.4+/-4.7 years and an average mini mental state score of 16.3+/-6.5. They had all passed 'get up and go', 'chair sit and reach', walking speed and static balance tests. They were assigned to a control group or a training group; the latter were trained with two sessions a week for 16 weeks. RESULTS: walking, mobility, flexibility and static balance were significantly improved in the training group (P<0.05), but not in the controls. The trained subjects did not suffer a relapse, while the controls did during the training period. CONCLUSION: the balance of frail, demented, elderly patients with a history of falling can be improved by training.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1993

American College of Sports Medicine. Position Stand. Physical activity, physical fitness, and hypertension.

Hypertension is present in epidemic proportions in adults of industrialized societies and is associated with a markedly increased risk of developing numerous cardiovascular pathologies. There is a continuing debate as to the efficacy of aggressive pharmacological therapy in individuals with mild to moderate elevations in blood pressure. This has led to a search for nonpharmacological therapies, such as exercise training, for these individuals. The available evidence indicates that endurance exercise training by individuals at high risk for developing hypertension will reduce the rise in blood pressure that occurs with time. Thus, it is the position of the American College of Sports Medicine that endurance exercise training is recommended as a nonpharmacological strategy to reduce the incidence of hypertension in susceptible individuals. A large number of studies indicate that endurance exercise training will elicit a 10 mm Hg average reduction in both systolic and diastolic blood pressures in individuals with mild essential hypertension (blood pressures 140-180/90-105 mm Hg). Endurance exercise training also has the capacity to improve other risk factors for cardiovascular disease in hypertensive individuals. Endurance exercise training appears to elicit even greater reductions in blood pressure in patients with secondary hypertension due to renal dysfunction. The mode (large muscle activities), frequency (3-5 d.wk-1), duration (20-60 min), and intensity (50-85% of maximal oxygen uptake) of the exercise recommended to achieve this effect are generally the same as those prescribed for developing and maintaining cardiovascular fitness in healthy adults. Exercise training at somewhat lower intensities (40-70% VO2max) appears to lower blood pressure as much, or more, than exercise at higher intensities, which may be important in specific hypertensive populations. Physically active and fit individuals with hypertension have markedly lower rates of mortality than sedentary, unfit hypertensive individuals. Thus, it seems reasonable to recommend exercise as the initial treatment strategy for individuals with mild to moderate essential hypertension. A follow-up period should assess the efficacy of the patient's exercise program, and adjunct therapies should be implemented according to the individual patient's blood pressure and CAD risk factor goals. Individuals with more marked elevations in blood pressure (> 180/105 mm Hg) should add endurance exercise training to their treatment regimen only after initiating pharmacologic therapy. Resistive, or strength, exercise training is not recommended to lower blood pressure in individuals with hypertension when done as their only form of exercise training.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mood, physical working capacity and cognitive performance in the elderly as related to physical activity.

The age-related decline in physical working capacity, cognitive performance, and psychological well-being can presumably be modified by regular physical exercise. The present study comprises 20 men and 20 women with a mean age of 66 years. Half of the participants were randomly assigned to an exercise group, the remaining half to a control group. The members of the exercise group exercised individually through regular walking (three times a week) during a period of three months. The control group performed instead a series of mental tasks with the same regularity. Results showed significant differences in favor of the exercise group on complex tasks at the post-test, whereas only minor differences were found on simple tasks. Mood improvements were uniform, regardless of exercise involvement. The latter can be taken to indicate that exercise is not the most important factor, instead social context and regular contacts with other people may be equally important for elderly individuals.

Affect↗
PubMed1991

Relationship between physical attractiveness, physical effectiveness, and self-esteem: a cross-sectional analysis among adolescents.

In the present study, the relative contributions of physical attractiveness and physical effectiveness to the self-esteem were examined among four different grade-levels of adolescents (mean ages; 12.5, 14.6, 16.3, 18.3 years old). Overall, both attractiveness and effectiveness were significantly related to the self-esteem of males and females. In contrast to previous research, attractiveness and effectiveness did not appear to be differentially important to the self-esteem of males and females and consistent patterns were evident across the different grade-levels. These results are believed to reflect changes occurring in sex-role expectations and socialization.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Attitudes toward physical discipline as a function of disciplinary history and self-labeling as physically abused.

To examine the relation between childhood experience with punitive discipline, perceptions of a punitive childhood history, and adult attitudes regarding appropriate discipline, a total of 1359 university undergraduates completed a screening questionnaire to assess their childhood disciplinary histories and their perceptions of that history. A sample of 207 of the screened participants who reported a diverse range of childhood disciplinary histories participated in a second test session to assess attitudes regarding appropriate discipline. Among persons with severely punitive histories, those who did not label themselves as abused were less likely to classify events as physically abusive than those who labeled themselves abused. Persons with less severe punishment histories were comparable to those with severely punitive histories who also labeled themselves abused. Additionally, persons who had experienced a specific form of physical discipline as a child were less likely to label that form of discipline abusive. However, this effect of experience did not obtain among subjects who described a history of discipline-produced injury. Implications of these patterns for the intergenerational transmission of abuse are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Comparison of two physical activity questionnaires, with a diary, for assessing physical activity in an elderly population.

Measurement of physical activity in epidemiological studies is usually achieved by means of a questionnaire. Little work has been done to determine which questionnaire format has greater validity in an elderly population. In this study of elderly subjects, physical activity as reported in two self-administered questionnaires (A and B), which differed in format and length, were compared to activity reported in a 4 day diary. As compared with the diary, moderate/heavy activity was more accurately reported in Questionnaire A (mean difference 5 min), the longer more detailed questionnaire, than B (mean difference 170 min). Light activity was under reported in Questionnaire A (mean difference 68 min) and over reported in B (mean difference 88 min) as compared with the diary. In contrast, time spent sitting was more accurately reported in Questionnaire B (mean difference 40 min) than in A (mean difference 230 min) as compared with the diary. The longer more detailed questionnaire was the more accurate instrument for assessing moderate/heavy activity in this elderly population. The shorter questionnaire was more accurate for assessing time spent sitting.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2004

The Yale Physical Activity Survey for older adults: predictions in the energy expenditure due to physical activity.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of the Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS) for older adults. DESIGN: Fourteen-week strictly controlled diet study. SUBJECTS/SETTING: Eleven men and 17 women, age range 55 to 78 years, spent 10 weeks in an outpatient setting and 4 weeks in an inpatient setting at the General Clinical Research Center, Noll Physiological Research Center, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park. INTERVENTION: Subjects were provided dietary energy to maintain body weight within +/-0.5 kg of baseline weight. The daily menus contained 0.8 g protein per kilogram body weight and nonprotein energy as 60% carbohydrate and 40% fat. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolizable energy intake (MEI) was measured at week 14 from the gross energy contents of food, urine, and feces, with corrections for any body composition changes during the last 6 weeks of weight maintenance. Resting energy expenditure (REE) was determined using indirect calorimetry. The thermic effect of feeding (TEF) was estimated to be 10% of the MEI. The energy expenditure due to physical activity (EEPA) was derived by the formula: EEPA=MEI-REE-TEF. This value was compared with the EEPA estimated from the YPAS. Statistical analyses performed Two-factor analysis of variance with repeated measures and paired t tests. RESULTS: At week 14, after a minimum of 6 weeks of sustained weight stability, the derived EEPA was not different from that estimated using the YPAS for the men and the men and women combined, while the YPAS estimate was more than the measured mean value for the women (P<.05). There was wide variability in the accuracy of the EEPA prediction for individual subjects (range=-637 to 794 kcal). APPLICATIONS/CONCLUSIONS: The YPAS may be used, with caution, to estimate the EEPA for groups of older individuals, and may provide inaccurate estimates of the EEPA in older individuals.

Aged↗
PubMed2007

Physical activity of men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome not satisfied with conventional treatments--could it represent a valid option? The physical activity and male pelvic pain trial: a double-blind, randomized study.

PURPOSE: Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a major healthcare burden. Affected patient quality of life is poor and currently no investigated treatments have significant long-term benefit. We performed a preliminary investigation of the role of physical activity and its effects on select patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2002 and 2004 we recruited a volunteer sample of 231 eligible males 20 to 50 years old with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome who were unresponsive to conventional treatments and free of any contraindication for moderate intensity physical exercise. This group was screened and, if in accordance with study inclusion/exclusion criteria, patients were randomized into 2 groups. Participants were randomly assigned to the aerobic exercise group (52) and the placebo/stretching and motion exercises group (51). Main outcome measures were the Italian version of the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, Beck Depression Inventory, State Anxiety Inventory-Y and a pain intensity visual analog scale administered at baseline, and 6 and 18 weeks. RESULTS: At 18 weeks 36 subjects (75%) in the aerobic exercise group vs 40 (81.63%) in the placebo/stretching and motion exercises group completed the 18-week program and evaluation. Differences between the 2 groups were found in total National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, pain and quality life impact subscales, and pain visual analog score (ANCOVA p = 0.006, 0.0009, 0.02 and 0.003, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in the aerobic exercise group were significantly superior compared to those in the placebo/stretching and motion exercises group. Aerobic exercise represents a valid treatment option and it should be further investigated in a larger study with longer followup.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Changes in physical activity and psychosocial determinants of physical activity in children and adolescents treated for obesity.

The purpose of this study was to describe changes in physical activity and determinants in youngsters treated for obesity. Self-reported physical activity and determinants were assessed at start, during and after an intervention in 24 obese patients (mean age 13.5+/-2.1 years). Participation in activities of moderate to high intensity increased during treatment, but 6-months after treatment this decreased again to pre-treatment levels. Participation in activities of low intensity and television watching decreased during treatment and increased following treatment. Very little change was found in perceived benefits, barriers or self-efficacy scores. Modelling of siblings decreased after treatment, whereas there was no evolution in modelling of parents. Social support by family members increased during treatment, but decreased following treatment. We can conclude that the intervention was successful in activating obese youngsters to move at the desirable exercise intensity and frequency; however, maintenance of the exercise habit after treatment was not successful.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Health-related quality of life, BMI and physical activity among US adults (>/=18 years): National Physical Activity and Weight Loss Survey, 2002.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and physical activity (PA). METHODS: Cross-sectional data were obtained via a national telephone survey from 9173 respondents (30.9% response rate; 51.4% cooperation rate). Four indicators of HRQOL were measured: self-rated health, physically unhealthy days, mentally unhealthy days and activity limitation days. Prevalence estimates were calculated by body mass index (BMI) category and PA level. Logistic regression evaluated BMI as an effect modifier of the relationship between HRQOL and PA. RESULTS: Inactive adults reported more fair to poor HRQOL than active adults, regardless of BMI category (P<0.001). BMI did not modify the association between PA and any of the four HRQOL indicators. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of low HRQOL is inversely related to PA participation, and the relationship is not altered by BMI status. Regardless of their weight status, adults should be encouraged to engage in PA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

The association between the body mass index of first-year female university students and their weight-related perceptions and practices, psychological health, physical activity and other physical health indicators.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the weight status of first-year female students (FYFS) and various weight management-related characteristics to identify possible components of a weight management programme for students. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Female residences at a South African university. SUBJECTS: A total of 360 FYFS. RESULTS: Mean (+/-standard deviation (SD)) body mass index (BMI) of the FYFS was 21.8 +/- 2.6 kg m(-2), with 7.2% being underweight, 81.9% normal-weight, 10.0% overweight and 0.8% obese. Underweight, normal-weight and overweight students differed with regard to their perception of their weight (P < 0.001), weight goals (P < 0.001) and previous weight-loss practices (P < 0.001). Mean+/-SD score on the 26-item Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) was 8.5 +/- 9.0 with 8.4% classified as high scorers. Mean+/-SD score on the 34-item Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) was 87.7 +/- 32.2, with 76.1% classified as low, 11.9% as medium and 11.9% as high scorers. The self-concept questionnaire indicated that 36.7% had a high, 43.9% a medium and 19.4% a low self-concept. Higher BMI correlated with a higher BSQ score (P < 0.001), a lower self-concept (P = 0.029) and a higher EAT-26 score (P < 0.001). Smoking was prevalent amongst 13.1% of students, and 51.2% used vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Students who quitted smoking had higher (P = 0.006) BMI (22.7 +/- 2.9 kg m(-2)) than those who never smoked before (21.6 +/- 2.5 kg m(-2)). Normal-weight students were more physically active than underweight or overweight students (P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The specific weight management-related needs of FYFS include information about supplement use, smoking, realistic weight goals, safe and sound weight-loss methods, weight cycling, body-shape perceptions, eating attitudes and behaviours, self-concept and physical activity. Interventions aimed at correcting these problems should target all students, regardless of their BMI.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

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.

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.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Comparison of the computerized ACTIVITYGRAM instrument and the previous day physical activity recall for assessing physical activity in children.

This study compared the validity of children's physical activity recall through a computerized assessment (ACTIVITYGRAM) and through a popular paper and pencil assessment (Previous Day Physical Activity Recall; PDPAR). A total of 147 sixth-grade children from two schools completed the two recall instruments. Data from both self-report instruments were obtained over the same 3 days, and these data were matched by time with data from a subsample of children who wore an accelerometry-based activity monitor (n = 28). To confirm previous validity research with the PDPAR, a larger sample (n = 128) with matched data on the PDPAR and the accelerometer were also used. Activity levels recorded from all three instruments were computed for three periods (afternoon: 3-6 pm, evening: 6-11 p.m. and afternoon/evening: 3-11 p.m.). Descriptive and correlational analyses were conducted across days and for the separate time periods to evaluate the two self-report instruments. There were no differences in mean activity bouts reported on the ACTIVITYGRAM and the PDPAR (p > .05). Correlations with the activity monitor were above .50 for both the PDPAR and the ACTIVITYGRAM, and the relationships were consistent across days and periods for both measures. The magnitude of the correlations varied widely in the two schools for the ACTIVITYGRAM comparisons (r = .80 vs. r = .20) but not for the PDPAR, suggesting differential administration or understanding of the ACTIVITYGRAM instrument. Direct correlations between the ACTIVITYGRAM and the PDPAR measures were high (r = .72), and classification agreement exceeded 80% for the school that provided adequate assistance and training on the ACTIVITYGRAM. Results were weaker in the school with less staff support. This study provides convergent and criterion evidence to support the validity of the computerized ACTIVITYGRAM assessment and suggests similar information as the paper and pencil PDPAR assessment in young children. The study also revealed no differences in PDPAR values or associations, when a simpler scoring procedure was used instead of the traditional more complex metabolic equivalent-based approach.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

A classification system for characterization of physical and non-physical work factors.

A comprehensive evaluation of work-related performance factors is a prerequisite to developing integrated and long-term solutions to workplace performance improvement. This paper describes a work-factor classification system that categorizes the entire domain of workplace factors impacting performance. A questionnaire-based instrument was developed to implement this classification system in industry. Fifty jobs were evaluated in 4 different service and manufacturing companies using the proposed questionnaire-based instrument. The reliability coefficients obtained from the analyzed jobs were considered good (0.589 to 0.862). In general, the physical work factors resulted in higher reliability coefficients (0.847 to 0.862) than non-physical work factors (0.589 to 0.768).

Energy Metabolism↗
PubMed1997

The effect of chronic diseases on physical function. Comparison between activities of daily living scales and the Physical Performance Test.

AIM: to verify the capacity of basic and instrumental activities of daily living (BADL and IADL) disability scales and of a performance-based test (Physical Performance Test; PPT) to detect the effect on the functional capacity of several common chronic conditions in elderly people. METHOD: a cross-sectional survey of the entire population aged 70 and over, living in Ospitaletto (Brescia, northern Italy)-549 subjects; 89.6% of the eligible population; 179 males and 370 females-was carried out in 1992. A multi-dimensional questionnaire administered at the subject's home was used to collect information on demographics, presence of several common chronic diseases and BADL and IADL. Objective physical capacity was assessed using the PPT. RESULTS: only cognitive deterioration and depression were independently associated with disability, as detected by BADL or IADL scales. Cognitive deterioration, stroke, parkinsonism, heart disease and hearing and visual loss were independently associated with PPT. The performance at PPT remained statistically associated with most of the same diseases when the analysis was restricted to subjects with no BADL or IADL disability. CONCLUSION: a performance-based measure, such as PPT, may detect a functional limitation before it becomes measurable by traditional self-reported BADL and IADL scales.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1991

A test case for physical mapping of human genome by repetitive sequence fingerprints: construction of a physical map of a 420 kb YAC subcloned into cosmids.

A rapid and safe method of Yeast Artificial Chromosome (YAC) physical mapping by cosmid 'fingerprinting' is presented. YACs are subcloned into cosmids which are prepared without previous separation of cloned DNA from host DNA. Groups of overlapping clones are detected according to their restriction fragments size and intensity after hybridization with total human DNA. To test this approach, a cosmid library was constructed from total DNA of a yeast strain containing a 420 kb YAC. A single contig of 84 clones was obtained with a minimal detectable overlap of 60% i.e. a 9.2 fold representative library. Large scale physical mapping of YACs would take full advantage of the DNA preparation procedure employed in this work and allows to take into account restriction fragment intensities.

Blotting, Southern↗
PubMed2004

Discriminating value of total minor physical anomaly score on the Waldrop physical anomaly scale between schizophrenia patients and normal control subjects.

Minor physical anomalies (MPAs) are slight structural aberrations that are believed to be associated with abnormal neurodevelopment. Studies of schizophrenia patients show that these patients score higher in MPAs than normal controls. The present study attempted to assess the potential value of MPAs as a classifying test in the status schizophrenia patient versus normal control. Seventy-six schizophrenia patients and 82 normal controls were assessed for MPAs using the Waldrop Physical Anomaly Scale, and specificity, sensitivity, and predictive value of the total MPA score were determined. A significantly higher percentage of schizophrenia patients than normal controls had high numbers of MPAs. Total MPA scores higher than 4 showed the most balanced set of sensitivity (76.3%), specificity (72.0%), and positive (71.6%) and negative (76.6%) predictive values for schizophrenia and were the cutoff scores that optimally discriminate schizophrenia patients from normal controls. Schizophrenia patients showed a higher percentage of subjects with prominent MPA scores. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that MPAs might reflect extragenetic stressful events and present total MPA score as a reliable index in distinguishing between schizophrenia patients and normal controls.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Can the physical environment determine physical activity levels?

Does your place of residence affect your level of physical activity and ultimately your weight and health? There is relatively strong evidence of association between compact development patterns and use of active travel modes such as walking and transit. There is weaker evidence of linkage between compact development, overall physical activity, and downstream weight and health effects.

Environment Design↗