bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale: Testing Measurement Invariance Between Hispanic and Caucasian Children
Authors: Bartholomew John B. , Loukas Alexandra , Jowers Esbelle M. , Allua Shane 
Published: August 2016

Background:Design and evaluation of physical activity interventions depends upon valid instruments to assess mediating processes. The Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Scale (PASES) has been used in a variety of forms within samples of African American and Caucasian children.Method:This study was designed to extend the statistical validity of the scores from the PASES by comparing 1 and 3-factor models and testing measurement invariance between Hispanic and Caucasian children. 883 fourth and fifth graders were recruited (mean age, 9.71 y; 48% female, 52% male; 67% Hispanic, 33% Caucasian). The factor structure was tested with confirmatory factor analysis, using two-group analyses to model ethnic differences.Results:The 17-item, 3-factor version of the PASES evidenced poor fit with the data. In contrast, an 8-item, 1-factor solution provided adequate fit for both samples.Conclusions:The 8-item, 1-factor version of the PASES provides statistically valid scores for Hispanic and Caucasian children.
Measuring Physical Environments of Parks and Playgrounds: EAPRS Instrument Development and Inter-Rater Reliability
Authors: Saelens Brian E. , Frank Lawrence D. , Auffrey Christopher , Whitaker Robert C. , Burdette Hillary L. , Colabianchi Natalie 
Published: August 2016

Background:Reliable and comprehensive measurement of physical activity settings is needed to examine environment-behavior relations.Methods:Surveyed park professionals (n = 34) and users (n = 29) identified park and playground elements (e.g., trail) and qualities (e.g., condition). Responses guided observational instrument development for environmental assessment of public recreation spaces (EAPRS). Item inter-rater reliability was evaluated following observations in 92 parks and playgrounds. Instrument revision and further reliability testing were conducted with observations in 21 parks and 20 playgrounds.Results:EAPRS evaluates trail/path, specific use (e.g., picnic), water-related, amenity (e.g., benches), and play elements, and their qualities. Most EAPRS items had good-excellent reliability, particularly presence/number items. Reliability improved from the original (n = 1088 items) to revised (n = 646 items) instrument for condition, coverage/shade, and openness/visibility items. Reliability was especially good for play features, but cleanliness items were generally unreliable.Conclusions:The EAPRS instrument provides comprehensive assessment of parks’ and playgrounds’ physical environment, with generally high reliability.
The Effectiveness of Urban Design and Land Use and Transport Policies and Practices to Increase Physical Activity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Heath Gregory W. , Brownson Ross C. , Kruger Judy , Miles Rebecca , Powell Kenneth E. , Ramsey Leigh T. , _ _ 
Published: August 2016

Background:Although a number of environmental and policy interventions to promote physical activity are being widely used, there is sparse systematic information on the most effective approaches to guide population-wide interventions.Methods:We reviewed studies that addressed the following environmental and policy strategies to promote physical activity: community-scale urban design and land use policies and practices to increase physical activity; street-scale urban design and land use policies to increase physical activity; and transportation and travel policies and practices. These systematic reviews were based on the methods of the independent Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Exposure variables were classified according to the types of infrastructures/policies present in each study. Measures of physical activity behavior were used to assess effectiveness.Results:Two interventions were effective in promoting physical activity (community-scale and street-scale urban design and land use policies and practices). Additional information about applicability, other effects, and barriers to implementation are provided for these interventions. Evidence is insufficient to assess transportation policy and practices to promote physical activity.Conclusions:Because community- and street-scale urban design and land-use policies and practices met the Community Guide criteria for being effective physical activity interventions, implementing these policies and practices at the community-level should be a priority of public health practitioners and community decision makers.
Operational Definitions of Walkable Neighborhood: Theoretical and Empirical Insights
Authors: Moudon Anne Vernez , Lee Chanam , Cheadle Allen D. , Garvin Cheza , Johnson Donna , Schmid Thomas L. , Weathers Robert D. , Lin Lin 
Published: August 2016

Background:The concept of walkable neighborhoods is increasingly important in physical activity research and intervention. However, limited theoretical understanding and measurable definitions remain a challenge.Methods:This paper reviews theories defining neighborhoods and offers an empirical approach to identify measurable attributes and thresholds of walkable neighborhoods. Bivariate and multivariate analyses are used for self-reported socio-demographic background, neighborhood walking behavior and perception, and objective measures of environments.Results:Environmental attributes positively associated with walking sufficiently to meet health recommendations included higher residential density and smaller street-blocks around home, and shorter distances to food and daily retail facilities from home. Threshold distances for eating/drinking establishments and grocery stores were 860 and 1445 feet.Conclusions:Results questioned theoretical constructs of neighborhoods centered on recreation and educational uses. They pointed to finer mixes of uses than those characterizing suburban neighborhoods, and small spatial units of analysis and intervention to capture and promote neighborhood walkability.
Recreation, Parks, and the Public Health Agenda: Developing Collaborative Surveillance Frameworks to Measure Leisure Time Activity and Active Park Use
Authors: Kruger Judy , Mowen Andrew J. , Librett John 
Published: August 2016

Background:The purposes of this study were to review surveillance of recreation and park use to determine adaptations for tracking leisure time physical activity and increasing collaboration to achieve public health goals.Methods:Surveillance in public health and parks and recreation and discussions at the 2006 Cooper Institute conference were reviewed.Results:This review suggested four actions to improve collaborative surveillance of leisure time physical activity and active park use. The proposals are to incorporate more detailed measures of leisure time physical activity and active park visits into park surveillance; include key park, recreation, and leisure items in public health surveillance; assess active park visits and leisure time physical activity more frequently; and establish public health physical activity objectives for parks and recreation and outdoor recreation participation.Conclusions:These proposals can facilitate collaboration between public health and parks and recreation and exploration of active park use and outdoor recreation in relation to health.
The Condition of Neighborhood Parks Following Hurricane Katrina: Development of a Post-Hurricane Assessment Instrument
Authors: Bedimo-Rung Ariane L. , Thomson Jessica L. , Mowen Andrew J. , Gustat Jeanette , Tompkins Bradley J. , Strikmiller Patricia K. , Sothern Melinda S. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Parks provide environments for physical activity, yet little is known about how natural disasters affect them or how these disasters alter physical activity. Our objectives were to (1) describe the development of an instrument to assess park conditions following a hurricane and (2) document the conditions of New Orleans’ parks 3 and 6 months after Hurricane Katrina.Methods:A Post-Hurricane Assessment (PHA) instrument was developed and implemented in 54 parks 3 and 6 months post-hurricane.Results:Summary scores of the Park Damage Index and the Neighborhood Damage Index showed improvement between 3 and 6 months of data collection. Parks and neighborhoods most affected by the hurricane were located in the most- and least-affluent areas of the city.Conclusion:The PHA proved to be a promising tool for assessing park conditions in a timely manner following a natural disaster and allowed for the creation of summary damage scores to correlate to community changes.
Adaptation and Validation of the Athletic Identity Questionnaire-Adolescent for Use With Children
Authors: Anderson Cheryl B. , Coleman Karen J. 
Published: August 2016

Background:This article describes the adaptation of the Athletic Identity Questionnaire (AIQ) for Adolescents for use with children and evaluates its construct validity. Based on a theoretical model supported in adults and adolescents, the AIQ-Child measures the general attribute of athletic, which encompasses exercise, sport, and physical activity and assesses 4 dimensions: appearance, competence, importance of activity, and encouragement from 3 sources (parents, friends, teachers/other adults).Methods:The hypothesized 4-factor model was tested using structural equation modeling in 2 samples of 9- and 10-year-old children that were ethnically diverse (N = 432) and Hispanic (N = 504).Results:Confirmatory factor analysis using LISREL 8.71 supported the 4-factor structure in a 40- or 38-item version in sample 1 (RMSEA = .039, .041) and sample 2 (RMSEA = .038, .038). As in the adult and adolescent models, there was also support for a higher-order model. The AIQ-Child factors were positively related to physical activity (r = .51 to .68) and fitness (r = .15 to .41) and negatively related to TV/computer use (r = –.28 to –.03) and adiposity (r = –.32 to .04).Conclusions:Findings support the factorial and construct validity of the AIQ-Child and its use as a self-report instrument in younger children.
Effects of Self-Efficacy, Body Mass, and Cardiorespiratory Fitness on Exercise Motives in Chinese College Students
Authors: Shen Bo , Xu Chiren 
Published: August 2016

Background:Researchers have studied exercise determinants primarily from cognitive and social psychology perspectives, which typically give minimal attention to the body as a physical and biological entity. With the belief that tapping into multidimensional variables would potentially help us better understand motivation in exercise, we designed this study to examine the influences of self-efficacy, body mass, and cardiorespiratory fitness level on Chinese college students’ leisure-time exercise motives.Methods:208 college students completed measures of self-efficacy and exercise motives during regular physical education classes. Their body mass and cardiorespiratory fitness level data were derived from the latest annual physical training test. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the effects of self-efficacy, body mass, and cardiorespiratory fitness on exercise motives.Results:Cardiorespiratory fitness level and self-efficacy in exercise significantly contributed to both psychological and interpersonal motives. Body mass was the only significant predictor for body-related motives. However, analyses of health and fitness motives did not result in any significant predictors.Conclusion:Physical and psychological variables have both independent and specialized functions on exercise motives. Future motivational studies in exercise should pay greater attention to ecological approaches that account for physical, psychological, and social factors.
Walking, Cycling, and Obesity Rates in Europe, North America, and Australia
Authors: Bassett David R. , Pucher John , Buehler Ralph , Thompson Dixie L. , Crouter Scott E. 
Published: August 2016

Purpose:This study was designed to examine the relationship between active transportation (defined as the percentage of trips taken by walking, bicycling, and public transit) and obesity rates (BMI ≥ 30 kg · m−2) in different countries.Methods:National surveys of travel behavior and health indicators in Europe, North America, and Australia were used in this study; the surveys were conducted in 1994 to 2006. In some cases raw data were obtained from national or federal agencies and then analyzed, and in other cases summary data were obtained from published reports.Results:Countries with the highest levels of active transportation generally had the lowest obesity rates. Europeans walked more than United States residents (382 versus 140 km per person per year) and bicycled more (188 versus 40 km per person per year) in 2000.Discussion:Walking and bicycling are far more common in European countries than in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Active transportation is inversely related to obesity in these countries. Although the results do not prove causality, they suggest that active transportation could be one of the factors that explain international differences in obesity rates.
Physical Activity Patterns and Preferences Among Latinos in Different Types of Public Parks
Authors: Cronan Megan Kelly , Shinew Kimberly J. , Schneider Ingrid , Wilhelm Stanis Sonja A. , Chavez Deborah 
Published: August 2016

Background:Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data suggest that Latinos are less likely to be physically active and more likely to be overweight and suffer from resulting complications than are Whites and that within the Latino population, Latina women are especially at risk. Therefore, promoting physical activity among Latinos, and understanding gender participation patterns within that population, is particularly important. One strategy for encouraging physical activity is to promote active uses of public parks.Methods:A national, multiyear, multisite study funded by the USDA Forest Service sought to understand use of public parks by Latinos and Latinas in Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Chicago.Results:More than 50% of our sample visited parks to engage in physical activity, and in part, activity choice was related to gender. Furthermore, nearly half of all respondents walked to city park sites, whereas few or none walked to state or regional park sites.Conclusions:Our data suggest that Latinos are using some parks repeatedly and, in the case of city parks, are using them for physical as well as social activity. Therefore, we suggest specific ways that parks could be managed to encourage more physical activity while taking into account gender variations.
Systematic Review of Active Commuting to School and Children’s Physical Activity and Weight
Authors: Lee Murray C. , Orenstein Marla R. , Richardson Maxwell J. 
Published: August 2016

Background:The recent decline in children’s active commuting (walking or biking) to school has become an important public health issue. Recent programs have promoted the positive effects of active commuting on physical activity (PA) and overweight. However, the evidence supporting such interventions among schoolchildren has not been previously evaluated.Methods:This article presents the results of a systematic review of the association between active commuting to school and outcomes of PA, weight, and obesity in children.Results:We found 32 studies that assessed the association between active commuting to school and PA or weight in children. Most studies assessing PA outcomes found a positive association between active commuting and overall PA levels. However, almost all studies were cross-sectional in design and did not indicate whether active commuting leads to increased PA or whether active children are simply more likely to walk. Only 3 of 18 studies examining weight found consistent results, suggesting that there might be no association between active commuting and reduced weight or body mass index.Conclusion:Although there are consistent findings from cross-sectional studies associating active commuting with increased total PA, interventional studies are needed to help determine causation.
Effect of Tai Chi Exercise on DNA Damage, Antioxidant Enzymes, and Oxidative Stress in Middle-Age Adults
Authors: Goon J.A. , Aini A.H. Noor , Musalmah M. , Anum M.Y. Yasmin , Nazaimoon W.M. Wan , Ngah W.Z. Wan 
Published: August 2016

Background:The biochemical mechanisms involving oxidative stress to explain the relationship between exercise and healthy aging are still unclear.Methods:Tai Chi participants and matched sedentary volunteers age 45 and above were enrolled. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) activities; levels of DNA damage using the comet assay; and malondialdehyde (MDA) and advanced glycation end products (AGE) were determined at 0, 6, and 12 months.Results:Tai Chi subjects had decreased normal and increased mildly damaged DNA with elevated GPx activity after 6 months (n = 25). Plasma MDA and AGE concentrations decreased significantly after 12 months (n = 15) accompanied by increased SOD activity. This may be attributed to the hormesis effect, whereby mild induction of oxidative stress at the first 6 months of exercise resulted in stimulation of antioxidant defenses. These parameters were unchanged in the sedentary subjects in the first 6 months (n = 27) except for elevated SOD activity. After 12 months, the sedentary subjects (n = 17) had decreased normal DNA and increased severely damaged DNA with unaltered MDA and AGE levels while SOD and GPx activities were significantly elevated.Conclusion:Regular Tai Chi exercise stimulated endogenous antioxidant enzymes and reduced oxidative damage markers.
Baby Steps: Pedometer-Determined and Self-Reported Leisure-Time Exercise Behaviors of Pregnant Women
Authors: Downs Danielle Symons , LeMasurier Guy C. , DiNallo Jennifer M. 
Published: August 2016

Background:Research examining women’s pregnancy physical activity (PA) behaviors with objective measures is scant. Therefore, 2 studies were conducted to determine the feasibility of pregnant women wearing pedometers and to examine women’s self-reported and objectively measured PA behaviors.Methods:Participants were pregnant women (Study 1 N = 50, Study 2 N = 30) who completed the Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (LTEQ) and wore a Yamax pedometer for 3 consecutive days during free living at 20- and 32-weeks gestation.Results:As predicted in Study 1, we found (a) 100% participant agreement in wearing the pedometer and (b) LTEQ min and pedometer-determined indices classified 67% to 86% of the participants as insufficiently active at 20-weeks gestation. In Study 2, as hypothesized, (a) mean steps/d, LTEQ total, strenuous, and mild min of PA were positively associated at 20- and 32-weeks gestation; (b) mean steps/d and LTEQ strenuous min significantly declined from 20- to 32-weeks gestation; and (c) more women were classified as sedentary and low active at 32-weeks (73%) compared with 20-weeks gestation (50%).Conclusions:These findings are consistent with previous epidemiological evidence documenting the decline in women’s PA behaviors across the trimesters. They also illustrate that pedometer-determined indices might be a useful tool facilitating PA adoption and maintenance during pregnancy.
Meditative Movement as a Category of Exercise: Implications for Research
Authors: Larkey Linda , Jahnke Roger , Etnier Jennifer , Gonzalez Julie 
Published: August 2016

Introduction:Meditative Movement (MM) is proposed as a new category of exercise defined by (a) some form of movement or body positioning, (b) a focus on breathing, and (c) a cleared or calm state of mind with a goal of (d) deep states of relaxation.Review:Two forms of exercise meeting this definition, Qigong and Tai Chi, are reviewed to examine health benefits found in the research literature, recap elements that should be assessed in MM research, and suggest where aspects of MM intersect with, and are distinguished from, conventional forms of exercise.Results:Relevant dimensions of the key elements of MM, such as frequency, duration, type of movement, degree of exertion, description of breathing, and achievement of relaxed state are recommended to be clearly described and measured to consistently define the category across studies and clarify how MM may affect health outcomes in similar, and perhaps different, ways than conventional exercise.Conclusions:If these suggested standards are used, we will gain a better understanding of which elements are necessary for achieving targeted outcomes. Over time, as MM is studied as a category of exercise, research may progress more efficiently to define the domains of physiological and psychological benefit.
Promotion of Walking for Transportation: A Report From the Walk to School Day Registry
Authors: Vaughn Amber E. , Ball Sarah C. , Linnan Laura A. , Marchetti Lauren M. , Hall William L. , Ward Dianne S. 
Published: August 2016

Background:In the United States, promoting active transportation to school has received increased attention as a means of encouraging physical activity and preventing obesity among youth. However, little systematic evaluation of existing programs such as Walk to School (WTS) has occurred.Methods:WTS coordinators from across the United States were surveyed (via Web, mail, and telephone) about program activities, school and environmental characteristics, and perceived changes in children walking to school. As an exploratory aim, logistic-regression analyses were used to examine program characteristics associated with perceived increases in children walking.Results:From a database of 783 coordinators, 493 usable surveys were returned. Almost all respondents (98.2%) participated in a 1-day WTS event. Other common activities included promotional activities (72.7%), safety trainings (49.6%), walkability audits (48.5%), and designated safe walking routes (46.5%). As part of their WTS efforts, 24.4% made policy changes and 38.4% made changes to the physical environment. Logistic-regression analyses showed that policy changes, physical environment improvements, and number of activities were associated with the largest perceived increased in children walking to school.Conclusions:These findings help address the gap in knowledge about schools’ participation in WTS programs, and strategies are suggested to increase active transportation to school.
Testing the Reliability of Neighborhood-Specific Measures of Physical Activity Among Canadian Adults
Authors: McCormack Gavin R. , Shiell Alan , Doyle-Baker Patricia K. , Friedenreich Christine , Sandalack Bev , Giles-Corti Billie 
Published: August 2016

Background:Capturing neighborhood-specific physical activity is necessary to advance understanding of the relations between neighborhood walkability and physical activity. This study examined the test–retest reliability of previously developed items (from the Neighborhood Physical Activity Questionnaire) for capturing setting-specific physical activity among Canadian adults.Methods:Randomly sampled adults (N = 117) participated in 2 telephone interviews 2 to 5 days apart. Respondents were asked a series of items capturing frequency and duration of transportation-related walking, recreational walking, and moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity undertaken inside and outside the neighborhood in a usual week. The test–test reliability of reported physical activity levels were then examined using intraclass and Spearman’s rank correlations, kappa coefficients, and overall agreement.Results:Participation, frequency, and the duration of transportation-related and recreational walking and vigorous-intensity physical activity inside and outside the neighborhood showed moderate to excellent test–retest reliability. Moderate reliability was found for moderate-intensity physical activity undertaken inside (k = .48; ICC frequency = .38; ICC duration = .39) and outside (k = .51; ICC frequency = .79; ICC duration = .31) the neighborhood.Conclusions:Neighborhood-specific physical activity items administered by telephone interview are reliable and are therefore appropriate for use in future studies examining neighborhood walk-ability and physical activity.