This study examined how depressed and nondepressed nursing home residents differed on measures of frequency of daily activity involvement and accompanying affect. Interviews indicated the groups differed significantly on frequency of activity involvement and affect. Depressed subjects spent large portions of time watching television. Nondepressed…

A study found the stereotypic behaviors of four children with developmental disabilities reduced by 51.6 percent in a single frequency treatment consisting of one daily ten minute walk/jog session, however, the behaviors reduced 58.9 percent following a multiple frequency conditions that involved three ten minute walk/jog session per day.…

A survey of permanent residents of Canada over 50 years of age (n=5,102) regarding the effect of smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical activity found the following: (1) smoking is associated with negative outcomes; (2) there is little evidence of adverse effects for alcohol consumption; (3) physical activity is positive; and (4) body…

Examines college students' exercise adherence, illustrating the measurement and application of behavior change theories using the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. Preliminary results from Project TEAM (Teaching Exercise/Activity Maintenance), a 3-year project at a large, midwestern university, indicated value in classifying participants…

Tested the theory of planned behavior's (TPB) ability to predict stage of change for physical activity promotion among health professionals. Researchers measured attitudes, subjective norms, intentions, perceived behavioral control, and stage of change, then later reassessed stage of change. TPB variables of attitude, subjective norms, perceived…

Investigated relationships between teachers' belief systems toward physical activity and fitness and what they taught. Researchers observed teachers with high and low physical activity and fitness beliefs, measuring instructional behaviors related to physical activity and fitness. No differences surfaced between groups in percent of class time…

In this study, we examine trends in the patterns of time use of seniors in Canada since the 1980s. In particular, we ask whether today's seniors devote more, or less, time to productive activities than 20 years ago. Our inquiry is motivated by the claims that today's seniors are not engaged in "active aging." This study uses data from a…

The authors examined the factorial validity and factorial invariance of the 3-day physical activity recall (3DPAR) using confirmatory factor analysis. Adolescent girls from two cohorts (N=955, N=1,797) completed the 3DPAR in the eighth grade; participants in Cohort 2 (N=1,658) completed the 3DPAR again 1 year later in the ninth grade. The 3DPAR…

Physical educators are used to setting specific goals for students within a given unit. Here, the author emphasizes that they should also encourage students to set their own goals. Goal setting engages students in the learning process and allows them to develop the skills that support an active lifestyle. The author presents goal setting…

The National Association for Sport and Physical Education's (NASPE) Physical Best program and the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research's (CIAR) FITNESSGRAM have established a partnership to create a comprehensive health-related fitness education and assessment package. The goal of the Physical Best program is to enable students to acquire the…

With the rising rate of overweight among children, it is more important than ever for students to spend an optimal amount of time participating in physical activity. As a means of measuring participation in physical activity, pedometers have become increasingly more common in the physical education classroom. This article shares tips for using…

Although scientists and policy makers have established the importance of physical activity for health and well being across the life span (e.g., Baranowski et al. 2000, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000), youth are not meeting public health physical activity standards (USDHHS, 1997, 2000). And, while physical inactivity…

"Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General" ("Physical Activity and Health"; United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 1996) documented for the first time the cumulative body of evidence related to physical activity and health. This report completed the set of Surgeon General's reports…

This study assessed agreement between participants' rating (PMET) and compendium coding (CMET) of estimating physical activity intensity in a population of older minority women. As part of the Women on the Move study, 224 women completed a 7-day activity diary and wore an accelerometer for 7 days. All activities recorded were coded using PMET and…

Already in childhood, (a) high general and visceral fatness and poor cardiovascular (CV) fitness are linked with dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure, and insulin resistance; (b) higher fatness is associated with low amounts of vigorous physical activity (PA) and relatively "low" energy intake; (c) higher CV fitness is more clearly associated…