Energy expenditure and dietary intake of female collegiate tennis and soccer players during a competitive season

This study examined energy expenditure, dietary behavior, and energy balance of female tennis and soccer student-athletes during a competitive season. A sample of 18 (Mage=19.86±1.35 years) Division I female collegiate student-athletes (5 tennis and 13 soccer players) were followed for four days, i. e., during one game/match, two practice sessions, and one recovery day. Physical activity was assessed with accelerometers and dietary behavior with daily food logs. Daily energy expenditure for the game/match, practice, and rest days was 2,848±304kcal, 2,622±248kcal, and 1,833±959kcal, respectively, with a statistically significant main effect (F[2,16]=82.291, p<.001, η2=.91). Daily dietary intake ranged from 1,833±959 to 1849±371kcal, with no significant interaction between different days. There were no sport specific differences in energy expenditure or dietary behaviors. Athletes consumed 4.30±2.07 g/kg carbohydrates, 1.57±.98 g/kg protein, and 1.27±.80 g/kg fats daily. There was a significant main effect in dietary intake (F[2,16]=7.311, p=.006, η2=.48), with a difference between game/match and recovery days (t[17]=3.83, p=.001, d=1.19). This study showed a negative energy balance among female student-athletes. The findings indicate that the lack of carbohydrate intake during game/match days contributed to this energy deficit

An Exposure-Based Intervention Dismantles College-Aged Females’ Barriers for Resistance Training: Project WONDER Training

This study aimed to examine the effects of an exposure-based resistance training (RT) intervention on perceived barriers, benefits, and motives for RT in college-aged females and to assess moderating effects of a trainer-trainee relationship on any intervention outcomes. A sample of 13 (Mage = 20.7 ± 1.3y) physically active, non-resistance training female students completed an 8-week intervention (1hr 45min, twice per week). The intervention was effective in reducing perceived time/effort (t[12] = 5.02, p &lt; 0.001, d = 1.81), physical effect (t[12] = 2.48, p = 0.029, d = 0.86) and social (t[12] = 4.86, p &lt; .001, d = 1.97) RT barriers. A positive change pattern was established in stress management (t[12] = 2.21, p = 0.048, d = 0.62), revitalization (t[12] = 2.71, p = .019, d = 0.95), and enjoyment (t[12] = 3.53, p = .004, d = 1.18). Finally, the analyses showed that goal (β = 0.23[0.02], p &lt; 0001, R2 = 0.979) and bond (β = 0.21[.01], p &lt; 0001, R2 = 0.995) alliances were positive moderators with large-sized effects on changes in physical barriers. For stress management, bond alliance was the only statistically significant, small-sized moderator, with a greater bond increasing the effect on the intervention (β = 0.21[.01], p &lt; 0001, R2 = 0.997). This data suggests that an exposure-based RT intervention is beneficial for reducing perceived RT barriers in physically active, non-resistance training college-aged women and that bond-oriented support from the trainer is especially impactful in reducing some of those perceived barriers

Parents Shape their Children’s Physical Activity During Unstructured Recess Through Intrinsic Value the Children Possess

Parents beliefs processes has shown to relate to their children’s decisions making. Thus, grounded in the expectancy-value theory, the aim of this study was to examine parents’ role in shaping elementary school students’ beliefs and task values toward students’ school-time physical activity (PA) and their moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) behavior during unstructured recess. A convenience sample of 115 (Mage = 10.12±1.81) children and their parents/guardians were recruited, and their expectancy-beliefs and attainment, utility, and interest values toward school-time PA were assessed. In addition, children’s MVPA during recess was measured using waist-attached accelerometers. Results showed that parents impacted children’s recess PA in different ways depending on children’s gender. In girls, parents’ beliefs and values transferred directly to the subsequent values of their children, whereas parents’ beliefs were the central predictors of boys’ beliefs and values. Parents’ intrinsic value moderated girls’ MVPA via the intrinsic value of the participants possessed (Z = 1.73, p = .010, 90% CI [.36, 2.93]), whereas parents’ beliefs moderated boys’ intrinsic value – MVPA relationship (Z = .78, p &lt; .001, 90% CI [.39, 1.10]). This study suggests applying gender-specific strategies when trying to understand how beliefs and task values impact PA-related behaviors

Effect of Psychological Need-Supportive Summer Camp: FIT-Dawg Girls Summer Camp

Physical activity (PA) is a major factor related to obesity risk. Research has shown PA interventions among adolescents to be moderately successful in short-term but limited to longer-term. Self-determination theory (SDT) postulates that a psychological need-supportive environment (i.e. one that supports competence, autonomy, and social relatedness) is effective in maintaining volitional motivation which can lead to sustained positive behavioral changes including PA. Although research has supported the central tenets of the SDT, there is limited evidence examining whether a summer camp intervention can sustain improvements in PA motivation and behavior. Thus, this study examined the acute and 12-weeks longer-term effectiveness of a five-day psychological need-support centered summer camp on healthy weight and overweight adolescent girls’ weight management behaviors. A single-group case series study with pre-, post, and 12-week follow-up-test analyses. A sample comprised 42 (Mage = 11.70±1.12) adolescent females. Exercise motivation, PA intention, and PA and dietary behaviors were measured. The findings showed a between-group effect on daily steps (F(1, 19) = 15.83, p = .001,ηp2 = .46), moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (F(1, 19) = 4.58, p = .046, ηp2 = .19), energy intake (F(1, 19) = 7.23, p = .013, ηp2 = .27), PA intention (F(2, 18) = 6.25, p = .024, ηp2 = .28), intrinsic motivation (F(2, 18) = 6.25, p = .024, ηp2 = .28), and amotivation (F(2, 18) = 16.25, p &lt; .001, ηp2 = .54). A need-supportive summer camp may be especially effective in improving PA motivation and behavior in overweight girls

Predicting accelerometer-based physical activity in physical education and total physical activity: The Self-determination Theory approach

The present study tested the motivational model of physical education (PE) including needs for competence, autonomy, social relatedness, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, in-class moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and total MVPA. Participants were 490 (264 girls, 226 boys) Finnish elementary school students. The data were collected using accelerometers and questionnaires for a seven-day period during the fall semester 2017. The key findings were that 1) social relatedness associated with total MVPA via in-class MVPA in girls, whereas competence was linked to in-class MVPA through extrinsic motivation in boys, 2) competence was positively linked to extrinsic motivation in a similar way in both girls and boys, 3) social relatedness and in-class MVPA were positively associated with total MVPA in both girls and boys, 4) competence, autonomy, and relatedness were positively linked to intrinsic motivation in girls when only competence and autonomy were related to intrinsic motivation in boys, and 5) in-class MVPA contributed 36% of total weekly MVPA minutes in the present sample. Although the indirect relationships between study variables did not fully support the existing PE motivational model, the direct associations showed that needs of competence, autonomy, relatedness could be promoted in PE classes to support intrinsic motivation, and total MVPA.This project was financially supported by The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture and The Otto A. Malm Foundation, Finland

Physical activity break program to improve elementary students’ executive function and mathematics performance

The study examined the effectiveness of a 4-week classroom-based, technology-assisted physical activity break program on elementary students’ reaction time, response inhibition control, and mathematics performance. Participants included 40 (8–9-year-old) elementary school students located in the mid-south United States (US) who were cluster-randomised and allocated to the intervention (n = 19; 14 boys, 5 girls) and school-as-usual (n = 21; 17 boys, 4 girls) groups. The intervention group played FitNexx active video game 10-minutes daily before mathematics classes. Data collection included mathematics performance test and cued Go/No-Go test for inhibitory control and reaction time. The findings showed that the intervention had a positive effect on students’ reaction time (F[2,39] = 29.98, p \u3c.001, η 2 =.45) and response inhibition control (F[2,39] = 21.02, p \u3c.001, η 2 =.36). No effect was found on mathematics performance (F[2, 35] =.51, p =.479, η 2 =.02). The study contributes by providing evidence on how technology-assisted classroom activity breaks can produce positive, chronic cognitive response

Factorial Validity and Internal Consistency of the Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale

The aim of the study was to examine the construct validity and internal consistency of the Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale (MCPES). A key element of the development process of the scale was establishing a theoretical framework that integrated the dimensions of task- and ego involving climates in conjunction with autonomy, and social relatedness supporting climates. These constructs were adopted from the self-determination and achievement goal theories. A sample of Finnish Grade 9 students, comprising 2,594 girls and 1,803 boys, completed the 18-item MCPES during one physical education class. The results of the study demonstrated that participants had highest mean in task-involving climate and the lowest in autonomy climate and ego-involving climate. Additionally, autonomy, social relatedness, and task- involving climates were significantly and strongly correlated with each other, whereas the ego- involving climate had low or negligible correlations with the other climate dimensions.The construct validity of the MCPES was analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. The statistical fit of the four-factor model consisting of motivational climate factors supporting perceived autonomy, social relatedness, task-involvement, and ego-involvement was satisfactory. The results of the reliability analysis showed acceptable internal consistencies for all four dimensions. The Motivational Climate in Physical Education Scale can be considered as psychometrically valid tool to measure motivational climate in Finnish Grade 9 students