Sports Health & Fitness – Page 14

Assessing the Dietary Quality and Health Status among Division 1 College Athletes at Moderate Altitude

Authors: Jay T. Sutliffe, Julia C. Gardner, Jenny M. Gormley, Mary Jo. Carnot, and Alison Adams

Corresponding Author:
Jay Sutliffe, PhD, RD
PO Box 15095
Flagstaff AZ, 86011
Jay.sutliffe@nau.edu
928-523-7596

Jay T. Sutliffe is Associate Professor of Nutrition and Foods and the Director of the PRANDIAL Lab at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ; Julia C. Gardner is a research coordinator with the PRANDIAL Lab at Northern Arizona University; Mary Jo Carnot is professor of Counseling, Psychological Sciences, and Social Work at Chadron State College in Chadron, NE.; Jenny M. Gormley is a research assistant and student at Northern Arizona University; Alison Adams, is Professor of Biology at Northern Arizona University.

Assessing the Dietary Quality and Health Status Among Division 1 College Athletes at Moderate Altitude

ABSTRACT

Student-athletes’ dietary habits are ingrained in a complex interaction as they seek to maintain the balance between student and athlete. Assessing the dietary habits and lifestyle factors associated with this highly demanding population is the focus of this study. Eighty-nine Division I Collegiate Athletes was assessed (age 19.84 ± 1.15 yr). Measurements included diet quality, body composition, blood lipid profiling, and wellness factors. Significant deficiencies in Vitamin D (football 6.68 ± 5.84; basketball 4.33 ± 3.17; swim/dive 4 ± 2.97; volleyball 4.07 ± 2.97) and Omega 3-EPA & DHA (football 125.84 ± 301.03; basketball 53.92 ± 48.05; swim/dive 29.45 ± 35.83; volleyball 42.79 ± 30.77), Calcium (swim/dive 1083.55 ± 437.88), and Potassium (swim/dive 1083.55 ± 437.88) were reported. All teams exhibited an energy deficit, however, the highest energy deficit was for football (-843.57 calories). All teams had higher than recommended levels of perceived stress, averaging 20.63, and swim/dive had higher levels of depressive symptoms (6.17 ± 3.30). All teams reported poor sleep quality, averaging 7.20. This assessment indicates variability in dietary quality and wellness factors among individuals and teams. Individualized guidelines should be recommended for those experiencing food intake challenges such as the unique needs of moderate altitude athletes.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-01-31T14:42:08-06:00February 7th, 2019|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Evaluation of Possible Anthropometric Advantage in Sit-Up Test

Authors: David Peterson, Meighan Middleton, and Sharon Christman

Corresponding Author:
David D. Peterson, EdD, CSCS*D
Cedarville University
251 N. Main St.
Cedarville, OH 45314
ddpeterson@cedarville.edu
(937) 766-7761

Dr. Peterson is an associate professor of kinesiology at Cedarville University (CU) and currently serves as the Director of the Multi-Age Physical Education (MAPE) program at CU.

Evaluation of Possible Anthropometric Advantage in Sit-Up Test

ABSTRACT

The U.S. Navy currently employs sit-ups as part of its semi-annual physical fitness in order to assess the abdominal muscular endurance of service-members. However, there is speculation that sit-up performance may be associated with anthropometric proportions thereby affording certain service-members with a biomechanical advantage. To test this theory, anthropometric measurements were taken at various sites (i.e., humerus, torso, femur, and tibia) across a convenience sample of 69 participants (37 male / 32 female), to include student, active duty, and retired military personnel from the United States Naval Academy. Humerus length (r = .297), tibia length (r = .385) and sex (r = .314) were all found to be moderately correlated with sit-up performance. These findings, coupled with well-documented concerns of the sit-ups in terms of safety and relevance in the literature, make a compelling argument for the identification and implementation of other potential field tests to assess abdominal muscular endurance.

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U.S. Sports Academy2019-02-04T08:46:29-06:00January 31st, 2019|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Movement Competency Screen Predicts Performance in Female Military Academy Recruits

Authors: Alex M. Warshaw1, David D. Peterson2, Sharon M. Henry1
1 Rehabilitation and Movement Science Department, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
2 Kinesiology and Allied Health Department, Cedarville University, Cedarville, OH, USA

Corresponding Author:
David D. Peterson, EdD, CSCS*D
Cedarville University
251 N. Main Street
Cedarville, OH 45314
ddpeterson@cedarville.edu
(937) 766-7761

Dr. Peterson is an associate professor of kinesiology at Cedarville University (CU) and currently serves as the Director of the Multi-Age Physical Education (MAPE) program at CU.

Movement Competency Screen Predicts Performance in Female Military Academy Recruits

ABSTRACT
Musculoskeletal injuries in military populations are a leading cause for reduced physical readiness (15). Utilizing a screening tool that predicts physical performance and injuries could help identify recruits who need remedial training or conditioning. The Movement Competency Screen (MCS) identifies poor movement patterns and suggests safe load levels for individuals (8). This study sought to establish the predictive ability of the MCS for injuries and performance in United States Naval Academy (USNA) recruits over four years. Fifteen female and 26 male recruits completed the MCS upon entry into the academy. The recruits’ Physical Readiness Test (PRT) scores and injury data were collected for eight semesters. Correlations between MCS scores and recruits’ number of injuries, missed “duty days”, and region of injury were identified using Pearson correlation coefficients. Additionally, correlations between MCS scores and recruits’ overall PRT score, number of push-ups, curl-ups, and their 1.5-mile run time were calculated. Within the first year at USNA recruits’ MCS scores correlated with the number of injuries and missed “duty days”; however, this correlation was not sustained. Recruits also experienced the most injuries in the first year. For female recruits, higher MCS scores correlated with better PRT scores, number of push-ups, and 1.5 mile run times. With its high inter- and intra-rater reliability (12), the MCS could be used to identify poor movement patterns and guide remedial training to help prevent future injury. Further research should focus on a larger military population to determine if the MCS’s predictive abilities go beyond a military academy population.
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U.S. Sports Academy2018-10-23T16:39:58-05:00November 1st, 2018|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Fitness and Health Center Evaluation by Resigned Female Members

Authors: Dr. George F. Zarotis

Corresponding Author:
Dr. George F. Zarotis
Von-Andreae-Str. 1
51427 Bergisch Gladbach, Germany
E-Mail: drgzarotis@t-online.de, E-Mail: zarotisg@rhodes.aegean.gr

Dr. George F. Zarotis studied sports science at the German Sport University Cologne, prevention and rehabilitation through sport at the Ruhr-University Bochum (Master Degree) and sports economics and sports management at the Open University Hagen; Doctorate in the subjects of leisure science and rehabilitation at the German Sport University Cologne (PhD), Lecturer at the Institute for European Sports Development and Leisure Research of the German Sport University Cologne and at the University of Applied Sciences for Applied Management in Unna; since 2004 lecturer at the Faculty for Human Sciences of the Aegean University in Rhodes/Greece.

Fitness and Health Center Evaluation by Resigned Female Members

ABSTRACT
In the evaluations and statistical analyses presented here we examine the question to what extent are the evaluations of a fitness studio, by females dropping out from their contract, age-dependent. In other words: do studio evaluations – that probably have played a role in the quitting decision – have a different basis in older women in relation to younger women? According to the life stages, do other needs and therefore other preferences regarding the studio conditions play a role here?

A total of 164 women, who had terminated their contract with a fitness studio, were questioned. The survey was conducted as a telephone inquiry about their actual decision. Overall, it is found that only a few of the reasons offered in the survey are also indicated in significant frequency as important for the quitting decision. On the whole, the various aspects of the studio offer and its surroundings were largely rated as “good”, the mean values range around the value 2. The respondents particularly expressed their appreciation for the trainers (friendliness, helpfulness, competence), followed by opening hours, trial training and first impression. The membership costs and individual aspects such as spaciousness, music and ventilation are evaluated more critically, if not really badly. As regards the respondents’ age, there are only minor evaluation differences among the age categories.

These small differences in age have, depending on the item evaluated, very different directions. The correlations between age and studio evaluation are usually weak up to practically non-existent and in most cases also clearly not significant. Weak but distinguished from chance effects appear in the characteristics endurance training offer and parking facilities.
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U.S. Sports Academy2018-07-23T09:29:39-05:00August 23rd, 2018|Commentary, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off

Assessment of motivations of masters athletes at the World Masters Games

Authors: Joe Walsh, Ian Timothy Heazlewood, Mark DeBeliso, Mike Climstein

Corresponding Author:
Joe Walsh
School of Psychological and Clinical Sciences
Faculty of Engineering, Health, Science and the Environment
Charles Darwin University
Darwin, NT, 0909
Australia
jo.walsh@cdu.edu.au
+618 8946 7215

Joe Walsh is affiliated with The School of Psychological and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Health, Science and the Environment, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.
Ian Timothy Heazlewood is Associate Professor and Theme Leader Exercise and Sport Science in The School of Psychological and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Engineering, Health, Science and the Environment, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

Mark DeBeliso is Professor, Department of Physical Education and Human Performance, Southern Utah University, Cedar City, USA

Dr. Mike Climstein (FASMF, FACSM, FAAESS, AEP) is with Clinical Exercise Physiology, Southern Cross University, School of Health and Human Sciences, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia; Adjunct Associate Professor with The University of Sydney, Exercise, Health and Performance Faculty Research Group, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and Adjunct Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Water Based Research Unit, Bond University, Robina, Queensland, Australia.

Assessment of motivations of masters athletes at the World Masters Games

ABSTRACT
The Motivations of Marathoners Scales (MOMS) is a quantitative instrument for assessing motivation of marathon participants. A large sample of masters athletes completed the MOMS as part of a questionnaire at the World Masters Games (WMG), the world’s largest multisport event. The aim of this research project was to document statistical patterns within this sample for the psychological variables in the MOMS. As the MOMS had been used for 25 years, this large sample represented a good opportunity to document patterns in the application of the MOMS psychometric tool and recommendations for those interested in promoting masters sports, based upon the participant motivations to compete. Statistically significant patterns were identified in the motivations of the 3,928 participants (2,010 male, 1,918 female) who completed the 56 question MOMS survey. As well as gender-based differences in motivations, 37 of the 56 questions were identified as being more or less important motivators by the participants. The most motivation for the cohort as a whole was given by the item construct “to socialize with other participants”, though there were also significant differences between the two genders. The weight control questions indicated these masters athletes did not place a priority on this construct, thus focusing marketing initiatives on constructs such as weight control may be ineffective. For promotion of participation in masters sport and by inference physical activity at older ages, marketing initiatives would focus on such constructs as to compete with others, to improving sporting performance, socialization, health improvement, improving physical fitness, feeling a sense of achievement, pushing oneself beyond current limits and staying in physical condition, all of which were more highly rated by participants than weight control.
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U.S. Sports Academy2018-07-11T14:09:51-05:00July 24th, 2018|Research, Sports Health & Fitness|Comments Off