Affective and health-related outcome expectancies for physical activity in older adults

This study tests the effects of affective and health-related outcome expectancies on physical exercise, assuming stronger direct and indirect (via intention) effects from affective outcome expectancy to physical exercise than from health-related outcome expectancy to exercise. Physical exercise and social cognitive variables were assessed at baseline, and 6- and 12-month follow-up in 335 older adults (60–95 years of age). Applying structural equation modelling, there was a direct effect from affective, but not from health-related outcome expectancy on intentions and behaviour. Also, the indirect effect from self-efficacy on physical exercise via affective outcome expectancy was significant, whereas the mediation via health-related outcome expectancy was not. These findings emphasise the relative importance of affective versus health-related outcome expectancies in predicting intentions and physical exercise in older adults and highlight the importance to separate these facets at a conceptual level to enhance both theory development and health promotion.     

Interest in Hosting an Exercise Program for Older Adults at African-American Churches

ABSTRACT

The primary objective of this research was to evaluate which type of African-American churches may be good sites for launching an exercise program for older adults. A survey of ministers at 42 African-American churches was conducted. Churches interested in (1) hosting an exercise program for older adults and (2) identifying church members who would take a leadership role in recruitment, are those that are more resourceful in terms of large membership, adequate space, and higher socioeconomic status. Additional ideas are offered on interviewing African-American ministers, and identifying churches interested in reaching out to less resourceful neighboring churches.     

Neuropsychological and neurophysiological effects of strengthening exercise for early dementia: A pilot study

ABSTRACT

Research demonstrates a positive effect of aerobic exercise on cognitive functioning in older adults. Unfortunately, aerobic exercise is often contraindicated for older adults due to cardiovascular and functional limitations. Low-intensity strengthening exercise may offer a practical alternative, but the neuropsychological benefits and potential neurophysiological mechanisms are less well understood. The current study evaluated the effects of a 10-week strengthening exercise intervention on cognitive functioning and EEG in a sample of 13 older adults with early dementia, and 9 normative controls. Results revealed beneficial effects of strengthening exercise on verbal memory coupled with frontal beta and delta power asymmetries and N200 amplitude asymmetry. Results point to increased cognitive efficiency following 10 weeks of strengthening exercise. The findings suggest it is feasible to conduct a strengthening intervention with early dementia patients, and to gather neuropsychological and neurophysiological data to evaluate outcomes. Strengthening exercise may serve as a useful alternative to aerobic exercise.     

Effects of a self-regulation intervention on exercise are moderated by depressive symptoms: A quasi-experimental study

This study investigated whether a computer-based self-regulation intervention increases physical exercise in individuals with or without depressive symptoms. A total of 361 individuals in orthopedic rehabilitation, 36 of them with depressive symptoms, were recruited in Germany. In a quasi-experimental study, individuals were allocated to either a computer-based self-regulation intervention or an online questionnaire. Exercise was measured at the beginning of rehabilitation and six weeks after rehabilitation. Depressive symptoms were assessed at the end of rehabilitation. An analysis of covariance was conducted, controlling for exercise baseline, sex, and phase of assessment. A main effect for depressive symptoms (p = .005) and intervention group (p = .011), as well as a marginal interaction of intervention x depressive symptoms were found (p = .076). Results indicate that the self-regulation exercise intervention in an orthopedic rehabilitation setting seem to be only effective in non-depressed individuals. Future research should examine how health behavior change programs can be designed more effectively for individuals with depressive symptoms.     

Feasibility,acceptability, and impact of a web-based gratitude exercise among individuals in outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder

This mixed methods pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of a web-based gratitude exercise (the ‘Three Good Things’ exercise (TGT)) among 23 adults in outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder. Participants were randomized to TGT or a placebo condition. The intervention was feasible with high rates of completion. Participants found TGT acceptable and welcomed the structure of daily e-mails; however, they found it difficult at times and discontinued TGT when the study ended. Participants associated TGT with gratitude, although there were no observed changes in grateful disposition over time. TGT had a significant effect on decreasing negative affect and increasing unactivated (e.g. feeling calm, at ease) positive affect, although there were no differences between groups at the 8 week follow-up. Qualitative results converged on quantitative findings that TGT was convenient, feasible, and acceptable and additionally suggested that TGT was beneficial for engendering positive cognitions and reinforcing recovery.     

Quadrupedal movement training improves markers of cognition and joint repositioning

IntroductionExercise, and in particular balance and coordination related activities such as dance, appear to have positive effects on cognitive function, as well as neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Quadrupedal gait training is a movement system requiring coordination of all four limbs that has previously been associated with cognitive development in children. There is currently little research into the effect of complex QDP movements on cognitive function in adults.PurposeTo determine the effects of a novel four-week quadrupedal gait training programme on markers of cognitive function and joint reposition sense in healthy adults.MethodsTwenty-two physically active sports science students (15 male and 7 female) were divided into two groups: a training group (TG) and a control group (CG). All participants completed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST) and were tested for joint reposition sense before and after a four-week intervention, during which time the TG completed a series of progressive and challenging quadrupedal movement training sessions.ResultsParticipants in the TG showed significant improvements in the WCST, with improvements in perseverative errors, non-perseverative errors, and conceptual level response. This improvement was not found in the CG. Joint reposition sense also improved for the TG, but only at 20 degrees of shoulder flexion.ConclusionsPerformance of a novel, progressive, and challenging task, requiring the coordination of all 4 limbs, has a beneficial impact on cognitive flexibility, and in joint reposition sense, although only at the specific joint angle directly targeted by the training. The findings are consistent with other studies showing improvements in executive function and joint reposition sense following physical activity.     

A pilot study of women’s affective responses to common and uncommon forms of aerobic exercise

Objective: To test the extent to which participants exposed to an uncommon versus common exercise stimulus would result in more favourable affect at post-task.

Design: Experimental design. Participants (N = 120), American women aged 18–45 years, were randomly assigned to complete 30-min of either the uncommon (HOOP; n = 58) or common (WALK; n = 62) exercise stimulus.

Main outcome measures: Self-reported affect and intentions for future exercise were measured before and after the 30-min exercise bout.

Results: Analyses of covariance were run to compare post-task affect across the HOOP and WALK conditions. At post-task, participants assigned to HOOP reported more positively valenced affect, higher ratings of positive activated affect, lower ratings of negative deactivated affect, and stronger intentions for future aerobic exercise compared to participants assigned to WALK.

Conclusions: Participants who completed an uncommon bout of aerobic exercise (HOOP) reported more favourable affect post-exercise, as well as stronger intentions for future exercise, compared to participants who completed a common bout of aerobic exercise (WALK). Future work using a longitudinal design is needed to understand the relationships between familiarity with an exercise stimulus, affective responses to exercise, motivation for future exercise behaviour and exercise maintenance over time.     

Differential effects of assisted cycling therapy on short-term and working memory of adolescents with Down syndrome

Persons with Down syndrome (DS) suffer from prefrontal cortex dysfunction and deficits in executive functions. The current study examined the effects assisted cycling therapy (ACT) on short-term (STM) and working memory (WM) in adolescents with DS. During ACT, the cadence of participants on a stationary bicycle was augmented with an electrical motor to 180% of the voluntary cadence. Participants completed eight weeks of ACT (n?=?17), eight weeks of voluntary cycling (VC) at their own preferred cadence (n?=?16), or eight weeks of no cycling (np?≥?.149) and working memory improved only in the ACT group (Hedge’s g?=?1.66; p?=?.003). The results indicate that assisted high-cadence cycling (i.e. ACT) produces superior neural benefits in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex compared to VC.     

Cardiovascular Disease in Elders: Is It Inevitable?

Cardiovascular disease is the major cause of death and disability in America. The burden of cardiovascular disease is higher in elders than in younger populations, presumably because of life-long exposure to risk factors such as hypertension, smoking, abnormal blood lipids, lack of exercise, and/or obesity. Many assume that it is too late to attempt to modify risk factors in elders because behavior is so difficult to change. The purpose of this article is to argue that cardiovascular risk factor modification is effective in elders and should be vigorously pursued for the good of individuals, families, communities, and societies.     

Acute effects of exercise on women with pre-existing body image concerns: A test of potential mediators

The primary purpose of this study was to propose and test a mediation model of changes in physical self-efficacy, physical self-perceptions, and affect as mediators by which a single bout of exercise improves state body image. A secondary purpose was to identify how long improvements in state body image are sustained post-exercise. Sixty university-aged women (19.57 ± 1.37 y) with pre-existing body image concerns, and who exercised regularly, were randomized to perform 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise or quiet reading. State body image, physical self-efficacy, physical self-perceptions and affect were assessed. Mediational analyses revealed self-perceptions of body fatness (95% CI [0.03, 0.44], κ² = 0.13, ab_ps = 0.20) and strength (95% CI [0.15, 0.60], κ² = 0.23, ab_ps = 0.33) mediated improvements in state body image which were sustained at least 20 min post-exercise. These results contribute to the development of a model explaining the effects of exercise on body image and practical recommendations for the use of exercise to improve body image.