Perceptions of Important Characteristics of Physical Activity Facilities: Implications for Engagement in Walking, Moderate and Vigorous Physical Activity

The utility of university fitness facilities: Environmental vs. psychological determinants of their use

OBJECTIVE

It is important for college students to engage regularly in physical activity. While psychological factors, such as motivation, are likely to increase attendance at fitness facilities, positive perceptions of the fitness facility (e.g., the type of classes offered) might also influence use of a fitness facility.

PARTICIPANTS

Data were collected from 462 college students.

METHODS

Participants completed a survey that included an assessment of commitment and motivation to exercise, life satisfaction, and perceptions of the environment of the fitness facility they use. They also answered questions about fitness facility preferences.

RESULTS

Commitment and motivation to exercise were associated with use of a fitness facility. Perceptions of the environmental context of the fitness facility did not influence attendance.

CONCLUSIONS

Even though college students shared some preferences (e.g., workout space and lighting), psychological factors were more influential than the environment of a fitness facility with regard to attendance.

RESEARCH ON SPORTS INJURY PREVENTION AND REGIONAL SPORTS FITNESS

ABSTRACT Introduction Many athletes suffer sports injuries during exercise and are susceptible to sequelae due to a variety of post-injury complications that occur in the process of sports activities. Preventing these injuries in physical training, impacts positively on the athletes’ physique. Objective Study the sports habit and regional physical fitness, exploring the prevention strategies in the main sports injuries. Methods This paper elaborates targeted questionnaires (n=568) including proportion of gender, fitness, exercise frequency, duration and intensity of current regional fitness, as well as athletes’ motivations in a Chinese city. Results Current urban residents’ enthusiasm for fitness is high, however due to lack of conditions, athletes tend to choose some sports with lower complexity (circuits, 65.06%; running, 48.84%; walking, 40.46%). Most of the injuries caused by these types of sports are skin abrasions. The severity of these injuries is not high. Conclusion Providing effective exercise guidance to its practitioners can improve their sports cognition, build a foundation for the professional sports system, and provide relevant knowledge about emergency treatments. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment results.

Multilevel correlates of domain-specific physical activity among rural adults - a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Increasing physical activity (PA) in rural communities is a vital prevention tactic in multiple chronic diseases; however, little is known on the multilevel correlates of PA rural areas. A better understanding of domain-specific PA adds context for promoting PA in rural communities. The current study sought to determine factors associated with domain-specific and overall moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in rural communities.

METHODS

Surveys were conducted across 14 rural mid-Western communities, with the final analytical sample including 1241 adults (ages 19-96, M = 57.0 [SD = 16.7], 67.8% female, 83.8% white). Generalized linear models with negative binomial distributions examined the relation between demographics, trail use, and perceptions of the neighborhood environment, with domain-specific and overall MVPA, measured via the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Rural residents reported an average of 617 total minutes of weekly MVPA (SD = 1141), with 58.5% meeting MVPA guidelines. Higher age, female gender, and higher educated individuals had lower levels of overall and occupational MVPA. Females, higher education, and perceived indoor recreational access were associated with lower levels of transportation-related MVPA, while trail use was associated with increased transportation MVPA. Higher age and female gender respondents had lower levels of recreational MVPA, while trail users and those who perceived favorable indoor recreational access had higher levels of recreational MVPA.

CONCLUSIONS

PA primarily occurred in the occupational domain among this sample of rural mid-Western adults. Findings highlight the need for multilevel interventions to address PA across multiple domains in rural communities, especially among females and older adults.

THE INFLUENCING FACTORS OF OPENING OF COLLEGE SPORTS RESOURCES IN THE BACKGROUND OF NATIONAL PUBLIC FITNESS SERVICES

ABSTRACT There are some problems such as few and old equipment in urban community sports fitness facilities, which makes it difficult for community fitness resources to continue to meet the fitness needs of community residents. The opening of university sports resources can alleviate the problem of residents' fitness difficulty to a certain extent. In order to explore the problems faced by the opening of university sports resources, this study established the analytic hierarchy process model based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and Delphi law in the background of national public service of fitness, and combined with the questionnaire survey method to study the influencing factors of opening of college sports. The model modified by the Delphi method contains 6 first-level and 22 second-level influencing factors. It is found that the most important factor in the first level is the hardware factor of college sports resources, and the most important factor of the second level is the spatial layout of university sports resources. The results show that improving the hardware facilities of university sports resources, improving the management mode of sports resources, and increasing the targeted financial subsidies and tax reduction and exemption are helpful to enhance the willingness to open sports resources and improve the quality of opened sports resources. It is hoped that this study can promote the opening of college sports resources and promote the continuous improvement of the service level of sports resources.

Contextualizing Parental/Familial Influence on Physical Activity in Adolescents before and during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Analysis

Parental and familial factors influence numerous aspects of adolescents’ lives, including their physical activity level (PAL). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in PAL which occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to evaluate influence of sociodemographic and parental/familial factors on PAL levels before and during pandemic in adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The sample included 688 adolescents (15–18 years of age; 322 females) who were tested on two occasions: in January 2020 (baseline; before the COVID-19 pandemic) and in April 2020 (follow-up; during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown). Variables included PAL (measured by the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents–PAQ-A) as well as sociodemographic-, parental-, and familial factors. A significant decline in PALs was recorded between baseline and follow-up (t-test: 11.88, p < 0.001). Approximately 50% of adolescents underwent sufficient PAL at baseline, while only 24% of them were achieving sufficient PAL at the time of follow-up measurement. Paternal education was positively correlated (OR (95%CI): baseline: 6.63 (4.58–9.96), follow-up: 3.33 (1.19–7.01)), while familial conflict was negatively correlated (baseline: 0.72 (0.57–0.90), follow-up: 0.77 (0.60–0.99)) with PALs before and during the pandemic. This study highlights the importance of the parent–child relationship and parental/familiar support in promoting physical activity both during regular life and during crises and health challenging situations like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Redesign, Field-Testing, and Validation of the Physical Activity Campus Environmental Supports (PACES) Audit

This paper describes the redesign, field-testing, and convergent validity of a practical tool-Physical Activity Campus Environmental Supports (PACES) audit. Methods. The audit includes two parts: (1) PACES-Programs, which is comprised of questions regarding populations served, fees, programs (recreation/fitness classes and intramurals), proximity, adequacy of facilities, and marketing, and (2) PACES-Facilities, which is comprised of questions regarding built environment (aesthetics, bike racks, stairs, and universal design), recreation equipment, staff, amenities, and access. Each item criterion is specifically scored using a five-point, semantic-differential scale ranging from limited to extensive environmental support. A few questions utilize select all that apply for a summed score. PACES training, interrater reliability, and data collection are all accessible via an online portal. PACES was tested on 76 college campuses. Convergent validity was examined by comparing the PACES-Programs questions to Healthy Campus Initiatives-Programs questions (HCI-Programs) and comparing the PACES-Facilities questions to questions contained in the Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA) Instrument. Statistical analyses included Cronbach's alpha, ANOVA, latent profile analysis, and Spearman correlations. Results. The PACES-Programs audit includes 10 items for a potential total of 73 points (α = 0.72) and PACES-Facilities audit includes 15 items for a potential total of 77 points (α = 0.837). Most (77.8%) of the 153 facilities assessed scored in the most healthful range (20-42), which was mainly due to the extensiveness of the aerobic equipment/amenities and the competence/accessibility of staff. Significant differences in PACES-Total and PACES-Programs scores were associated with campus size and PACES-Facilities across regions. For the paired validation assessments, correlations were significant between PACES-Programs and HCI-Programs ((n=41) r=0.498, p < 0.001) and PACES-Facilities and PARA (n=29) for both features (r=0.417, p=0.024) and amenities (r=0.612, p < 0.001), indicating moderate convergent validity. Conclusion. The PACES audit is a valid, reliable tool for assessing the quality of recreation facilities and programs in a variety of college campus environments.