Physical Activity In Young Women Research Articles

Exploring The Relationships Between Gender Norms, Self-efficacy And Physical Activity In Young Women

The majority of adults do not accumulate sufficient amounts of physical activity (PA) to reduce chronic disease risk and women are consistently less active than men. Gender norms and self-efficacy (SE) for PA are known factors that impact women’s PA, but the antecedents of these factors are not fully understood. Benevolent sexism, a covert form of sexism, has been shown to decrease women’s SE and perpetuate restrictive gender roles, but has not been investigated in the PA domain. PURPOSE: To assess the relationships between benevolent sexism and SE, screen time, and PA in young women. METHODS: An online survey was administered to N=156 women that included the 22-item Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, sedentary (sitting or laying down) screen time questions, and the Self-efficacy for PA questionnaire. Spearman correlations were calculated to assess the strength of association between benevolent sexism and SE, screen time, and PA outcomes [Moderate (MPA), Moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA), and Vigorous (VPA)]. RESULTS: Participants (N=156, 24±3.7 years old, 72.6% white, 10.8% Latino, 5.7% black, 7.7% Asian, 3.24% Other) were active (mins of MVPA/wk, Median (IQR)=561 (807.5)), accumulated (mean+SD) 11.6±5.3 hours of screen time/day, and reported an average benevolent sexism score of 1.6±0.8 (range 1 to 5). Associations among SE and MPA, VPA, and MVPA were r=0.06, 0.45, and 0.24, respectively; and r=-0.34 with screen time. No significant associations were observed between benevolent sexism and PA outcomes, screen time, or SE (r=-0.12 to 0.11). CONCLUSIONS: In this sample of young women, benevolent sexism was not associated with PA, screen time, or SE, a common psychosocial mediator. However, participants reported being extremely active, which may reflect significant over-reporting, and they reported very low benevolent sexism scores, which may reflect social desirability bias; neither may be generalizable beyond this sample. Future research should assess these relationships in more diverse populations and use an objective assessment of PA to better understand the role of benevolent sexism, if any, on women’s PA.

Identification of objective (measurable) effects of systematic physical activity of young women participating in Slavica® Dance training

Background: Multiple data suggest that cardio workouts improve young women’s cardiorespiratory fitness and heart rate. The main goal of this paper is to identify objective (i.e. measurable) effects of systematic physical activity in young women participating in Slavica Dance training. Material and methods: Twenty-six young women, aged 20–21 years, constituted one group. Aerobic capacity, anaerobic threshold, heart rate and anaerobic energy metabolism were measured before and after the 8-week training period. Results: Regular participation in the Slavica Dance training resulted in a statistically significant increase in the volume of oxygen delivered and used per minute by the subjects’ bodies (3.0% on average). In addition, there was an average relative increase in the anaerobic threshold (AT) of about 2.5%, an average relative decrease in the heart rate (HR) of about 1.0% and a decrease in the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) during exercise of about 2.6%. Conclusions: Participating in the Slavica Dance training twice a week for eight weeks increased the performance capacity measured by the maximum oxygen consumption VO2max. A proper training plan not only helps to achieve the desired results, but also provides an interesting form of physical activity for women of all ages.

Urinary incontinence, body mass index, and physical activity in young women

Current evidence suggests that excess weight and obesity are important risk factors for urinary incontinence in women. However, limited data exist regarding the relationships among body mass index, physical activity, and urinary incontinence in women in their 20s. This study aimed to (1) compare prevalence rates of urinary incontinence and high body mass index in 2 cohorts of young women, (2) explore associations between changes in body mass index and urinary incontinence using analysis of combined data from the 2 cohorts, and (3) explore the associations between physical activity and urinary incontinence, with adjustment for body mass index. Data were collected from 2 cohorts of young women in the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health (n=16,065), born 17 years apart: 1973-1978 (cohort 1) and 1989-1995 (cohort 2). The women in both cohorts completed the surveys at age 18 to 23 years (T1), with follow-up 4 years later (age, 22-27 years; T2). Self-reported urinary incontinence and body mass index were assessed in both surveys. As physical activity was measured using different questions in cohort 1 at T1, self-reported physical activity data were from T2 only. A total of 9 body mass index transition categories (based on body mass index status at baseline and follow-up) and 4 physical activity categories were created to assess multivariate-adjusted prevalence ratios for urinary incontinence at T2, using Poisson regression. Rates of obesity increased in both cohorts over 4 years, from 6.6%% (95% confidence interval, 6.1-7.2) to 10.4% (95% confidence interval, 9.7-11.0) in cohort 1 and from 11.7% (95% confidence interval, 11.0-12.4) to 19.6% (95% confidence interval, 18.7-20.5) in cohort 2. Compared with women who maintained normal body mass index at T1 and T2, the prevalence ratio for urinary incontinence among those with body mass index >30 at age 22 to 27 years was higher, regardless of body mass index category at age 18 to 23 years (prevalence ratio at T1: 1.39 for normal body mass index [95% confidence interval, 1.1-1.76]; 1.44 for overweight [95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.63]; and 1.51 for obese [95% confidence interval, 1.36-1.67]). In cohort 1, there was no relationship between physical activity and urinary incontinence. However, in cohort 2 there was an inverse dose-response relationship between physical activity and urinary incontinence. The strong association between obesity and urinary incontinence in young women is a public health concern, given that obesity rates are likely to increase further with age and parity. The potential mitigating effects of physical activity on the obesity-incontinence relationship merit further investigation.

Evaluating Relationships Between Sleep and Next-Day Physical Activity in Young Women.

To evaluate the relationship between sleep and next-day physical activity (PA) under free-living conditions in women. Sleep and PA were measured objectively for 7 consecutive days by accelerometry in 330 young adult women (aged 17-25y). A structural equation model was used to evaluate the relationship between the driving factor of sleep (total sleep or morning wake time) and the amount of nonsleep sedentary (SED) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each day. With sleep duration as the driving factor, the estimates of βSED and βMVPA were -0.415 and -0.093, respectively (P ≤ .05). For every hour slept, a 24.9-minute reduction in SED time and a 5.58-minute reduction in MVPA were observed. With wake time as the driving factor, the estimates of βSED and βMVPA were -0.636 and -0.149, respectively. For every wake time that was 1hour later, a 38.2-minute decrease in SED and a 8.9-minute decrease in MVPA (P ≤ .05) were observed. Women who wake later or who sleep longer tend to get less MVPA throughout the day. Getting up earlier and going to bed earlier may support behaviors that improve PA and lifestyle.

Benefits of Physical Activity during Pregnancy and Postpartum: An Umbrella Review.

This study aimed to summarize the evidence from the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report, including new evidence from an updated search of the effects of physical activity on maternal health during pregnancy and postpartum. An initial search was undertaken to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2006 and 2016. An updated search then identified additional systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between January 2017 and February 2018. The searches were conducted in PubMed®, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library and supplemented through hand searches of reference lists of included articles and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The original and updated searches yielded a total of 76 systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Strong evidence demonstrated that moderate-intensity physical activity reduced the risk of excessive gestational weight gain, gestational diabetes, and symptoms of postpartum depression. Limited evidence suggested an inverse relationship between physical activity and risk of preeclampsia, gestational hypertension, and antenatal anxiety and depressive symptomology. Insufficient evidence was available to determine the effect of physical activity on postpartum weight loss, postpartum anxiety, and affect during both pregnancy and postpartum. For all health outcomes, there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the relationships varied by age, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or prepregnancy weight status. The gestational period is an opportunity to promote positive health behaviors that can have both short- and long-term benefits for the mother. Given the low prevalence of physical activity in young women in general, and the high prevalence of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases among the U.S. population, the public health importance of increasing physical activity in women of childbearing age before, during, and after pregnancy is substantial.

Early response of selected haemostatic and haematological parameters to physical activity in young women – the potential impact of oral contraceptives

Early response of selected haemostatic and haematological parameters to physical activity in young women – the potential impact of oral contraceptives

Do intrapersonal factors mediate the association of social support with physical activity in young women living in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods? A longitudinal mediation analysis.

BackgroundLevels of physical activity (PA) decrease when transitioning from adolescence into young adulthood. Evidence suggests that social support and intrapersonal factors (self-efficacy, outcome expectations, PA enjoyment) are associated with PA. The aim of the present study was to explore whether cross-sectional and longitudinal associations of social support from family and friends with leisure-time PA (LTPA) among young women living in disadvantaged areas were mediated by intrapersonal factors (PA enjoyment, outcome expectations, self-efficacy).MethodsSurvey data were collected from 18–30 year-old women living in disadvantaged suburbs of Victoria, Australia as part of the READI study in 2007–2008 (T0, N = 1197), with follow-up data collected in 2010–2011 (T1, N = 357) and 2012–2013 (T2, N = 271). A series of single-mediator models were tested using baseline (T0) and longitudinal data from all three time points with residual change scores for changes between measurements.ResultsCross-sectional analyses showed that social support was associated with LTPA both directly and indirectly, mediated by intrapersonal factors. Each intrapersonal factor explained between 5.9–37.5% of the associations. None of the intrapersonal factors were significant mediators in the longitudinal analyses.ConclusionsResults from the cross-sectional analyses suggest that the associations of social support from family and from friends with LTPA are mediated by intrapersonal factors (PA enjoyment, outcome expectations and self-efficacy). However, longitudinal analyses did not confirm these findings.

Development and Testing of a Mobile Phone App for Self-Monitoring of Calcium Intake in Young Women.

BackgroundInterventions to prevent osteoporosis by increasing dairy intake or physical activity in young women have been limited to increasing osteoporosis knowledge and awareness. However, findings have shown that this does not always lead to a change in behaviors. Self-monitoring using mobile devices in behavioral interventions has yielded significant and positive outcomes. Yet, to our knowledge, mobile self-monitoring has not been used as an intervention strategy to increase calcium intake, particularly in young women, for better bone health outcomes.ObjectiveAs development and testing of mobile app–based interventions requires a sequence of steps, our study focused on testing the acceptability and usability of Calci-app, a dietary app to self-monitor calcium consumption, before it is used in a behavioral change intervention in young women aged 18-25 years.MethodsCalci-app development followed 4 steps: (1) conceptualization, (2) development and pretesting, (3) pilot testing, and (4) mixed methods evaluation.ResultsWe present the development process of Calci-app and evaluation of the acceptability and usability of the app in young women. Overall, 78% (31/40) of study participants completed the 5-day food record with high compliance levels (defined as more than 3 days of full or partial completion). There was a significant reduction in the proportion of participants completing all meal entries over the 5 days (P=.01). Participants generally found Calci-app easy and convenient to use, but it was time-consuming and they expressed a lack of motivation to use the app.ConclusionsWe present a detailed description of the development process of Calci-app and an evaluation of its usability and acceptability to self-monitor dietary calcium intake. The findings from this preliminary study demonstrated acceptable use of Calci-app to self-monitor calcium consumption. However, for regular and long-term use the self-monitoring function in Calci-app could be expanded to allow participants to view their total daily calcium intake compared with the recommended daily intake. Additionally, to facilitate sustainable lifestyle behavior modifications, a combination of various behavior change techniques should be considered, such as education, goal setting, and advice to participants based on their stage of change. The feedback on barriers and facilitators from testing Calci-app will be used to design a bone health mHealth intervention to modify risky lifestyle behaviors in young women for better bone health outcomes.

Associations between Unhealthy Diet and Lifestyle Behaviours and Increased Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Young Overweight and Obese Women.

Unhealthy lifestyle behaviours are known modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). This cross-sectional analysis aimed to describe lifestyle behaviours and CVD risk markers in young overweight and obese Australian women and explore associations between individual and combined lifestyle behaviours with CVD risk markers. Lifestyle behaviours assessed were diet quality, alcohol intake, physical activity, sitting time and smoking status, and were combined to generate a Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS) (0–5). Objectively measured CVD risk markers were body mass index (BMI), %body fat, waist circumference, blood pressure, and plasma cholesterol and triglycerides. Analysis included 49 women aged 18–35 years, with BMI 25.0 to 34.9 kg/m2. The mean ± SD Australian Recommended Food Score was 33.5 ± 9.3 points, alcohol 3.3 ± 2.4 standard drinks/day, physical activity 207 ± 225 min/week and sitting time 578 ± 213 min/day. All participants were non-smokers. The proportion of participants outside normal reference ranges was 83.7% for waist circumference (n = 41), blood pressure 0% (n = 0), total cholesterol 26.2% (n = 11), HDL cholesterol 38.6% (n = 17), LDL cholesterol 22.7% (n = 10), and triglycerides 4.2% (n = 2). Physical activity was inversely associated with body fat (β = −0.011%, p = 0.005), diastolic blood pressure (β = −0.010 mmHg, p = 0.031) and waist circumference (β = −0.013 cm, p = 0.029). Most participants (59.2%, n = 29) had a HLS ≤ 2. No significant associations were found between HLS and CVD risk markers. Insufficient physical activity was the primary lifestyle factor associated with increased CVD risk markers, which suggests interventions targeting physical activity in young women may potentially improve cardiovascular health.

Frequency, Type, and Volume of Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in Young Women.

The inverse association between physical activity and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk has primarily been shown in studies of middle-aged and older adults. Evidence for the benefits of frequency, type, and volume of leisure-time physical activity in young women is limited. We conducted a prospective analysis among 97 230 women aged 27 to 44 years at baseline in 1991. Leisure-time physical activity was assessed biennially by questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine the associations between physical activity frequency, type, and volume, and CHD risk. During 20 years of follow-up, we documented 544 incident CHD cases. In multivariable-adjusted models, the hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of CHD comparing ≥30 with <1 metabolic equivalent of task-hours/wk of physical activity was 0.75 (0.57-0.99) (P, trend=0.01). Brisk walking alone was also associated with significantly lower CHD risk. Physical activity frequency was not associated with CHD risk when models also included overall activity volume. Finally, the association was not modified by body mass index (kg/m(2)) (P, interaction=0.70). Active women (≥30 metabolic equivalent of task-hours/wk) with body mass index<25 kg/m(2) had 0.52 (95% confidence interval, 0.35-0.78) times the rate of CHD in comparison with women who were obese (body mass index≥30 kg/m(2)) and inactive (physical activity <1 metabolic equivalent of task-hours/wk). These prospective data suggest that total volume of leisure-time physical activity is associated with lower risk of incident CHD among young women. In addition, this association was not modified by weight, emphasizing that it is important for normal weight, overweight, and obese women to be physically active.

A Comparison of Self-Reported and Objective Physical Activity Measures in Young Australian Women.

BackgroundThe evidence for beneficial effects of recommended levels of physical activity is overwhelming. However, 70% of Australians fail to meet these levels. In particular, physical activity participation by women falls sharply between ages 16 to 25 years. Further information about physical activity measures in young women is needed. Self-administered questionnaires are often used to measure physical activity given their ease of application, but known limitations, including recall bias, compromise the accuracy of data. Alternatives such as objective measures are commonly used to overcome this problem, but are more costly and time consuming.ObjectiveTo compare the output between the Modified Active Australia Survey (MAAS), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and an objective physical activity measure—the SenseWear Armband (SWA)—to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the MAAS and to determine the acceptability of the SWA among young women.MethodsYoung women from Victoria, Australia, aged 18 to 25 years who had participated in previous studies via Facebook advertising were recruited. Participants completed the two physical activity questionnaires online, immediately before and after wearing the armband for 7 consecutive days. Data from the SWA was blocked into 10-minute activity times. Follow-up IPAQ, MAAS, and SWA data were analyzed by comparing the total continuous and categorical activity scores, while concurrent validity of IPAQ and MAAS were analyzed by comparing follow-up scores. Test-retest reliability of MAAS was analyzed by comparing MAAS total physical activity scores at baseline and follow-up. Participants provided feedback in the follow-up questionnaire about their experience of wearing the armband to determine acceptability of the SWA. Data analyses included graphical (ie, Bland-Altman plot, scatterplot) and analytical (ie, canonical correlation, kappa statistic) methods to determine agreement between MAAS, IPAQ, and SWA data.ResultsA total of 58 participants returned complete data. Comparisons between the MAAS and IPAQ questionnaires (n=52) showed moderate agreement for both categorical (kappa=.48, P<.001) and continuous data (r=.69, P<.001). Overall, the IPAQ tended to give higher scores. No significant correlation was observed between SWA and IPAQ or MAAS continuous data, for both minute-by-minute and blocked SWA data. The SWA tended to record lower scores than the questionnaires, suggesting participants tended to overreport their amount of physical activity. The test-retest analysis of MAAS showed moderate agreement for continuous outcomes (r=.44, P=.001). However, poor agreement was seen for categorical outcomes. The acceptability of the SWA to participants was high.ConclusionsModerate agreement between the MAAS and IPAQ and moderate reliability of the MAAS indicates that the MAAS may be a suitable alternative to the IPAQ to assess total physical activity in young women, due to its shorter length and consequently lower participant burden. The SWA, and likely other monitoring devices, have the advantage over questionnaires of avoiding overreporting of self-reported physical activity, while being highly acceptable to participants.

Social Provisions and Young Women’s Health-Related Physical Activity

Understanding the factors involved in being active enough for health benefits is necessary to promote health-related physical activity. Given the documented role of social support in women’s activity (Molloy et al. 2010), this study examined the relationship between Weiss’s (1974) social provisions and health-related physical activity in young women. College undergraduate women (N = 136) from a kinesiology course completed a modified Social Provisions Scale (Cutrona and Russell 1987) and reported on the physical activity they engaged in with others over a 4-week period in the fall of 2011. We used average daily energy expenditure, calculated based on participants’ reported activity involvement, to classify participants as either sufficiently or insufficiently active (Canadian Fitness & Lifestyle Research Institute 1999). A logistic regression using sufficient/insufficient activity levels for health as the dependent variable revealed that the six provisions reliably differentiated between those who were active enough for health benefits versus not. Of the six, two provisions were significantly associated with health-related physical activity—specifically, those who held higher perceptions of reassurance of worth and social integration were more likely to be in the sufficiently-active group. These results provide an initial indication of the specific social provisions associated with young women who are active enough to achieve health benefits.

The role of health care experience and consumer information efficacy in shaping privacy and security perceptions of medical records: national consumer survey results.

BackgroundProviders’ adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) is increasing and consumers have expressed concerns about the potential effects of EHRs on privacy and security. Yet, we lack a comprehensive understanding regarding factors that affect individuals’ perceptions regarding the privacy and security of their medical information.ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to describe national perceptions regarding the privacy and security of medical records and identify a comprehensive set of factors associated with these perceptions.MethodsUsing a nationally representative 2011-2012 survey, we reported on adults’ perceptions regarding privacy and security of medical records and sharing of health information between providers, and whether adults withheld information from a health care provider due to privacy or security concerns. We used multivariable models to examine the association between these outcomes and sociodemographic characteristics, health and health care experience, information efficacy, and technology-related variables.ResultsApproximately one-quarter of American adults (weighted n=235,217,323; unweighted n=3959) indicated they were very confident (n=989) and approximately half indicated they were somewhat confident (n=1597) in the privacy of their medical records; we found similar results regarding adults’ confidence in the security of medical records (very confident: n=828; somewhat confident: n=1742). In all, 12.33% (520/3904) withheld information from a health care provider and 59.06% (2100/3459) expressed concerns about the security of both faxed and electronic health information. Adjusting for other characteristics, adults who reported higher quality of care had significantly greater confidence in the privacy and security of their medical records and were less likely to withhold information from their health care provider due to privacy or security concerns. Adults with higher information efficacy had significantly greater confidence in the privacy and security of medical records and less concern about sharing of health information by both fax and electronic means. Individuals’ perceptions of whether their providers use an EHR was not associated with any privacy or security outcomes.ConclusionsAlthough most adults are confident in the privacy and security of their medical records, many express concerns regarding sharing of information between providers; a minority report withholding information from their providers due to privacy and security concerns. Whether individuals thought their provider was using an EHR was not associated with negative privacy/security perceptions or withholding, suggesting the transition to EHRs is not associated with negative perceptions regarding the privacy and security of medical information. However, monitoring to see how this evolves will be important. Given that positive health care experiences and higher information efficacy were associated with more favorable perceptions of privacy and security, efforts should continue to encourage providers to secure medical records, provide patients with a “meaningful choice” in how their data are shared, and enable individuals to access information they need to manage their care.

The Efficacy of a Walking Intervention Using Social Media to Increase Physical Activity: A Randomized Trial

Facebook may be a useful tool to provide a social support group to encourage increases in physical activity. This study examines the efficacy of a Facebook social support group to increase steps/day in young women. Female college freshmen (N = 63) were randomized to one of two 8-week interventions: a Facebook Social Support Group (n = 32) or a Standard Walking Intervention (n = 31). Participants in both groups received weekly step goals and tracked steps/day with a pedometer. Women in the Facebook Social Support Group were also enrolled in a Facebook group and asked to post information about their steps/day and provide feedback to one another. Women in both intervention arms significantly increased steps/day pre- to postintervention (F(8,425) = 94.43, P < .001). However, women in the Facebook Social Support Group increased steps/day significantly more (F(1,138) = 11.34, P < .001) than women in the Standard Walking Intervention, going from 5295 to 12,472 steps/day. These results demonstrate the potential effectiveness of using Facebook to offer a social support group to increase physical activity in young women. Women in the Facebook Social Support Group increased walking by approximately 1.5 miles/day more than women in the Standard Walking Intervention which, if maintained, could have a profound impact on their future health.

The Efficacy of a Facebook-Mediated Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Young Women

The Efficacy of a Facebook-Mediated Intervention to Increase Physical Activity in Young Women

Serum mineral levels according to iron nutrition state and physical activity in young women

The iron nutrition status influences other micro‐mineral status through interacting in the intestinal absorption or in the uptake into tissue. The iron‐deficiencies of women are usually not a kind of an anemia, but a state of only iron storage depletion without anemia. Extracellular mineral concentrations can be changed by exercise through water and electrolyte loss of sweat. We compared the minerals levels in serum according to body iron stores and physical activity in young women. We collected bloods of young collegiate sedentary women and physically active athletic women, and serum concentrations of Na, Cl, Ca, Fe, Zn, Se were measured by neutron activation analysis method. The proportion of females with iron depletion(ID, serum ferritin &lt;20μg/L) were 50% in sedentary and athletic women, respectively. The subjects were divided into 4 groups according to physical activity and iron storage. The serum Na, Cl and Ca level showed increasing tendencies in sedentary with normal iron status compared to the athletes with ID, although no significant differences among 4 groups. The serum Fe levels did not show significant differences among 4 groups, although lower values in the athletes than sedentary women. The serum Zn and Se concentrations were the highest in athletes with normal iron status and the lowest in sedentary with ID. In conclusion, this study suggests that the serum Se and Zn concentrations in young women might be influenced by the chronic physical activity and iron status. This study was supported by the MOST of Korea

High School Physical Education and Physical Activity in Young Women

This study assessed if high school physical education experiences were related to physical activity behaviors of young women in college. Undergraduate women from three universities (N = 949) were surveyed concerning their experiences in high school physical education and their physical activity in six areas, aquatics, individual activities, physical conditioning, outdoor adventure, rhythmic activities, and team activities. Analysis indicated that women who completed courses with a diverse curriculum containing content from four of the six categories investigated reported significantly more cardiovascular endurance activities and individual/team sports participation than respondents who completed courses with low curriculum diversity. Results indicate that providing diverse curricular experiences for girls in high school physical education is associated with higher physical activity as young adults.

Correlates of Lifetime Physical Activity in Young Women

This study retrospectively examined physical activity patterns across three specific age periods (childhood, teenage, and young adulthood) in a cross sectional sample of young Caucasian undergraduate women (N=44). All women (mean age=22.27±3.14 years) completed questionnaire packets assessing transtheoretical model of behavior change constructs. Additionally, each woman completed a detailed historical physical activity oral interview with the investigator. Physical activity decreased significantly across all age groups. Physical activity during ages 13 to 18 and 19 years and older, counterconditioning (i.e., substituting physical activity for other behaviors), self-liberation (i.e., making a commitment to adopt an active lifestyle), self-reevaluation (i.e., recognizing the personal importance of physical activity in one's life), reinforcement management (i.e., rewards associated with physical activity), physical activity during ages 6 to 12 years, and dramatic relief (i.e., experiencing negative emotions associated with physical inactivity) had the strongest relationship with current physical activity participation. Cons (i.e., costs associated with physical activity participation) were negatively correlated with current physical activity patterns. Results suggest a need to identify additional correlates and mediators of physical activity participation in this population.

Hernia of the inferior lumbar space. A cause of back pain.

Twenty hernias of incarcerated fat at the inferior lumbar space were seen during a 23-year period. The usual complaint was a painful mass that caused a backache. The condition was more common in women and girls than in men (18 v two). The wider female pelvis creates a larger inferior lumbar space, which predisposes to the hernia. The hernia appears through a defect of the covering lumbodorsal fascia. Increased physical activity in young women seemed to be a causative factor. One patient had acute strangulation of incarcerated fat. Nineteen of the 20 hernias were treated with surgical excision and repair of the lumbodorsal fascial defect. Results of treatment were good. Though rare, hernias of the inferior lumbar space should be considered when back pain is present, particularly in a young, athletic woman.

Nutrition, protein turnover, and physical activity in young women

The whole body protein synthesis rate was measured in four groups of young women by giving a single pulse of 15N glycine and determining the 15N enrichment in the urinary ammonia excreted over the next 10 h. The groups were: Ia, normals, with normal dietary intake; Ib, competition swimmers, normal intake; IIa, normal activity but low intake; and IIb, high physical activity, low intake. The results indicated that the protein synthesis rate was lower in the two low intake groups. It did not correlate with a program of vigorous physical activity, while physical activity, but not nutritional status or the protein synthesis rate correlated with menstrual cycle irregularities.