Objective: To investigate exercise stages of change (SOC) and physical barriers among undergraduates at an Historically Black University (HBCU) and quantify their relationship. Participants: A total of 326 undergraduate HBCU students; 198 were females (body mass index (BMI) range 16.5-87.9; M = 26.5 ± 6.8) and 127 were males (BMI range 18.0-49.3;…

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to examine the effect of physical activity and public health course on perceived exercise benefits/barriers, stages of exercise behavior change, and technology dependence of undergraduate students, and 2) to explain how the physical activity and public health course supports undergraduate students in terms…

The COVID-19 pandemic presents many concerns, including stress. Physical activity (PA) can help decrease stress. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stress and PA levels of U.S. adults. Mixed-methods data were collected from adults (N = 464, 73.3% female, 87.5% white) examining levels of stress and…

The predominant method for treating obesity has been suggesting and providing information on a controlled diet and, to a lesser extent, increased exercise. That approach has largely failed beyond the short term for many decades as obesity rates continue to rise. Therefore, leveraging improvements in psychosocial correlates of weight-loss behaviors…

Objective: Determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the changes in training, sleep, diet, and mental health of cross-country runners. Participants: Cross-country runners from NCAA Division II institutes. Methods: Wilcoxon signed-rank test was performed to analyze survey responses to ordinal questions on the survey while Spearman's rank…

Increased exercise correlates with positive health outcomes in college women. Many women do not get the recommended physical activity during college. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether regular use of wearable exercise technology (i.e., smartphones, dedicated devices) during exercise was associated with increased exercise behaviors.…

Although sleep is a necessary function, it is not always prioritized, especially among university students. Sleep deprivation can be detrimental to university students due to an impact on memory, focus, emotional regulation, and stress levels. There is a bi-directional relationship between sleep quality and stress levels. The vast majority,?if not…

Objective: There is recent evidence that exercise referral schemes (ERSs) are beginning to permit self-referral access. Notwithstanding this, to date it is unknown whether key referral characteristics, such as age, gender and socioeconomic status are associated with a greater likelihood of self-referring to an ERS, and whether self-referral…

Many university students are insufficiently physically active to the detriment of their physical and mental health. University students' physical activity motives are important for understanding students' physical activity levels and patterns, and for offering insight into how students' physical activity, and health, could be enhanced. The purpose…

The theme of this commentary is to discuss the need for, and challenges of, conceptualizing, implementing, and evaluating multilevel health behavior change interventions. Ecological models, recommendations from national and international authoritative groups, and growing evidence all support the need for interventions designed to change multiple…

Background: Research indicates that increased exercise behaviors collectively called FIT (frequency, intensity, and time) values, equate with positive health outcomes. Young college adults often gain weight due to decreased exercise. Purpose: This study seeks to understand whether wearable exercise technology is associated with increased exercise…

Men are underrepresented in weight loss programs and little is currently known about the weight loss strategies men prefer. This study describes the weight loss strategies used by men during a men-only weight loss program. At baseline, 3 months, and 6 months, participants reported how frequently they used 45 weight loss strategies including…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how the psychological constructs volition and motivation influence successful and unsuccessful weight maintainers' experiences during the difficult period following an intensive lifestyle intervention. Design/methodology/approach: Post lifestyle intervention semi-structured interviews with 11…

This mixed-methods community-based participatory pilot study examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of group obesity management visits offered through school-based health centers. The study was implemented through an academic-community partnership in three school health centers serving primarily Latinx and African American youth.…

Objective: Regular exercise and healthy eating are important contributors to a person's overall health and well-being. To enhance community health, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California medical students have been leading in-person nutrition, cooking and exercise classes for community members at the Los Angeles County…