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The measurement of the height, weight and four other measures of physical fitness for Taiwanese youth between 9 and 18 years are used to study the cross-sectional relationship between their body mass index (BMI) and the physical fitness index (PFI). The analysis reveals that the PFI decreases in a curvilinear manner with increasing BMI, which also highly depends on the age of the person, as the relationship becomes parabolic with an increase in the age of the youth.

The physiological changes of muscles that occur when an athlete stops training are described. Muscle capillarization, levels of oxygen in the blood, enzymatic activity and mitrochondrial ATP production were all reduced after 2-4 weeks of inactivity. Muscle fiber distribution and myoglobin concentrations remained steady after short-term training cessation.

This article investigates the relationship between weekly volumes of physical activity, physical fitness, and health outcomes. Findings indicate that there is a modest dose response relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness and weekly activity levels, but only a weak relationship between activity levels and health indicators.

Baroreflex control of heart rate has been studied in sedentary and aerobically fit subjects with the finding that likely the integrative relationship of aortic baroreflex (ABR) and carotid baroreflex (CBR) contributing to arterial baroreflex control of HRT is inhibitory. Likely it is not changed by exercise training. Data show that reductions in arterial-cardiac reflex sensitivity are mediated by lowered ABR function. .

The Computer Science and Applications, Inc. physical activity monitor has been subjected to field evaluation. Subjects were free-living and used an activity diary as the criterion measure. It was concluded that the monitor may be useful in a field situation in which total physical activity and patterns of physical activity are desired outcomes.

Research indicates that modifications to the Rockport Fitness Walking Test protocol for mentally retarded adults provides similar heart rates and end times and can be used to predict aerobic fitness. Results are based on a study of 10 men an 13 women with mental retardation using treadmill testing.

Research was conducted to examine the relationship between carbohydrate and fat oxidation during exercise. Results show that in well-trained individuals carbohydrate taken days before exercise and free fatty acids, heparin taken just before exercise, the latter improves exercise endurance in cool environments.

Exercise habits are linked to a variety of behavioral, psychological, physiological, and demographic factors. Younger people showed higher dosages of regular exercise, a longer habit of exercise, and more positive attitudes about exercising. Women exercised with more low to moderate efforts than men who primarily had high frequency of exercise. Physical exercise generally decreased with age.

Cluster analysis of different health behaviors may not separate the effects of recreational physical activity among healthy and unhealthy populations. Researchers examined the relationship of physical activity and other health behavior in three age groups. More men than women were found smoking, using alcohol, sleeping less than needed, and having weight problems. Physical activity is a unique phenomenon in different population groups yet not related to patterns of other health behaviors.

A low glycemic blood index may help maximal performance after sustained exercise. Ten trained cyclists were given either test meals low in carbohydrates or water before exercise. After two hours of sustained exercise, the cyclists who consumed low-carbohydrate meals reached exhaustion after those given high-carbohydrate meals.

The impact of exercise training and normobaric intermittent hypoxic exposure on endurance performance of 17 male lowlanders at a 4,300-meter altitude is studied. Findings do not reveal improvements in endurance performance after the hypoxic exposure and exercise training. Procedures of the time trials are explained.

The effect of previous heat stress on aerobic exercise performance in the heat is investigated. Findings show that prior heat stress does not lead to higher degradation in aerobic exercise-heat performance when body temperatures and hydration recover. Implications for those who work in the heat including laborers, military personnel, and athletes are discussed.

The effects of birth weight, infant motor development and infant weight gain on adult physical performance in terms of aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, and muscular strength are studied. Results show that birth weight is positively related to aerobic fitness and muscle strength at age 31 years. The mediating role of adult body size is also analyzed.

Oxygen uptake, carbon dioxide output, and heart rate responses in firefighter candidates who completed the Candidate Physical Activity Test were studied to determine the physiological demands of the test. The test challenges the aerobic and anaerobic energy supply systems of the firefighter candidates.

A study was conducted to determine the changes in the physical fitness and body composition of military personnel following a deployment in Afghanistan. Results showed that deployments that spanned nine months did adversely affected upper body mass and body composition but did not cause a major health concern.

This study compared the effects on strength in the early phase of resistance training with one or three sets and fast or slow speeds. Results suggest that three sets of exercise produce twice the strength increase of one set in the early phase of resistance training.

The relationships between adult physical activity (PA) at 35 years and PA as a child, and the influence of enhanced primary school physical education and of parental PA upon long-term tracking of PA in the offspring are discussed. The results indicate a positive impact of early required physical education upon adult PA but provide little evidence of an overall association between time spent in other categories of PA during childhood and PA as an adult.

The potential impact of changing from a household-based protocol to a less expensive telephone protocol with adaptations in instrumentation to accommodate the change in mode is discussed. The Physical Activity Monitor has acceptable reliability and validity criterion.

The reliability and validity of using self-reported data to discover people's perceptions of the likely results of, and barriers to, regular physical exercise were evaluated in two separate studies, one with 243 college students and the other with 968 employees at CONOCO World Headquarters. The survey of college students revealed that self-reported psychological state, body image and health data gave good indications of expected exercise results. Also, the self-reported data concerning the time and effort required, and obstacles gave good indications of perceived barriers to exercise. In the second study, the CONOCO employees reported similar results as to expectations of the results of exercise. Expectations included results pertaining to psychology, body image, health, competition, fun, and social effects. Self-reported data was also found useful for predicting perceived barriers, such as time, effort, obstacles, and health problems. The self-reported data correlated strongly with membership and participation in a health and fitness program at or outside the work site. Self-reported information is a valid and reliable way of measuring the outcome of expectations of exercise in college and workplace populations. Existing social psychology theories of behavior that include values for outcome expectations or perceived barriers can now be used to explain why people adopt and maintain physical fitness programs.