Using group model building to understand factors that influence childhood obesity in an urban environment.

Background: Despite increased attention, conventional views of obesity are based upon individual behaviors, and children and parents living with obesity are assumed to be the primary problem solvers. Instead of focusing exclusively on individual reduction behaviors for childhood obesity, greater focus should be placed on better understanding existing community systems and their effects on obesity. The Milwaukee Childhood Obesity Prevention Project is a community-based coalition established to develop policy and environmental change strategies to impact childhood obesity in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Electromyographical analysis of lower extremity muscle activation during variations of the loaded step-up exercise.

The loaded step-up exercise allows strength and conditioning practitioners to incorporate a unilateral resistance for athletes while performing extension at the hip, knee, and plantar flexion at the ankle. This study evaluated the activation of the biceps femoris (BF), gluteus maximus (GMx), gluteus medius (GMe), rectus femoris, semitendinosus (ST), vastus lateralis, and vastus medialis during 4 variations of the step-up exercise to assess the specific muscle training stimulus of each exercise variation. The exercises included the step-up, crossover step-up, diagonal step-up, and lateral step-up.

Strength and conditioning practices of Major League Baseball strength and conditioning coaches.

This study describes the results of a survey of the practices of Major League Baseball strength and conditioning (MLB S&C) coaches. The response rate was 70.0% (21 of 30).

Strength and conditioning practices of National Basketball Association strength and conditioning coaches.

This study describes the results of a survey of the practices of National Basketball Association strength and conditioning (NBA S&C) coaches. The response rate was 68.9% (20 of 29).

Strength and conditioning practices of National Hockey League strength and conditioning coaches.

This study describes the results of a survey of the practices of National Hockey League strength and conditioning (NHL S&C) coaches. The response rate was 76.6% (23 of 30).