We evaluated the impact of outdoor exercise equipment (FZ, Fitness Zones) in 12 parks serving diverse populations. We used the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) to assess use and estimate energy expenditure prior to and twice after FZ installation. Park use increased more in FZ parks than in 10 control parks that did not get equipment, but the difference was not statistically significant. However, self-reports of being a new park user increased more in FZ parks, and estimated energy expenditure in FZ parks was higher at both follow-ups than at baseline. Installing Fitness Zones appears to be cost-effective (10.5 cents/MET increase) and most successful in parks in densely populated areas with limited facilities. Longer-term follow-up measures are needed to determine if the early increases in physical activity associated with the Fitness Zone installations are sustained.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3308725 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2011.09.008 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Cardiorespiratory demands of firearms training instruction and 15m shuttle tests in British law enforcement.
PLoS One
January 2025
Division of Surgery & Interventional Science, Institute of Sport Exercise and Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
Objectives: Law enforcement agencies require minimum fitness standards to safeguard their officers and training staff. Firearms instructors (FI) are expected to maintain the same standards as their operational counterparts. This study aimed to quantify the daily physiological demands placed on FI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of an interactive mobile health intervention to improve community-based essential neonatal care practices among postpartum women in northeast Ethiopia: a cluster randomized controlled trial.
Int Health
January 2025
Population and Family Health Department, Faculty of Public Health, Institute of Health, Jimma University, Jimma, Ethiopia.
Background: Despite global declines in child mortality rates, Africa's reduction is lagging behind other regions. Neonatal survival remains a key priority in the sustainable development agenda. Promoting neonatal care practices at the individual and community levels is essential, and technology-based interventions can effectively reach potential future mothers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDetermination of Ventilatory Thresholds Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Recreational Endurance and CrossFit Athletes.
Int J Sports Physiol Perform
January 2025
Department of Sport, Exercise and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
To define training zones, ventilatory thresholds (VTs) are commonly established by cardiopulmonary gas-exchange analysis during incremental exercise tests. Portable near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) devices have emerged as a potential tool for detecting these thresholds by monitoring muscle oxygenation. This study evaluated the accuracy of NIRS measurements to determine VTs or critical power (CP) based on muscle oxygen saturation and assesses the device's consistency across 2 constant-load tests.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDose-Response Effects of Exercise and Testosterone Replacement Therapy on Body Composition, Lean Mass, and Heart Rate Responses: A Case Report Using Wearable Technology.
Cureus
December 2024
College of Health Care Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
The case report explores the effects of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) on body composition, lean muscle mass, and fat mass, based on the dosage of TRT and exercise intensity in a 40-year-old male. The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the dose-response relationship of TRT and exercise on muscle hypertrophy and fat loss over an eight-month period, using a validated wrist-worn wearable fitness tracker to measure daily physical activity and heart rate (HR)-based exercise intensity. The patient, a trained male with 25 years of consistent exercise experience, reported notable declines in strength and increases in body fat despite maintaining a regular workout routine.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTemperature-dependent dynamics of energy stores in Drosophila.
BMC Biol
November 2024
Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dúbravská Cesta 9, 845 06, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Background: Understanding how ectotherms manage energy in response to temperature is crucial for predicting their responses to climate change. However, the complex interplay between developmental and adult thermal conditions on total energy stores remains poorly understood. Here, we present the first comprehensive quantification of this relationship in Drosophila melanogaster, a model ectotherm, across its entire thermal tolerance range.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!