@phdthesis{Verch2023, author = {Verch, Ronald}, title = {Whole-body electrical muscle stimulation superimposed walking as training tool in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-63424}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-634240}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {IX, 78}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Background: The worldwide prevalence of diabetes has been increasing in recent years, with a projected prevalence of 700 million patients by 2045, leading to economic burdens on societies. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), representing more than 95\% of all diabetes cases, is a multifactorial metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance leading to an imbalance between insulin requirements and supply. Overweight and obesity are the main risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. The lifestyle modification of following a healthy diet and physical activity are the primary successful treatment and prevention methods for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Problems may exist with patients not achieving recommended levels of physical activity. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is an increasingly popular training method and has become in the focus of research in recent years. It involves the external application of an electric field to muscles, which can lead to muscle contraction. Positive effects of EMS training have been found in healthy individuals as well as in various patient groups. New EMS devices offer a wide range of mobile applications for whole-body electrical muscle stimulation (WB-EMS) training, e.g., the intensification of dynamic low-intensity endurance exercises through WB-EMS. This dissertation project aims to investigate whether WB-EMS is suitable for intensifying low-intensive dynamic exercises such as walking and Nordic walking. Methods: Two independent studies were conducted. The first study aimed to investigate the reliability of exercise parameters during the 10-meter Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (10MISWT) using superimposed WB-EMS (research question 1, sub-question a) and the difference in exercise intensity compared to conventional walking (CON-W, research question 1, sub-question b). The second study aimed to compare differences in exercise parameters between superimposed WB-EMS (WB-EMS-W) and conventional walking (CON-W), as well as between superimposed WB-EMS (WB-EMS-NW) and conventional Nordic walking (CON-NW) on a treadmill (research question 2). Both studies took place in participant groups of healthy, moderately active men aged 35-70 years. During all measurements, the Easy Motion Skin® WB-EMS low frequency stimulation device with adjustable intensities for eight muscle groups was used. The current intensity was individually adjusted for each participant at each trial to ensure safety, avoiding pain and muscle cramps. In study 1, thirteen individuals were included for each sub question. A randomized cross-over design with three measurement appointments used was to avoid confounding factors such as delayed onset muscle soreness. The 10MISWT was performed until the participants no longer met the criteria of the test and recording five outcome measures: peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), relative VO2peak (rel.VO2peak), maximum walk distance (MWD), blood lactate concentration, and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE). Eleven participants were included in study 2. A randomized cross-over design in a study with four measurement appointments was used to avoid confounding factors. A treadmill test protocol at constant velocity (6.5 m/s) was developed to compare exercise intensities. Oxygen uptake (VO2), relative VO2 (rel.VO2) blood lactate, and the RPE were used as outcome variables. Test-retest reliability between measurements was determined using a compilation of absolute and relative measures of reliability. Outcome measures in study 2 were studied using multifactorial analyses of variances. Results: Reliability analysis showed good reliability for VO2peak, rel.VO2peak, MWD and RPE with no statistically significant difference for WB-EMS-W during 10WISWT. However, differences compared to conventional walking in outcome variables were not found. The analysis of the treadmill tests showed significant effects for the factors CON/WB-EMS and W/NW for the outcome variables VO2, rel.VO2 and lactate, with both factors leading to higher results. However, the difference in VO2 and relative VO2 is within the range of biological variability of ± 12\%. The factor combination EMS∗W/NW is statistically non-significant for all three variables. WB-EMS resulted in the higher RPE values, RPE differences for W/NW and EMS∗W/NW were not significant. Discussion: The present project found good reliability for measuring VO2peak, rel. VO2peak, MWD and RPE during 10MISWT during WB-EMS-W, confirming prior research of the test. The test appears technically limited rather than physiologically in healthy, moderately active men. However, it is unsuitable for investigating differences in exercise intensities using WB-EMS-W compared to CON-W due to different perceptions of current intensity between exercise and rest. A treadmill test with constant walking speed was conducted to adjust individual maximum tolerable current intensity for the second part of the project. The treadmill test showed a significant increase in metabolic demands during WB-EMS-W and WB-EMS-NW by an increased VO2 and blood lactate concentration. However, the clinical relevance of these findings remains debatable. The study also found that WB-EMS superimposed exercises are perceived as more strenuous than conventional exercise. While in parts comparable studies lead to higher results for VO2, our results are in line with those of other studies using the same frequency. Due to the minor clinical relevance the use of WB-EMS as exercise intensification tool during walking and Nordic walking is limited. High device cost should be considered. Habituation to WB-EMS could increase current intensity tolerance and VO2 and make it a meaningful method in the treatment of T2DM. Recent figures show that WB-EMS is used in obese people to achieve health and weight goals. The supposed benefit should be further investigated scientifically.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Wortmann2023, author = {Wortmann, Hanna Rosalie}, title = {Food Neophilie}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-62857}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-628572}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {164}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Trotz der eindeutigen Vorteile einer ausgewogenen Ern{\"a}hrung halten sich viele Menschen weltweit nicht an entsprechende Ern{\"a}hrungsrichtlinien. Um angemessene Strategien zur Unterst{\"u}tzung einer gesundheitsf{\"o}rdernden Ern{\"a}hrung zu entwickeln, ist ein Verst{\"a}ndnis der zugrunde liegenden Faktoren unerl{\"a}sslich. Insbesondere die Gruppe der {\"a}lteren Erwachsenen stellt dabei eine wichtige Zielgruppe f{\"u}r ern{\"a}hrungsbezogene Pr{\"a}ventions- und Interventionsans{\"a}tze dar. Einer der vielen Faktoren, die als Determinanten einer gesundheitsf{\"o}rdernden Ern{\"a}hrung diskutiert werden, ist die Food Neophilie, also die Bereitschaft, neue und unbekannte Lebensmittel auszuprobieren. Aktuelle Forschungsergebnisse legen nahe, dass die Food Neophilie positiv mit einer gesundheitsf{\"o}rdernden Ern{\"a}hrung in Verbindung steht, allerdings ist die bisherige Forschung in diesem Bereich {\"a}ußerst begrenzt. Das Ziel der Dissertation war es, das Konstrukt der Food Neophilie sowie seine Beziehung zu gesundheitsf{\"o}rderndem Ern{\"a}hrungsverhalten im h{\"o}heren Erwachsenenalter grundlegend zu erforschen, um das Potenzial der Food Neophilie f{\"u}r die Gesundheitsf{\"o}rderung {\"a}lterer Erwachsener besser zu verstehen. Dabei wurde im Rahmen der ersten Publikation zun{\"a}chst untersucht, wie sich das Konstrukt der Food Neophilie reliabel und valide erfassen l{\"a}sst, um weiterf{\"u}hrende Untersuchungen der Food Neophilie zu erm{\"o}glichen. Die psychometrische Validierung der deutschen Version der Variety Seeking Tendency Scale (VARSEEK) basierte auf zwei unabh{\"a}ngigen Stichproben mit insgesamt N = 1000 Teilnehmenden und best{\"a}tigte, dass es sich bei der Skala um ein reliables und valides Messinstrument zur Erfassung der Food Neophilie handelt. Darauf aufbauend wurde im Rahmen der zweiten Publikation die Beziehung der Food Neophilie und der Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t {\"u}ber die Zeit hinweg analysiert. Die prospektive Untersuchung von N = 960 Teilnehmenden des h{\"o}heren Erwachsenenalters (M = 63.4 Jahre) anhand einer Cross-Lagged-Panel-Analyse ergab hohe zeitliche Stabilit{\"a}ten der Food Neophilie und der Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t {\"u}ber einen Zeitraum von drei Jahren. Es zeigte sich zudem ein positiver querschnittlicher Zusammenhang zwischen der Food Neophilie und der Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t, jedoch wurde die Food Neophilie nicht als signifikante Determinante der Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t {\"u}ber die Zeit hinweg identifiziert. In der dritten Publikation wurden schließlich nicht nur die individuellen Auswirkungen der Food Neophilie auf die Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t betrachtet, sondern auch potenzielle dynamische Wechselwirkungen innerhalb von Partnerschaften einbezogen. Hierzu erfolgte mittels eines Actor-Partner-Interdependence-Modells eine Differenzierung potenzieller intra- und interpersoneller Einfl{\"u}sse der Food Neophilie auf die Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t. Im Rahmen der dyadischen Analyse zeigte sich bei N = 390 heterosexuellen Paaren im h{\"o}heren Erwachsenenalter (M = 64.0 Jahre) ein Dominanzmuster: W{\"a}hrend die Food Neophilie der Frauen positiv mit ihrer eigenen Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t und der ihrer Partner zusammenhing, war die Food Neophilie der M{\"a}nner nicht mit der Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t des Paares assoziiert. Insgesamt leistet die vorliegende Dissertation einen wertvollen Beitrag zum umfassenden Verst{\"a}ndnis der Food Neophilie sowie ihrer Rolle im Kontext der Ern{\"a}hrungsgesundheit {\"a}lterer Erwachsener. Trotz fehlender Vorhersagekraft {\"u}ber die Zeit hinweg deutet der positive Zusammenhang zwischen Food Neophilie und Ern{\"a}hrungsqualit{\"a}t darauf hin, dass die Fokussierung auf eine positive und neugierige Einstellung gegen{\"u}ber Lebensmitteln eine innovative Perspektive f{\"u}r Pr{\"a}ventions- und Interventionsans{\"a}tze zur Unterst{\"u}tzung einer gesundheitsf{\"o}rdernden Ern{\"a}hrung {\"a}lterer Erwachsener bieten k{\"o}nnte.}, language = {de} } @phdthesis{Arntz2023, author = {Arntz, Fabian}, title = {Intervention and moderation of physical fitness in children with physical fitness deficits - Results of the SMaRTER study}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-62260}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-622607}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {169}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Background: Physical fitness is a key aspect of children's ability to perform activities of daily living, engage in leisure activities, and is associated with important health characteristics. As such, it shows multi-directional associations with weight status as well as executive functions, and varies according to a variety of moderating factors, such as the child's gender, age, geographical location, and socioeconomic conditions and context. The assessment and monitoring of children's physical fitness has gained attention in recent decades, as has the question of how to promote physical fitness through the implementation of a variety of programs and interventions. However, these programs and interventions rarely focus on children with deficits in their physical fitness. Due to their deficits, these children are at the highest risk of suffering health impairments compared to their more average fit peers. In efforts to promote physical fitness, schools could offer promising and viable approaches to interventions, as they provide access to large youth populations while providing useful infrastructure. Evidence suggests that school-based physical fitness interventions, particularly those that include supplementary physical education, are useful for promoting and improving physical fitness in children with normal fitness. However, there is little evidence on whether these interventions have similar or even greater effects on children with deficits in their physical fitness. Furthermore, the question arises whether these measures help to sustainably improve the development/trajectories of physical fitness in these children. The present thesis aims to elucidate the following four objectives: (1) to evaluate the effects of a 14 week intervention with 2 x 45 minutes per week additional remedial physical education on physical fitness and executive function in children with deficits in their physical fitness; (2) to assess moderating effects of body height and body mass on physical fitness components in children with physical fitness deficits; (3) to assess moderating effects of age and skeletal growth on physical fitness in children with physical fitness deficits; and (4) to analyse moderating effects of different physical fitness components on executive function in children with physical fitness deficits. Methods: Using physical fitness data from the EMOTIKON study, 76 third graders with physical fitness deficits were identified in 11 schools in Brandenburg state that met the requirements for implementing a remedial physical education intervention (i.e., employing specially trained physical education teachers). The fitness intervention was implemented in a cross-over design and schools were randomly assigned to either an intervention-control or control-intervention group. The remedial physical education intervention consisted of a 14 week, 2 x 45 minutes per week remedial physical education curriculum supplemented by a physical exercise homework program. Assessments were conducted at the beginning and end of each intervention and control period, and further assessments were conducted at the beginning and end of each school year until the end of sixth grade. Physical fitness as the primary outcome was assessed using fitness tests implemented in the EMOTIKON study (i.e., lower body muscular strength (standing long jump), speed (20 m sprint), cardiorespiratory fitness (6 min run), agility (star run), upper body muscular strength (ball push test), and balance (one leg balance)). Executive functions as a secondary outcome were assessed using attention and psychomotor processing speed (digit symbol substitution test), mental flexibility and fine motor skills (trail making test), and inhibitory control (Simon task). Anthropometric measures such as body height, body mass, maturity offset, and body composition parameters, as well as socioeconomic information were recorded as potential moderators. Results: (1) The evaluation of possible effects of the remedial physical education intervention on physical fitness and executive functions of children with deficits in their physical fitness did not reveal any detectable intervention-related improvements in physical fitness or executive functions. The implemented analysis strategies also showed moderating effects of body mass index (BMI) on performance in 6 min run, star run, and standing long jump, with children with a lower BMI performing better, moderating effects of proximity to Berlin on performance in the 6 min run and standing long jump, better performances being found in children living closer to Berlin, and overall gendered differences in executive function test performance, with boys performing better compared to girls. (2) Analysing moderating effects of body height and body mass on physical fitness performance, better overall physical fitness performance was found for taller children. For body mass, a negative effect was found on performance in the 6 min run (linear), standing long jump (linear), and 20 m sprint (quadratic), with better performance associated with lighter children, and a positive effect of body mass on performance in the ball push test, with heavier children performing better. In addition, the analysis revealed significant interactions between body height and body mass on performance in 6 min run and 20 m sprint, with higher body mass being associated with performance improvements in larger children, while higher body mass was associated with performance declines in smaller children. In addition, the analysis revealed overall age-related improvements in physical fitness and was able to show that children with better overall physical fitness also elicit greater age-related improvements. (3) In the analysis of moderating effects of age and maturity offset on physical fitness performances, two unrotated principal components of z-transformed age and maturity offset values were calculated (i.e., relative growth = (age + maturity offset)/2; growth delay = (age - maturity offset)) to avoid colinearity. Analysing these constructs revealed positive effects of relative growth on performances in star run, 20 m sprint, and standing long jump, with children of higher relative growth performing better. For growth delay, positive effects were found on performances in 6 min run and 20 m sprint, with children having larger growth delays showing better performances. Further, the model revealed gendered differences in 6 min run and 20 m sprint performances with girls performing better than boys. (4) Analysing the effects of physical fitness tests on executive function revealed a positive effect of star run and one leg balance performance and a negative effect of 6 min run performance on reaction speed in the Simon task. However, these effects were not detectable when individual differences were accounted for. Then these effects showed overall positive effects, with better performances being associated with faster reaction speeds. In addition, the analysis revealed a positive correlation between overall reaction speed and effects of the 6 min run, suggesting that children with greater effects of 6 min run had faster overall reaction speeds. Negative correlations were found between star run effects and age effects on Simon task reaction speed, meaning that children with larger star run effects had smaller age effects, and between 6 min run effects and star run effects on Simon task reaction speed, meaning that children with larger 6 min run effects tended to have smaller star run effects on Simon task reaction speed and vice versa. Conclusions: (1) The lack of detectable intervention-related effects could have been caused by an insufficient intervention period, by the implementation of comprehensive and thus non- specific exercises, or by both. Accordingly, longer intervention periods and/or more specific exercises may have been more beneficial and could have led to detectable improvements in physical fitness and/or executive function. However, it remains unclear whether these interventions can benefit children with deficits in physical fitness, as it is possible that their deficits are not caused by a mere lack of exercise, but rather depend on the socioeconomic conditions of the children and their families and areas. Therefore, further research is needed to assess the moderation of physical fitness in children with physical fitness deficits and, in particular, the links between children's environment and their physical fitness trajectories. (2) Findings from this work suggest that using BMI as a composite of body height and body mass may not be able to capture the variation associated with these parameters and their interactions. In particular, because of their multidirectional associations, further research would help elucidate how BMI and its subcomponents influence physical fitness and how they vary between children with and without physical fitness deficits. (3) The assessment of growth- related changes indicated negative effects associated with the growth spurt approaching age of peak height velocity, and furthermore showed significant differences in these effects between children. Thus, these effects and possible interindividual differences should be considered in the assessment of the development of physical fitness in children. (4) Furthermore, this work has shown that the associations between physical fitness and executive functions vary between children and may be moderated by children's socioeconomic conditions and the structure of their daily activities. Further research is needed to explore these associations using approaches that account for individual variance.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Markov2023, author = {Markov, Adrian}, title = {Acute effects of exercise order in concurrent training on immunological stress responses and measures of muscular fitness in youth athletes of both sexes}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-61851}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-618517}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {X, 81}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Background and aims: To succeed in competition, elite team and individual athletes often seek the development of both, high levels of muscle strength and power as well as cardiorespiratory endurance. In this context, concurrent training (CT) is a commonly applied and effective training approach. While being exposed to high training loads, youth athletes (≤ 18 years) are yet underrepresented in the scientific literature. Besides, immunological responses to CT have received little attention. Therefore, the aims of this work were to examine the acute (< 15min) and delayed (≥ 6 hours) effects of dif-ferent exercise order in CT on immunological stress responses, muscular fitness, metabolic response, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) in highly trained youth male and female judo athletes. Methods: A total of twenty male and thirteen female participants, with an average age of 16 ± 1.8 years and 14.4 ± 2.1 years, respectively, were included in the study. They were randomly assigned to two CT sessions; power-endurance versus endurance-power (i.e., study 1), or strength-endurance versus endurance-strength (i.e., study 2). Markers of immune response (i.e., white-blood-cells, granulocytes, lymphocytes, mon-ocytes, and lymphocytes, granulocyte-lymphocyte-ratio, and systemic-inflammation-index), muscular fitness (i.e., counter-movement jump [CMJ]), metabolic responses (i.e., blood lactate, glucose), and RPE were collected at different time points (i.e., PRE12H, PRE, MID, POST, POST6H, POST22H). Results (study 1): There were significant time*order interactions for white-blood-cells, lymphocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, granulocyte-lymphocyte-ratio, and systemic-inflammation-index. The power-endurance order resulted in significantly larger PRE-to-POST increases in white-blood-cells, monocytes, and lymphocytes while the endur-ance-power order resulted in significantly larger PRE-to-POST increases in the granu-locyte-lymphocyte-ratio and systemic-inflammation-index. Likewise, significantly larger increases from PRE-to-POST6H in white-blood-cells and granulocytes were observed following the power-endurance order compared to endurance-power. All markers of immune response returned toward baseline values at POST22H. Moreover, there was a significant time*order interaction for blood glucose and lactate. Following the endur-ance-power order, blood lactate and glucose increased from PRE-to-MID but not from PRE-to-POST. Meanwhile, in the power-endurance order blood lactate and glucose increased from PRE-to-POST but not from PRE-to-MID. A significant time*order inter-action was observed for CMJ-force with larger PRE-to-POST decreases in the endur-ance-power order compared to power-endurance order. Further, CMJ-power showed larger PRE-to-MID performance decreases following the power-endurance order, com-pared to the endurance-power order. Regarding RPE, significant time*order interactions were noted with larger PRE-to-MID values following the endurance-power order and larger PRE-to-POST values following the power-endurance order. Results (study 2): There were significant time*order interactions for lymphocytes, monocytes, granulocyte-lymphocyte-ratio, and systemic-inflammation-index. The strength-endurance order resulted in significantly larger PRE-to-POST increases in lymphocytes while the endurance-strength order resulted in significantly larger PRE-to-POST increases in the granulocyte-lymphocyte-ratio and systemic-inflammation-index. All markers of the immune system returned toward baseline values at POST22H. Moreover, there was a significant time*order interaction for blood glucose and lactate. From PRE-to-MID, there was a significantly greater increase in blood lactate and glu-cose following the endurance-strength order compared to strength-endurance order. Meanwhile, from PRE-to-POST there was a significantly higher increase in blood glu-cose following the strength-endurance order compared to endurance-strength order. Regarding physical fitness, a significant time*order interaction was observed for CMJ-force and CMJ-power with larger PRE-to-MID increases following the endurance-strength order compared to the strength-endurance order. For RPE, significant time*order interactions were noted with larger PRE-to-MID values following the endur-ance-power order and larger PRE-to-POST values following the power-endurance or-der. Conclusions: The primary findings from both studies revealed order-dependent effects on immune responses. In male youth judo athletes, the results demonstrated greater immunological stress responses, both immediately (≤ 15 min) and delayed (≥ 6 hours), following the power-endurance order compared to the endurance-power order. For female youth judo athletes, the results indicated higher acute, but not delayed, order-dependent changes in immune responses following the strength-endurance order compared to the endurance-strength order. It is worth noting that in both studies, all markers of immune system response returned to baseline levels within 22 hours. This suggests that successful recovery from the exercise-induced immune stress response was achieved within 22 hours. Regarding metabolic responses, physical fitness, and perceived exertion, the findings from both studies indicated acute (≤ 15 minutes) alterations that were dependent on the exercise order. These alterations were primarily influ-enced by the endurance exercise component. Moreover, study 1 provided substantial evidence suggesting that internal load measures, such as immune markers, may differ from external load measures. This indicates a disparity between immunological, perceived, and physical responses following both concurrent training orders. Therefore, it is crucial for practitioners to acknowledge these differences and take them into consideration when designing training programs.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Timme2023, author = {Timme, Sinika}, title = {Affective responses during exercise and situated exercise-related decision-making}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-61432}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-614323}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {V, 123}, year = {2023}, abstract = {The field of exercise psychology has established robust evidence on the health benefits of physical activity. However, interventions to promote sustained exercise behavior have often proven ineffective. This dissertation addresses challenges in the field, particularly the neglect of situated and affective processes in understanding and changing exercise behavior. Dual process models, considering both rational and affective processes, have gained recognition. The Affective Reflective Theory of Physical Inactivity and Exercise (ART) is a notable model in this context, positing that situated processes in-the-moment of choice influence exercise decisions and subsequent exercise behavior. The dissertation identifies current challenges within exercise psychology and proposes methodological and theoretical advancements. It emphasizes the importance of momentary affective states and situated processes, offering alternatives to self-reported measures and advocating for a more comprehensive modeling of individual variability. The focus is on the affective processes during exercise, theorized to reappear in momentary decision-making, shaping overall exercise behavior. The first publication introduces a new method by using automated facial action analysis to measure variable affective responses during exercise. It explores how these behavioral indicators covary with self-reported measures of affective valence and perceived exertion. The second publication delves into situated processes at the moment of choice between exercise and non-exercise options, revealing that intraindividual factors play a crucial role in explaining exercise-related choices. The third publication presents an open-source research tool, the Decisional Preferences in Exercising Test (DPEX), designed to capture repeated situated decisions and predict exercise behavior based on past experiences. The findings challenge previous assumptions and provide insights into the complex interplay of affective responses, situated processes, and exercise choices. The dissertation underscores the need for individualized interventions that manipulate affective responses during exercise and calls for systematic testing to establish causal links to automatic affective processes and subsequent exercise behavior. This dissertation highlights the necessity for methodological and conceptual refinements in understanding and promoting exercise behavior, ultimately contributing to the broader goal of combating increasing inactivity trends.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Rigamonti2023, author = {Rigamonti, Lia}, title = {Use of digital media for remote instruction in exercise sciences education and research}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58364}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-583642}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {129}, year = {2023}, abstract = {To grant high-quality evidence-based research in the field of exercise sciences, it is often necessary for various institutions to collaborate over longer distances and internationally. Here, not only with regard to the recent COVID-19-pandemic, digital means provide new options for remote scientific exchanges. This thesis is meant to analyse and test digital opportunities to support the dissemination of knowledge and instruction of investigators about defined examination protocols in an international multi-center context. The project consisted of three studies. The first study, a questionnaire-based survey, aimed at learning about the opinions and preferences of digital learning or social media among students of sport science faculties in two universities each in Germany, the UK and Italy. Based on these findings, in a second study, an examination video of an ultrasound determination of the intima-media-thickness and diameter of an artery was distributed by a messenger app to doctors and nursing personnel as simulated investigators and efficacy of the test setting was analysed. Finally, a third study integrated the use of an augmented reality device for direct remote supervision of the same ultrasound examinations in a long-distance international setting with international experts from the fields of engineering and sports science and later remote supervision of augmented reality equipped physicians performing a given task. The first study with 229 participating students revealed a high preference for YouTube to receive video-based knowledge as well as a preference for using WhatsApp and Facebook for peer-to-peer contacts for learning purposes and to exchange and discuss knowledge. In the second study, video-based instructions send by WhatsApp messenger showed high approval of the setup in both study groups, one with doctors familiar with the use of ultrasound technology as well as one with nursing staff who were not familiar with the device, with similar results in overall time of performance and the measurements of the femoral arteries. In the third and final study, experts from different continents were connected remotely to the examination site via an augmented reality device with good transmission quality. The remote supervision to doctors' examination produced a good interrater correlation. Experiences with the augmented reality-based setting were rated as highly positive by the participants. Potential benefits of this technique were seen in the fields of education, movement analysis, and supervision. Concluding, the findings of this thesis were able to suggest modern and addressee- centred digital solutions to enhance the understanding of given examinations techniques of potential investigators in exercise science research projects. Head-mounted augmented reality devices have a special value and may be recommended for collaborative research projects with physical examination-based research questions. While the established setting should be further investigated in prospective clinical studies, digital competencies of future researchers should already be enhanced during the early stages of their education.}, language = {en} } @misc{SchaeferCarnariusDechetal.2023, author = {Schaefer, Laura and Carnarius, Friederike and Dech, Silas and Bittmann, Frank}, title = {Repeated measurements of Adaptive Force}, series = {Zweitver{\"o}ffentlichungen der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Zweitver{\"o}ffentlichungen der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {831}, issn = {1866-8364}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58803}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-588030}, pages = {19}, year = {2023}, abstract = {The Adaptive Force (AF) reflects the neuromuscular capacity to adapt to external loads during holding muscle actions and is similar to motions in real life and sports. The maximal isometric AF (AFisomax) was considered to be the most relevant parameter and was assumed to have major importance regarding injury mechanisms and the development of musculoskeletal pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the behavior of different torque parameters over the course of 30 repeated maximal AF trials. In addition, maximal holding vs. maximal pushing isometric muscle actions were compared. A side consideration was the behavior of torques in the course of repeated AF actions when comparing strength and endurance athletes. The elbow flexors of n = 12 males (six strength/six endurance athletes, non-professionals) were measured 30 times (120 s rest) using a pneumatic device. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) was measured pre and post. MVIC, AFisomax, and AFmax (maximal torque of one AF measurement) were evaluated regarding different considerations and statistical tests. AFmax and AFisomax declined in the course of 30 trials [slope regression (mean ± standard deviation): AFmax = -0.323 ± 0.263; AFisomax = -0.45 ± 0.45]. The decline from start to end amounted to -12.8\% ± 8.3\% (p < 0.001) for AFmax and -25.41\% ± 26.40\% (p < 0.001) for AFisomax. AF parameters declined more in strength vs. endurance athletes. Thereby, strength athletes showed a rather stable decline for AFmax and a plateau formation for AFisomax after 15 trials. In contrast, endurance athletes reduced their AFmax, especially after the first five trials, and remained on a rather similar level for AFisomax. The maximum of AFisomax of all 30 trials amounted 67.67\% ± 13.60\% of MVIC (p < 0.001, n = 12), supporting the hypothesis of two types of isometric muscle action (holding vs. pushing). The findings provided the first data on the behavior of torque parameters after repeated isometric-eccentric actions and revealed further insights into neuromuscular control strategies. Additionally, they highlight the importance of investigating AF parameters in athletes based on the different behaviors compared to MVIC. This is assumed to be especially relevant regarding injury mechanisms.}, language = {en} } @misc{HeisselSanchezPietreketal.2023, author = {Heissel, Andreas and Sanchez, Alba and Pietrek, Anou F. and Bergau, Theresa and Stielow, Christiane and Rapp, Michael Armin and Van der Kaap-Deeder, Jolene}, title = {Validating the German Short Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale in Individuals with Depression}, series = {Zweitver{\"o}ffentlichungen der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Zweitver{\"o}ffentlichungen der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {837}, issn = {1866-8364}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58906}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-589060}, pages = {18}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Satisfaction and frustration of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness, as assessed with the 24-item Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Frustration Scale (BPNSFS), have been found to be crucial indicators of individuals' psychological health. To increase the usability of this scale within a clinical and health services research context, we aimed to validate a German short version (12 items) of this scale in individuals with depression including the examination of the relations from need frustration and need satisfaction to ill-being and quality of life (QOL). This cross-sectional study involved 344 adults diagnosed with depression (Mage (SD) = 47.5 years (11.1); 71.8\% females). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the short version of the BPNSFS was not only reliable, but also fitted a six-factor structure (i.e., satisfaction/frustration X type of need). Subsequent structural equation modeling showed that need frustration related positively to indicators of ill-being and negatively to QOL. Surprisingly, need satisfaction did not predict differences in ill-being or QOL. The short form of the BPNSFS represents a practical instrument to measure need satisfaction and frustration in people with depression. Further, the results support recent evidence on the importance of especially need frustration in the prediction of psychopathology.}, language = {en} } @misc{TimmeBrandRaboldt2023, author = {Timme, Sinika and Brand, Ralf and Raboldt, Michaela}, title = {Exercise or not?}, series = {Zweitver{\"o}ffentlichungen der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Zweitver{\"o}ffentlichungen der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {834}, issn = {1866-8364}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58863}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-588638}, pages = {10}, year = {2023}, abstract = {Objective: Individuals' decisions to engage in exercise are often the result of in-the-moment choices between exercise and a competing behavioral alternative. The purpose of this study was to investigate processes that occur in-the-moment (i.e., situated processes) when individuals are faced with the choice between exercise and a behavioral alternative during a computerized task. These were analyzed against the background of interindividual differences in individuals' automatic valuation and controlled evaluation of exercise. Method: In a behavioral alternatives task 101 participants were asked whether they would rather choose an exercise option or a behavioral alternative in 25 trials. Participants' gaze behavior (first gaze and fixations) was recorded using eye-tracking. An exercise-specific affect misattribution procedure (AMP) was used to assess participants' automatic valuation of exercise before the task. After the task, self-reported feelings towards exercise (controlled evaluation) and usual weekly exercise volume were assessed. Mixed effects models with random effects for subjects and trials were used for data analysis. Results: Choosing exercise was positively correlated with individuals' automatic valuation (r = 0.20, p = 0.05), controlled evaluation (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), and their weekly exercise volume (r = 0.43, p < 0.001). Participants showed no bias in their initial gaze or number of fixations towards the exercise or the non-exercise alternative. However, participants were 1.30 times more likely to fixate on the chosen alternative first and more frequently, but this gaze behavior was not related to individuals' automatic valuation, controlled evaluation, or weekly exercise volume. Conclusion: The results suggest that situated processes arising from defined behavioral alternatives may be independent of individuals' general preferences. Despite one's best general intention to exercise more, the choice of a non-exercise alternative behavior may seem more appealing in-the-moment and eventually be chosen. New psychological theories of health behavior change should therefore better consider the role of potentially conflicting alternatives when it comes to initiating physical activity or exercise.}, language = {en} } @phdthesis{Fuehner2023, author = {F{\"u}hner, Thea Heidi}, title = {Secular trends, age, sex, and timing of school enrollment effects on physical fitness in children and adolescents}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-58864}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-588643}, school = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam}, pages = {xiii, 159}, year = {2023}, abstract = {The relevance of physical fitness for children's and adolescents' health is indisputable and it is crucial to regularly assess and evaluate children's and adolescents' individual physical fitness development to detect potential negative health consequences in time. Physical fitness tests are easy-to-administer, reliable, and valid which is why they should be widely used to provide information on performance development and health status of children and adolescents. When talking about development of physical fitness, two perspectives can be distinguished. One perspective is how the physical fitness status of children and adolescents changed / developed over the past decades (i.e., secular trends). The other perspective covers the analyses how physical fitness develops with increasing age due to growth and maturation processes. Although, the development of children's and adolescents' physical fitness has been extensively described and analyzed in the literature, still some questions remain to be uncovered that will be addressed in the present doctoral thesis. Previous systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined secular trends in children's and adolescents' physical fitness. However, considering that those analyses are by now 15 years old and that updates are available only to limited components of physical fitness, it is time to re-analyze the literature and examine secular trends for selected components of physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory endurance, muscle strength, proxies of muscle power, and speed). Fur-thermore, the available studies on children's development of physical fitness as well as the ef-fects of moderating variables such as age and sex have been investigated within a long-term ontogenetic perspective. However, the effects of age and sex in the transition from pre-puberty to puberty in the ninth year of life using a short-term ontogenetic perspective and the effect of timing of school enrollment on children's development of physical fitness have not been clearly identified. Therefore, the present doctoral thesis seeks to complement the knowledge of children's and adolescents' physical fitness development by updating secular trend analysis in selected components of physical fitness, by examining short-term ontogenetic cross-sectional developmental differences in children`s physical fitness, and by comparing physical fitness of older- and younger-than-keyage children versus keyage-children. These findings provide valuable information about children's and adolescents' physical fitness development to help prevent potential deficits in physical fitness as early as possible and consequently ensure a holistic development and a lifelong healthy life. Initially, a systematic review to provide an 'update' on secular trends in selected components of physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory endurance, relative muscle strength, proxies of muscle power, speed) in children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis statement guidelines. To examine short-term ontogenetic cross-sectional developmental differences and to compare physical fitness of older- and younger-than-keyage children versus keyage-children physical fitness data of 108,295 keyage-children (i.e., aged 8.00 to 8.99 years), 2,586 younger-than-keyage children (i.e., aged 7.00 to 7.99 years), and 26,540 older-than-keyage children (i.e., aged 9.00 to 9.99 years) from the third grade were analyzed. Physical fitness was assessed through the EMOTIKON test battery measuring cardiorespiratory endurance (i.e., 6-min-run test), coordina-tion (i.e., star-run test), speed (i.e., 20-m linear sprint test), and proxies of lower (i.e., standing long jump test) and upper limbs (i.e., ball-push test) muscle power. Statistical inference was based on Linear Mixed Models. Findings from the systematic review revealed a large initial improvement and an equally large subsequent decline between 1986 and 2010 as well as a stabilization between 2010 and 2015 in cardiorespiratory endurance, a general trend towards a small improvement in relative muscle strength from 1972 to 2015, an overall small negative quadratic trend for proxies of muscle power from 1972 to 2015, and a small-to-medium improvement in speed from 2002 to 2015. Findings from the cross-sectional studies showed that even in a single prepubertal year of life (i.e., ninth year) physical fitness performance develops linearly with increasing chronological age, boys showed better performances than girls in all physical fitness components, and the components varied in the size of sex and age effects. Furthermore, findings revealed that older-than-keyage children showed poorer performance in physical fitness compared to keyage-children, older-than-keyage girls showed better performances than older-than-keyage boys, and younger-than-keyage children outperformed keyage-children. Due to the varying secular trends in physical fitness, it is recommended to promote initiatives for physical activity and physical fitness for children and adolescents to prevent adverse effects on health and well-being. More precisely, public health initiatives should specifically consider exercising cardiorespiratory endurance and muscle strength because both components showed strong positive associations with markers of health. Furthermore, the findings implied that physical education teachers, coaches, or researchers can utilize a proportional adjustment to individually interpret physical fitness of prepubertal school-aged children. Special attention should be given to the promotion of physical fitness of older-than-keyage children because they showed poorer performance in physical fitness than keyage-children. Therefore, it is necessary to specifically consider this group and provide additional health and fitness programs to reduce their deficits in physical fitness experienced during prior years to guarantee a holistic development.}, language = {en} }