Background and purpose Female athletes struggle harder than male athletes to lose body fat and maintain a leaner physique. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an educational and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)‐based intervention on knowledge, body composition, anxiety, stress, and nutritional intake. Methods A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 153 female athletes from the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA). Participants were assigned to one of three groups: (a) a combined energy balance and CBT‐based intervention (E1); (b) a CBT‐based intervention alone (E2); and (c) a control group (C). Main outcomes included a DXA scan for body composition, a knowledge test, the GAD‐7 for anxiety, the brief inventory of perceived stress (BIPS) for stress, and a 24‐h food recall. Findings Significant improvement on knowledge of energy balance occurred in all three groups E1 (p < .001), E2, and C (p < .05). Significant reductions in percentage of body fat occurred in E1 (p < .001) and E2 (p < .05). There also were significant reductions in the percent of fat consumed by E1 (p < .05) and saturated fat consumed by both E1 and E2 (p < .05). The control group only demonstrated a significant increase in stress as measured by the BIPS (p < .05). Conclusions A combined energy balance and CBT‐based intervention improves knowledge and body fat. Implications The importance to assess knowledge, anxiety, stress, nutrition intake, and percentage of body fat in female athletes and to deliver evidence‐based interventions to improve their health outcomes.

Background: Wellness champion teams can be a critical "grass roots" strategy in building a culture of worksite wellness; however, little is known about key elements of programs to prepare individuals for this role and their level of impact. Aim: To describe the components of a worksite wellness champion program at a large public land grant university in the Midwest and the characteristics of individuals who participate in this role. Methods: The Wellness Innovator program components, including processes of recruitment and retention, as well as demographic data of the Innovators are described. Results: 464 Innovators currently serve in the role. Support from supervisors/managers is key for sustained Innovator engagement. Conclusions:The Wellness Innovator program is an important strategy in encouraging faculty and staff to participate in wellness activities and services. More research is needed to determine the impact of wellness champion teams on health and wellness outcomes.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate physiological responses associated with exercise using two different mouthpieces compared with not using a mouthpiece. Improved performance while using the PX3 Bite Regulator (PX3) may significantly reduce the risk of concussions by allowing an athlete to better prepare, react, absorb, and/or avoid impact completely compared with the restricted breathing or mandibular instability that occurs when using mouthguards. Twenty-three subjects completed a battery of five physiological tests; the 1.5-mile run, sit and reach, anaerobic endurance, leg press, and bench press. Each test battery was completed under three conditions: wearing a PX3, wearing a mouthguard, or no mouthpiece respectfully. The PX3 resulted in significantly faster 1.5-mile run times (667.4 ± 9.4 vs. 684.9 ± 9.2 vs. 679 ± 7.9 s, p ≤ 0.05) and significantly longer anaerobic endurance runs (311 ± 23 vs. 283 ± 18 vs. 286 ± 18yds, p ≤ 0.05) compared with the mouthguard and no mouthpiece. The leg press lifts (51.8 ± 4.1 vs. 46.0 ± 4.3, p ≤ 0.05) while wearing the PX3 were significantly greater than when wearing a mouthguard. There were improvements, but no significant differences for sit and reach (16.8 ± 0.8 vs. 15.9 ± 0.8 vs. 16.4 ± 0.8 in., p = 0.73) and bench press (17.7 ± 1.8 vs. 17.2 ± 1.6 vs. 17.2 ± 1.7 lifts, p = 0.94). The increased performance with the PX3 could be a result of better jaw alignment and/or decreased resistance to airflow.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a cognitive-behavioral skills building program (ie, MINDSTRONG; The Ohio State University) on the mental health outcomes and healthy lifestyle beliefs and behaviors of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) students. Sample DVM students (n = 62) before beginning their program at a large public Midwest land-grant university. Procedures All 171 incoming DVM students (class of 2024) were required to take the cognitive-behavioral skills building program (7 weeks in length) before starting their 2020 school year. Students were given the option to consent to the study portion of the program. Consenting participants completed a pre- and postsurvey containing demographic questions and 5 valid and reliable scales, including the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 that assesses depressive symptoms, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 that evaluates anxiety, the Brief Inventory of Perceived Stress that measures stress, and the Healthy Lifestyle Beliefs and Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors scales. Descriptive statistics described sample characteristics, paired t tests assessed changes over time in the outcomes Personal Wellness Assessment, and Cohen’s d determined effect sizes. Results 62 DVM students completed both surveys. Postintervention, students had significant improvements in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and healthy lifestyle beliefs and behaviors. Clinical Relevance Although this study used a small convenience sample of DVM students from a single university, a cognitive-behavioral skills building program demonstrated the ability to decrease rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation and improve healthy lifestyle beliefs and behaviors. Requiring DVM students to participate in such programming could provide benefit during their professional education and throughout their careers.