Law enforcement officers (LEOs) on university campuses are required to perform a variety of physical occupational tasks. Identifying which physical fitness characteristics are associated with these occupational tasks will assist in the development of appropriate exercise programs and physical fitness assessments. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify physical fitness and demographic characteristics that were correlated with occupational tasks commonly performed by campus LEOs. The occupational assessment was conducted using an Officer Physical Ability Test (OPAT), which simulated a foot chase of a suspect. Sixteen male LEOs (age: 33.1 ± 8.7 years; body mass: 87.2 ± 11.2 kg; height: 179.0 ± 7.9 cm) performed the OPAT. A battery of physical fitness tests were used to assess aerobic capacity, muscular endurance, strength, power, flexibility, agility, and body composition. Bivariate correlations were performed to identify significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlations between physical fitness characteristics and OPAT time. The officers' age was significantly correlated to the majority of OPAT tasks, physical fitness, and anthropometric assessments. Therefore, partial correlations were used to control for the confounding effects of age. After controlling for the officers' age, the overall OPAT time was significantly correlated with agility (r = 0.57) and aerobic endurance (r = -0.65). Furthermore, push-up, curl-up, body mass, waist circumference, and abdominal circumference were significantly correlated to individual OPAT tasks. In conclusion, exercise programs and fitness assessments should be used for campus LEOs that address a variety of physical fitness characteristics associated with occupational performance. In addition, exercise programs should focus on body composition management and fitness for older LEOs.

Background: Current recommendations call for adults to be physically active at moderate and/or vigorous intensities. Given the popularity of walking and running, the use of step rates may provide a practical and inexpensive means to evaluate ambulatory intensity. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify step rate thresholds that correspond to various intensity classifications. Methods: Oxygen consumption was measured at rest and during 10 minute treadmill walking and running trials at 6 standardized speeds (54, 80, 107, 134, 161, and 188 m•min -1 ) in 9 men and 10 women (28.8 ± 6.8 yrs). Two observers counted the participants' steps at each treadmill speed. Linear and nonlinear regression analyses were used to develop prediction equations to ascertain step rate thresholds at various intensities. Results: Nonlinear regression analysis of the metabolic cost versus step rates across all treadmill speeds yielded the highest R 2 values for men (R 2 = .91) and women (R 2 = .79). For men, the nonlinear analysis yielded 94 and 125 step•min -1 for moderate and vigorous intensities, respectively. For women, 99 and 135 step•min -1 corresponded with moderate and vigorous intensities, respectively. Conclusions: Promoting a step rate of 100 step•min -1 may serve as a practical public health recommendation to exercise at moderate intensity.

Accelerometer-based activity monitors are commonly used by researchers and clinicians to assess physical activity. Recently, the Kenz Lifecorder EX (KL) and ActiGraph GT1M (AG) accelerometers have been made commercially available, but there is limited research on the validity of these devices. Therefore, we sought to validate step count, activity energy expenditure (EE), and total EE output from the KL and AG during treadmill walking and running. Ten male and 10 female participants performed 10 min treadmill walking and running trials, at speeds of 54, 80, 107, 134, 161, and 188 m.min-1. Step counts were hand tallied by 2 observers, and indirect calorimetry was used to validate the accelerometers' estimates of EE. AG total EE was calculated using the Freedson equation. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Pearson's correlations were used to analyze the data. At the slowest walking speed, the AG and KL counted 64% +/- 15% and 92% +/- 6% of the observed steps, respectively. At all other treadmill speeds, both activity monitors undercounted, compared with observed steps, by < or =3%. The KL underestimated activity EE at faster running speeds (p < 0.01), overestimated total EE at some walking speeds, and underestimated total EE at some running speeds (p < 0.01). The Freedson equation inaccurately measured total EE at most walking and running speeds. The KL and the AG are moderately priced accelerometers that provide researchers and clinicians with accurate estimates of step counts and activity EE at most walking and running speeds.

School-based interventions are encouraged to support youth physical activity (PA). Classroom-based PA has been incorporated as one component of school wellness policies. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the effects of integrating PA with mathematics content on math class and school day PA levels of elementary students. Participants include four teachers and 75 students. Five math classes are taught without PA integration (i.e., baseline) followed by 13 math classes that integrate PA. Students wear pedometers and accelerometers to track PA during math class and throughout the school day. Students perform significantly more PA on school days and in math classes during the intervention. In addition, students perform higher intensity (step min(-1)) PA during PA integration math classes compared with baseline math classes. Integrating PA into the classroom is an effective alternative approach to improving PA levels among youth and is an important component of school-based wellness policies.

Background:Recess is an important component of a Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program, providing approximately 1268 and 914 steps for boys and girls, respectively, within a 15-minute time period. The purpose of this study was to determine the contribution of unstructured recess on children’s school-day physical activity levels and to examine if recess and school-day physical activity levels varied by BMI, gender, and grade level.Methods:One-hundred sixty third- to fifth-grade students from 2 elementary schools wore pedometers during 4 recess periods.Results:Recess accounted for 17% to 44% of school-day step counts. There was a significant main effect for grade level, but not for BMI or gender, on the percentage of school-day steps accumulated during recess.Conclusions:A 15-minute recess makes a valuable contribution to children’s school-day physical activity, especially for the least active children. More research is warranted to determine environmental influences on children’s recess physical activity.