Dimensions of Physical Activity in African American Women

Abstract

Obesity and hypertension are among the international problems for which health professionals urge exercise. Exercise might increase if advisers knew how patients normally expend energy. Using the Yale Physical Activity Survey (YPAS), this U.S. study measured energy expenditure in several dimensions of physical activity including exercise, in African American women with hypertension (N = 100). Over half expended at least 6,000 (kilocalories) kcal per week; most expended over 3,500 of those kcal in everyday work activities. Such activities could be enhanced to supplement aerobic exercise. When physical activity is urged to promote health, it is important to consider kcal expenditure beyond exercise.

A Community-Based Walking Program to Promote Physical Activity Among African American Women

“…In contrast to reported demographics of participants in walking intervention studies, most (65 percent) participants in this project reported being married. Research showed that married participants were more likely to continue in walking programs (Buchholz & Artinian, ). The majority of the participants reported full‐time employment (55 percent).…”

“…When health care providers are prescribing interventions to increase physical activity, it's important that they select an intervention that doesn't just consider episodic exercise but considers everyday work, such as household chores as a form of physical activity (Buchholz & Artinian, ). Women are more likely to maintain their prescribed physical activity plan when it includes customized activities they enjoy doing and a wide selection of physical activities from which they can chose.…”

Mass triathlon participation as a human need to set the goals and cross the borders. How to understand the triathlete?

“…Physical activity when skeletal muscles producing bodily movement has been categorized into three levels of intensity of low, moderate, and high [5][6] . This division defines it in three different ways (Table 1).…”

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Buchholz and Artinian (2009) defined physical activity and categorized it into three levels: low, moderate, and high. Triathlon as an activity that typically combines swimming, cycling and running in one event, belongs to high level and is considered as a hard discipline, requiring frequent, well-planned training.

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