Literature Review #3

Predictors of Physical Activity and Barriers to Exercise in Nursing and Medical Students -- Lit Review #3

Citation: 

Blake, Holly, et al. “Predictors of Physical Activity and Barriers to Exercise in Nursing and Medical Students.” Journal of Advanced Nursing, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27731886.

Summary: 

The premise of the article is to investigate physical activity levels of nursing and medical students then cross examine them with barriers or predictors to exercise. Most students did not achieve the recommended levels of physical activity. Despite learning about the benefits of exercise in their classes they found themselves putting it off to the side. The most common benefit that was reported from these students were that exercise provided a sense of stress relief. Most notable barriers were lack of time, busy schedules or not as important. The students were reasonably more concerned about passing their classes than going to exercise. Oftentimes the mindset is that, "let me just finish school first then I will have time to workout in the future". Healthcare professional students generally have low levels of physical activity due to their intensive work load. Overall this could increase their health risk and may influence their health promotion practices with patients. Many people go by the saying, "practice what you preach" when prospective doctors and nurses are not doing the same. 

Authors: 

Holly Blake 

- Associate Professor of Behavioural Science School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, UK

Natalia Stanulewicz 

- Doctoral student, School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, UK

Francesca Mcgill 

- Staff Nurse, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, UK 

The authors come from different backgrounds and specializations under the umbrella of health professions. They are very credible to this research and have surveyed 361 nursing and medical students studying at a UK medical school. As well as the data they receive, they can provide input to further the research from their working experience. 

Key Terms: 

• self-efficacy 
• an individual's belief in his or her capacity to execute behaviors in one's own environment
• nursing
• the practice of providing care for the sick and unhealthy
• healthcare 
• the organized provision of medical care to individuals or a community

Three Quotes: 

1. "Lack of time, fatigue and lack of motivation have been identified as the primary barriers identified by registered staff nurses"(919).
2. "Physical activity levels are less than exemplary in healthcare professionals and students. This is concerning given their education and training around the health benefits of physical activity and their roles as advocates of health and well-being" (922).
3.  "Efforts should be made to promote physical activity in healthcare students to increase the proportion meeting the basic daily recommendation for the level of physical activity required to benefit health"(925).

Value

Once again this is an article relating physical activity and exercise to college students. However this case in particular relates to me personally as I am a healthcare student. I try to remind myself to really practice what I am being taught myself to gain a greater sense of how to provide the best care for my patients in the future. While some people are great at giving advice, they might not take their own advice. In the healthcare field it is very important for us to do both and really provide the most beneficial information for the patient. 

Blog Post #5 -- Working Bibliography

Research Question

As students enter college it is clear that the motivation to exercise decreases. Can colleges encourage more students to invest into their health and fitness? Why should colleges devote resources into the well-being of their community?

Bibliography

Blake, Holly, et al. “Predictors of Physical Activity and Barriers to Exercise in Nursing and Medical Students.” Journal of Advanced Nursing, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27731886.

Ebben, William, and Laura Brudzynski. “Motivation and Barriers To Exercise Among College Students.” Journal of Exercise Physiology, Oct. 2008, www.asep.org/asep/asep/EbbenJEPonlineOctober2008.pdf.

Huang, Terry, et al. “Assessing Overweight, Obesity, Diet, and Physical Activity in College Students.” Taylor & Francis, Mar. 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448480309595728?src=recsys.

Pinto, Bernardine M, and Bess H Marcus. “A Stages of Change Approach to Understanding College Students' Physical Activity.” Taylor & Francis, July 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448481.1995.9937506.

Racette, Susanne B, et al. “Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College.” Taylor & Francis, Aug. 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/JACH.53.6.245-251#top-content-scroll.

Blog Post #4 -- Research Proposal

Working Title: Why is Exercise Not A College Requirement?

Topic

            I am going to examine why colleges do not require exercise courses as part of their curriculum. Many colleges do offer “gym” classes but only on an “if interested” basis. My paper will aim to draw attention to why colleges should require these classes or an incentive for their students to engage in exercise. This becomes especially appropriate today with rising stress levels among students and be a way to combat those levels through college.

Research Question

            As students enter college it is clear that the motivation to exercise decreases. Can colleges encourage more students to invest into their health and fitness? Why should colleges devote resources into the well-being of their community?

Theoretical Frame

            In the article, Motivation and Barriers To Exercise Among College Students, by Ebben and Brudzynski, it was found that there are common factors among students regarding the will to exercise. Common barriers that were found are as follows, “no time”, “school workload too high”, “studying for exams”, “laziness” or “other priorities”. These barriers are important for colleges to be aware of as these ideas are fairly reasonable. While it may be difficult for colleges to reduce the pressures of academics they may be able to instead promote the motivations behind exercise. The most common reasons people exercise include health, fitness, stress reduction, pleasure and visual attractiveness. These motivating factors can be emphasized by promoting fitness centers, extracurricular clubs and classes around campus. Physical activity levels are important to monitor for overall health not just through college but to maintain habits into adulthood.

With colleges offering to give credit for exercise, this could be seen as a win/win situation for most students. These courses would be easy health and fitness “gym” classes for an easy grade as well as college credit.  Colleges should direct more resources into these courses to create a healthier environment around campus and more importantly hope to decrease student stress levels. I am very invested in this as I am to pursue a career in the medical field, specifically Physical Therapy. Long term investments in health are important to develop proper health behaviors throughout life not just college. Colleges requiring exercise as a part of the curriculum could act as a form of preventative medicine.

Cases or Examples

            While it is known that physical activity levels decrease in college. Weight gain also becomes a prominent issue for college life. In the study, Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College, the authors offer interesting information on how weight gain and behavioral patterns during college can contribute to overweight and obesity in adulthood. The research aims to analyze dietary habits and exercise behaviors in college students. I believe this is a great case to study for my paper as it takes into account dietary concerns. Often times young adults may believe that going to the gym or working out should suffice for good health. What they fail to realize is that health and wellness encompasses both exercise and diet. This is a great avenue to take for my analysis since I have seen many posters around dining halls promoting healthier foods but not many regarding exercise. Another relevant search I came across was from the study, Predictors of Physical Activity and Barriers to Exercise in Nursing and Medical Students, this was interesting because even prospective healthcare professionals show low levels of physical activity. Students who learn the most about health and fitness do not even follow their own teachings. How can future medical and nursing students be expected to advise patients when they do not even follow a healthy exercise routine. The ideology behind not exercising for these students are the lack of time due to the demand of their studies. The results just go to show how even educating students on the benefit of health and exercise may not be most effective. This is relatable as a student in the medical professions, where sciences and other health courses require so much review of material that sometimes there is not enough time to go to the gym. Often times priorities lie within academics since there is little room for mistakes and wasting time. Many students believe that they can focus on school now and then maybe have time to go to the gym in the future. That is another understandable angle but does not always succeed. I do believe it is possible to still have healthy exercise habits in college despite certain courses.  Young adults in college must develop healthy habits in the presence of stress to combat obesity in the future. Building a foundation is important which is why colleges should implement exercise or “gym” classes into their requirements. The groundwork of a healthy routine in the face of adversity is important for students to create, which will snowball into the future.

Bibliography

Blake, Holly, et al. “Predictors of Physical Activity and Barriers to Exercise in Nursing and Medical Students.” Journal of Advanced Nursing, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2017, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27731886.

Ebben, William, and Laura Brudzynski. “Motivation and Barriers To Exercise Among College Students.” Journal of Exercise Physiology, Oct. 2008, www.asep.org/asep/asep/EbbenJEPonlineOctober2008.pdf.

Huang, Terry, et al. “Assessing Overweight, Obesity, Diet, and Physical Activity in College Students.” Taylor & Francis, Mar. 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448480309595728?src=recsys.

Pinto, Bernardine M, and Bess H Marcus. “A Stages of Change Approach to Understanding College Students' Physical Activity.” Taylor & Francis, July 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07448481.1995.9937506.

Racette, Susanne B, et al. “Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College.” Taylor & Francis, Aug. 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/JACH.53.6.245-251#top-content-scroll.

Literature Review #2

Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College -- Literature Review

Citation: 

  Racette, Susanne B, et al. “Weight Changes, Exercise, and Dietary Patterns During Freshman and Sophomore Years of College.” Taylor & Francis, Aug. 2010, www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3200/JACH.53.6.245-251#top-content-scroll.

Summary:

The article explores the idea that certain habits and behaviors in college can develop further into adulthood. As students transition into college life, the demands of college lead students to prioritize their needs. Unfortunately, the pressures of college force students to really focus on academics which puts diet and exercise lower on their priorities. The authors specifically research weight, exercise and dietary patterns for underclassmen students who have just entered college. Overall the study found a potentially significant weight gain (~9 lb) in 70% of the students during the first 2 years of college. Also the inactivity and unhealthy dietary behaviors that characterize many students during their early college years contribute to this. 

Authors:

The authors come from backgrounds of medical professions, such as PT's or Nursing or fields of higher education in Exercise Physiology. The health professions and sports medicine fields are important to my topic as they encompass the essentials for my research -- exercise, diet and physical activity.

Key terms:

• body mass index
• a weight-to-height ratio used as an indicator of obesity or being underweight
• diet
• food and drink regularly consumed
• obesity
• the condition of being excessively fat or overweight

Three quotes:

1. "The transition between adolescence and adulthood, a common age for college attendance, frequently is accompanied by dramatic and inappropriate weight gain"(245). 
2. "Because nearly two thirds of the adult population in America is classified as overweight, it is important to understand the role that the college environment may play in this epidemic, and to consider institutional strategies that might encourage college students to pursue healthy exercise and eating habits and maintain healthy body weight throughout college"(250).
3. "Promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors early in college may have long-term benefits through adulthood that would serve to reduce the rising incidence of physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity in our society"(250). 

This material is great for my research question since it addresses how promoting healthy behaviors in college can affect adulthood. The article goes to investigate the diet aspect of health and how not properly investing in diet can result to obesity or being overweight later in life. Along with exercise, diet is actually even more important to health and physique. Exercise is simply a supplement for diet, both should be combined with good habits to ensure healthy behaviors and routines. 

Literature Review #1

MOTIVATIONS AND BARRIERS TO EXERCISE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS 

Lit Review

Citation: Ebben, William, and Laura Brudzynski. “MOTIVATIONS AND BARRIERS TO EXERCISE AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS.” Journal of Exercise Physiology, Oct. 2008, www.asep.org/asep/asep/EbbenJEPonlineOctober2008.pdf.

Summary: The purpose of this research was to gather comprehensive information as to why young adults, more specifically college students, have seen a significant decrease in physical activity levels. The study aims to highlight certain motivations and barriers influence exercise behaviors in college. Many factors play a role in what drives people to exercise and stay healthy. The most common terms or excuses are--  "no time", "lazy", "other priorities", "no motivation" and/or "too tired". These are all very reasonable reasons for why physical activity levels are so low in college students but they are barriers that hold us from bettering ourselves. Exercise physiologists conduct this research to understand why college students seem to put exercise on the side. Along with exercise physiologists, sport psychologists are also a great source for this research. A lot of restrictive factors in physical activity levels come from mentality. This article utilizes the fields of exercise physiology and sport psychology to gather data on the exercise behaviors of college students. 

Authors: 

• William Ebben
• Marquette University/Department of Physical Therapy, Program in Exercise Science, Milwaukee, WI
• Laura Brudzynski
• Marquette University/Department of Psychology, Program in Exercise Science, Milwaukee, WI

Key terms:

• exercise physiology
• the study of the body's response to physical activity
• sport psychology
• a discipline focused on the development and application of psychological theory for the understanding and modification of human behavior in the sport and physical exercise environment
• fitness
• the condition of being physically fit and health

Three quotes 

1. "Physical activity levels decline throughout the life cycle with the largest rate of decline in young adulthood"(Page 2). 
2. "This finding is consistent with other studies that identified 'positive health', 'fitness' and health/fitness management' as the most common motives for exercise"(Page 5). 
3. "While barriers such as a lack of time and motivation, and multiple commitments are most common, the exercise physiologist should ask each client to identify the specific factors that potentially compromise their exercise adherence and work together to identify solutions"(Page 7). 

Value 

This article is very useful in exploring my research since it actively investigates factors that affect behavior. The motivations and barriers behind exercise could give college campuses a better idea of how to properly promote exercise. The article highlights why students do and do not engage in exercise. Targeting the reasons and motivations behind exercise are easier than targeting the student overall. Ebben and Brudzynski offer suggestions on how to deal with individuals with barriers between them and exercise that can be useful for my research question.