The aim of the research is to compare the physical profile between Malaysian women basketball players and netball players. The physical profile measures were height, body mass, and body fat. The subjects were divided into two groups based on their playing performance and positions. The playing performance consisted of elite/senior, junior, and reserve players. Meanwhile, the playing positions consisted of forward/attack, centre, and guard/defence. The percentage of body fat was determined by means of skinfold measurement at seven different locations. Results showed that there were significant differences in body fat percentage between basketball player and netball players (p < 0.01). The elite/senior basketball players were reported to have the lowest body fat percentage as compared to other basketball or netball players. While for the playing position, guard/defence position basketball players were reported to be the shortest and have the lowest body fat percentage as compared to other playing positions. In conclusion, Malaysian basketball players were found to have better physical or bodily advantaged in terms of playing contact sports as compared to the Malaysian netball players.
Physical Fitness

The concept of fitness nursing has not been fully defined in the nursing profession but has slowly emerged due to the increasing interest of people in physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle. Hence, this analysis aims to add Fitness Nursing to the body of nursing knowledge that is currently undefined. Walker and Avant's framework for concept analysis will be used to discover the concept. Definitions of the concept are presented along with related terms. Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of the concept are presented in detail. Model, borderline, related, contrary and invented cases are presented to provide a rich representation of the concept. Empirical referents and nursing implications are presented. The concept of Fitness Nursing can be defined as the combined science of nursing with the art of personal training that focuses on health promotional activities and disease preventive measures through physical fitness. The defining attributes are physical training and health coaching. The consequence of Fitness Nursing may be presented in two aspects, Individual aspect includes increased vitality, a better body shape, higher self-esteem, better fitness overall, and most importantly, avoidance of chronic illnesses. As for the community, the outcome would be a healthier community with increased productivity and increased lifespan.
Physical Fitness

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that engaging technology can empower individuals to be more proactive about their health and reduce their health risks. The aim of the present intervention was to study the effects of technology-aided testing and feedback on physical activity and biological age of employees in a middle-sized enterprise. METHODS: In all, 121 employees (mean age 42 ± 10 years) participated in the 12-month three-arm cluster randomized trial. The fitness measurement process (Body Age) determined the participants’ biological age in years. Physical activity was measured with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form. RESULTS: Physical activity did not change during the intervention. Biological age (better fitness) improved in all groups statistically significantly (p < 0.001), but with no interaction effects. The mean changes (years) in the groups were −2.20 for the controls, –2.83 for the group receiving their biological age and feedback, and −2.31 for the group receiving their biological age, feedback, and a training computer. CONCLUSION: Technology-aided testing with feedback does not seem to change the amount of physical activity but may enhance physical fitness measured by biological age.
Motor Activity* ; Physical Fitness

The principal cause of avulsion fracture of anterior superior iliac spine is sudden powerful contraction of sartorius muscle in strenuous sporting activities. The condition usually occurs in young people in whom the apophysis has still not firmly united to the ilium. We presented the three cases of avulsion fracture of anterior superior iliac spine which occurred during sprinting in Physical Fitness Test.
Ilium ; Physical Fitness ; Spine ; Sports

PURPOSE: This study is aimed at obtaining the information on the physical fitness level of female flight attendants at a local airline. METHODS: The subjects are 2,409 female flight attendants who have had medical examination and physical fitness tests at an airline medical center from January 2 to December 30, 2008. The independent variables include socio-demographic & behavioral characteristics, and medical examination results, whereas the dependent variable is their physical strength score representing their fitness level. RESULTS: Factors that affect the fitness strength score are age, flight hours per year, and fasting blood sugar level. It is found that physical fitness level is higher when the subjects are over 35, on board for over 850 hours per year and their fasting blood sugar level is over 100 mg/dL. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that for the improvement of flight attendants' health, more exercise to develop cardio-respiratory endurance and muscular strength is needed, and further study needs to be done to develop fitness enhancement programs considering flight attendants' job characteristics, working years, and flight hours per year, and programs for those returning to their workplace after a long-term leave, and new employees.
Blood Glucose ; Fasting ; Female ; Humans ; Physical Fitness

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the tailored group exercise program on perceived health status, physical strength, depression and cognitive function in seniors. METHODS: The subjects were 42 seniors of the experimental group and 28 seniors of the control group. The exercise program tailored by physical fitness was carried out for 16 weeks. The dependent variables were measured by Perceived Health Status Scale, The Senior Fitness Test, MMSE-K, and GDS-K. The collected data were analyzed by Fisher's exact test, Chi-square test and t-test, and ANCOVA using the SAS program. RESULTS: In terms of physical strength and depression there was significant difference among groups. Perceived health status and cognitive function were not significant different among groups. CONCLUSION: In this study, the tailored exercise program was effective and safe for the elderly, and resulted in improving physical and psychological health status in the elderly. This demonstrated that the tailored group exercises program on the basis of the subject's fitness, played an essential role in maintaining and improving the health.
Aged ; Depression ; Exercise ; Humans ; Phenothiazines ; Physical Fitness

China ; Health Surveys ; Humans ; Physical Fitness ; Students

This paper deals with secular trend of height spanning 1979 to 2010 and also morphological growth patterns for Korean. It also investigates the comparison of the growth pattern between male and female based on the anthropometric data samples of KATS taken from the 1979 to 2010 surveys. The great rates of change in height occurred during 1979-1997 with 2-3 cm increase in both sexes at each surveys. After 1997 the change rate of height while increasing is remained within less than 1 cm till 2010 survey. This pattern is consistent with recent Korean cultural emphasis on health and physical fitness according to the economic development. The causes of the observed trends, insofar as they have been identified, are related to cultural processes.
Anthropometry ; Economic Development ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Physical Fitness ; Statistics as Topic

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine an exercise program using a lay health leader for elderly participants. The test covered physical fitness (grip strength, static balance and complex movement abilities), depression, cognitive function and quality of life. METHODS: A quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent control group pre-post design was employed. The participants were 62 elders from an institution for the aged, of whom 30 were included in the experimental group and 32 in the control group. The exercise program using a resident volunteer as a lay health leader was run three times a week for 12 weeks. The collected data were analyzed by chi2 test, t-test, paired t-test, and ANCOVA with SPSS/WIN 19.0. RESULTS: After the program, left grip strength (F=1.77, p<.001), right grip strength (F=9.97, p<.001), static balance (F=2.79, p<.001), ability to move complex (F=1.76, p<.001), depression (F=7.66, p<.001), the cognitive function (F=8.39, p<.001) and quality of life (F=1.08, p<.001) in the experimental group were significantly better than those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Study findings indicated that using a resident volunteer as a lay health leader was effective. It can be recommended as a public health resource and for consistent and comfortable education for the elderly in communities.
Cognition ; Depression* ; Hand Strength ; Physical Fitness* ; Public Health ; Quality of Life*

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness and coronary risk factor profiles in Japanese women. The subjects were 1, 483 women (ages 30 to 69) who participated in a practical health promotion program. After medical examination, physical fitness was evaluated by conducting a symptom limited maximal exercise test by ergometer to measure maximum oxygen uptake (peakVO2) with an expired gas analyzer. The subjects were classified into 3 groups (high fitness, moderate fitness, and low fitness) according to age and physical fitness level. The results showed that the subjects in higher fitness groups had lower levels in: body mass index (BMI), percentage of body fat, waist−hip ratio, resting blood pressure, and atherogenic index, and higher HDL−cholesterol compared to those in lower fitness group. Even after adjustment for the effects of age and BMI, the subjects in the higher fitness groups had better coronary risk factor profiles. These results suggest that among Japanese women a high level of physical fitness is related to favorable coronary risk factor profiles.
Physical Fitness ; Risk Factors ; Japanese language ; Cardio- ; Human Females