The purpose of this Position Stand is to provide an overview of issues critical to understanding the importance of exercise and physical activity in older adult populations. The Position Stand is divided into three sections: Section 1 briefly reviews the structural and functional changes that characterize normal human aging, Section 2 considers the extent to which exercise and physical activity can influence the aging process, and Section 3 summarizes the benefits of both long-term exercise and physical activity and shorter-duration exercise programs on health and functional capacity. Although no amount of physical activity can stop the biological aging process, there is evidence that regular exercise can minimize the physiological effects of an otherwise sedentary lifestyle and increase active life expectancy by limiting the development and progression of chronic disease and disabling conditions. There is also emerging evidence for significant psychological and cognitive benefits accruing from regular exercise participation by older adults. Ideally, exercise prescription for older adults should include aerobic exercise, muscle strengthening exercises, and flexibility exercises. The evidence reviewed in this Position Stand is generally consistent with prior American College of Sports Medicine statements on the types and amounts of physical activity recommended for older adults as well as the recently published 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. All older adults should engage in regular physical activity and avoid an inactive lifestyle.

The authors examined the relationship between physical activity, exercise, and sedentary behaviors in 493 college students who were enrolled in 10 conditioning activity classes and had completed questionnaires at the beginning of the course. They analyzed sedentary activities and indicators of participation in exercise and physical activity by demographic variables. Surveyed men reported greater participation in physical activity and exercise than did women, and they also spent more time watching television/videos and using the computer. Older students were more likely to report more computer use, whereas younger students scored higher on several physical activity indicators. Of the sedentary behaviors, only computer use for men and television watching for women were negatively correlated with exercise and physical activity. In addition to accessibility and reinforcing properties of sedentary activities, the gender-related relationships between sedentary and active behaviors should be considered in design...

The research purposes were to examine the factorial and convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the Exercise Dependence Scale (EDS). Two separate studies, containing a total of 1,263 college students, were undertaken to accomplish these purposes. Participants completed the EDS and measures of exercise behavior and perfectionism. Confirmatory factor analysis in Study 1 reduced the scale from 28 to 21 items (i.e., 3 items per subscale) and it supported a correlated seven-factor model in Study 2 (Tucker-Lewis Index = .96, comparative fit index = .97, root mean square error of approximation = .05, average absolute standardized residual = .02). Adequate internal consistency and test-rest reliability for the scale was evidenced. Consistent with the hypotheses and the EDS classifications for exercise dependence symptoms, individuals at risk for exercise dependence reported more exercise behavior and perfectionistic tendencies, compared to the nondependent-symptomatic and nondepe...

The purpose of this systematic review was to catalogue and synthesize published studies that have examined the effects of peer-delivered physical activity interventions on physical activity behavior. Ten published studies were identified that met the inclusion criteria. The following information was extracted from each study: study design and duration; characteristics of the sample, peers, and interventions; and physical activity outcomes. In all articles reporting within-groups analyses, peer-delivered interventions led to increases in physical activity behavior. When compared to alternatives, peer-delivered interventions were just as effective as professionally delivered interventions and more effective than control conditions for increasing physical activity. Only three studies included measures of social cognitive variables, yielding some evidence that peers may enhance self-efficacy and self-determined forms of motivation. Based on these findings, interventionists are encouraged to include peer mentors in their intervention delivery models. Investigators are encouraged to pursue a more comprehensive understanding of factors that can explain and maximize the impact of peer-delivered activity interventions.

Research that seeks to compare and contrast theories of behavior change and assess the utility of a particular theoretical model for changing two or more health-related behaviors is critical to advancing health behavior research. Theory-comparison can help us learn more about the processes by which people change and maintain health behaviors than does study of any single theory alone and thus has the potential to better guide the development of intervention. Multiple-behavior interventions promise to have much greater impact on public health than single-behavior interventions. However, theory-comparison and multiple-behavior research presents several emerging challenges. These include finding new ways to enhance recruitment and retention, especially among diverse populations; improving treatment fidelity; developing common metrics across behaviors that can be used to advance the measurement and assessment of behavioral change; and expanding the reach and translation of intervention approaches that have demonstrated efficacy. This paper discusses the rationale for conducting theory-comparison and multiple-behavior research and presents several common themes that have emerged from the work of the National Institutes of Health Behavior Change Consortium (BCC). The activities of each BCC workgroup and the potential contribution of each to these common themes to advance health behavior research are also described.