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Related Data for Thesis/Dissertation: Exercise and fitness contents on Reddit: An exploratory analysis
No full textHealth promotion professionals recognize that social media is an attractive literacy tool for use as part of physical activity, exercise, and fitness intervention (Nutbeam, 2017; Whitaker et al., 2017). However, therein lies questions as to how best to implement and achieve effective outcomes through such services (Moorhead et al., 2018). Past research has offered some insights. For example, Facebook support groups have influenced general physical and mental health (Frison & Eggermont, 2016; Wright et al., 2013). Public health authorities may see the use of social media platforms to guide and disseminate news to the nation in the near future (Eghtesadi & Florea, 2020). Public perceptions of exercise and fitness issues on Facebook have been analyzed (Jaggi et al., 2018; Carrotte et al., 2015). The discourse of fit bodies and specialized diets in females resonate closely in the Facebook narrative, and other research studies internationally (Wick & Harriger, 2018; Rojkowski & Schöps, 2021). Beyond doubt, there is an understanding among researchers that (1) social media content has influence on users and (2) the narratives on social media can affect users’ perception of exercise and fitness. While Facebook attracts millions of users, other social media platforms create different social understanding on fitness and exercise. Twitter users gather to discuss physical activity through fitness application and functions (Molina & Sundar, 2018; Vickey et al., 2013) Therefore, in pursuit of understanding exercise and fitness content and behaviour on social media, this brings about the importance of gathering and understanding information in various sources. Apart from one study which investigated the discussion on weight loss, there has been no other study analysing exercise and fitness discourse on Reddit. This study aims to be the first to explore, describe and analyze exercise and fitness content on Reddit community. Additionally, understanding what users browse and post on Reddit can allow better understanding of how the platform can be integrated into the realm of physical activity and exercise.
Briefly, Reddit is a website where registered users anonymously follow and engage in communities (subreddits) of interest. From the perspective of health care professional and researchers, it would be beneficial to understand the key functionalities, use and structure of the Reddit portal which has more than 430 million monthly active users (Statista, 2021). Given that so little is known about the nature of information available in Reddit on fitness and exercise in the research realm, the aim of this dissertation is to unpack the existing information structure in Reddit and offer insights for future researchers interested in studying the Reddit data in a deeper fashion. Specifically, comments posted in the subreddit “fitness” will be examined in this thesis to understand the themes within.
The foray into Reddit data through systematic research is not new outside of fitness. For instance, researchers have studied personal narratives, unique to Reddit, to detect mental disorders and stigmatic illnesses. (De Choudhury & De, 2014; Shen & Rudzicz, 2017; Tadesse et al., 2019). Such attempts involved analysing linguistic attributes manifested in the nature of the content and showed that registered users share more explicit information compared on other health forums, and social networking sites. Furthermore, Reddit scores can potentially create impact as posts with higher popularity and votes sits on a better position on the webpage, gaining more attention. Thus, there is value in exploring the types of themes that emerge based on the popularity of discussion threads and posts. The second study aims to explore the types of themes on Reddit using similar constructs to identify the role it potentially has in fitness and exercise. Most importantly, it aims to support the notion that social media enhance opportunities of impactful health intervention, and health effects (Carr et al., 2013). The study aims to explore Reddit’s capabilities of gauging the masses’ literacy of exercise and fitness hoping to determine the needs and interests of the masses for health professionals and future researchers to leverage. Four months of submissions accumulating to 143,996 posts were collected through an open Reddit API, in which the dataset comprises of a list of variables. The variables were further studied and thus were found to be capable of identifying discussion trees. Hence, 268 discussion trees were identified as contributing factors towards Reddit use in the “/r/Fitness” subreddit within the 4 months. Following this, the study identified distinctive topics in which drives Reddit users and the sentiments surrounding the discussion in this subreddit. Results indicated Reddit users discuss exercise and fitness in this subreddit and predominantly discussed about (1) diet in relation to the fitness workouts, (2) diet in relation to body composition and (3) exercise regimes and workouts (e.g., endurance and weight training). The diverse discussions are similar to other platforms (Karami et al., 2018) possibly due to the high volume of users (Statista, 2021). Additionally, the commonality for users to share information on workouts and exercise regimes resonates with the current literature which found that users do so to seek positive affirmation (Stagier & Merchant, 2013). As this further affirms the key functionality of Reddit, creating a community of users with the same interest, it is worth exploring future intervention in targeted populations. Secondly, discussions in the community tend to be generally neutral or positive. Contrary to findings on mental health communities, where posts were indicative of greater negative emotions (Shen & Rudzicz, 2017; Tadesse et al., 2019), users in this community very often were stories of own experiences and knowledge. This form of narrative is worth establishing as the users show engage in fitness and exercise with positivity or neutral rather than negativity. Interestingly, users in this community create a desired impression or behavior to exercise by sharing records such as fitness app use, playlists, or experiences. Given the current literature indicating great focus on disease prevention improvement in health status and disease prevention (Dieli-Conwright et al., 2018; Dasso, 2019; Rodriguez-Ayllon et al., 2018) or exercise prescription, and the tendency to engage in discussing non-acceptable health norms on social media (Jaggi et al., 2017), this finding comes new. Subsequently, the discussion of the current trends on the type of workouts, training modalities and apps used can allow researchers develop and implement fitness models. This study marks the first in developing a detailed description of the processes to collect, analyze, interpret, and structure Reddit datasets. Consequently, the study explored the discussions around the Fitness subreddit and characterize the sentiments in relation to the discourse. It is worth noting that this model can be reproduced to future works to produce a more robust description of the fitness and exercise discipline on social media.</p
Related Data for: Minority language testing: The social impact of the Zhuang language proficiency test in China
No full textThe Zhuang language test (Vahcuengh Sawcuengh Suijbingz Gaujsi, VSSG) is the first minority language test in the People’s Republic of China. It was designed with multiple goals including improving Zhuang language teaching, recruiting students for relevant majors of tertiary study, identifying proficiency for work-related applications, and piloting the standardisation of national minority languages. Informed by a use-oriented testing perspective that takes into account social consequences and value implications, we examine attitudes of stakeholders (i.e. testers in an official capacity and testees) toward the test and consider how well the VSSG meets its goals. Drawing on documents and interviews, our study suggests that the test falls short of its primary goals due to a mismatch between stakeholder attitudes, the social functions of the tested language, and the value attached to the minority language. As a result, the test is an ineffective agent for promoting the status of the Zhuang language in the ways intended by its designers and policymakers
Related Data for: Functional versus conventional strength and conditioning programs for back injury prevention in emergency responders
No full textBack pain and back-related injuries are common complaints among emergency responders. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two strength and conditioning programs in improving back muscle characteristics and disabilities in emergency responders (firefighters/paramedics). Participants (n = 24) were randomized into two groups to complete 16 weeks of supervised exercise intervention: 1) Functional training used unilateral movements that mimicked the asymmetrical nature of emergency operations, 2) Conventional training performed bilaterally loaded exercises. Outcome measures were maximum isometric back extension strength, passive muscle stiffness, lumbar extensor fatigability, and revised Oswestry Low Back Pain Questionnaire. A mixed model Analysis of Variance with repeated measures was performed to compare the difference over time and between groups. While the training effects were similar between groups, both programs improved isometric back extension strength (+21.3% functional, +20.3% conventional, p < .001, η²p = 0.625) and lumbar extensor muscle fatigability (+17.4% functional, +9.5% conventional, p = .009, η²p = 0.191). Bilateral symmetry in muscle stiffness was improved as indicated by reduction in symmetry index (-7.1% functional, -11.8% conventional, p = .027, η²p = 0.151). All self-reported pain and disability scores fell within the category of “minimum functional limitation” throughout the intervention and 6-month follow-up periods. For frontline firefighters and paramedics, both functional and conventional strength training are effective for improving back muscle characteristics
Related Data for: Weekday breakfast habits and mood at the start of the school morning
No full textBackground
Good nutrition, regular physical activity, and adequate sleep are important for promoting health. However, it is not well characterized how these lifestyle behaviours are associated with mood at the start of school days.
Aim
To identify the weekday health-related behaviours (breakfast intake, physical activity, and sleep) of Singaporean adolescents and explore their associations with mood at the beginning of the school morning.
Methods
365 adolescents (52.3% boys, 47.7% girls) aged 14–19 years (M = 16.9, SD = 1.3 years) completed a survey set on breakfast habits, physical activity participation, sleep duration, and mood.
Results
More than one-third (38.6%) of participants never (15.0%) or irregularly (23.6%) consumed breakfast on weekdays. Adolescents consuming breakfast irregularly reported significantly higher negative mood scores than regular breakfast consumers (p = .002; d = .404). Almost two-thirds (64.1%) of adolescents did
Conclusion
The present study suggests that eating breakfast on a regular basis and completing for ≥60 min of weekday MVPA are useful behaviours to start school days in a better mood. Parents and health educators should recognise the importance of establishing these habits and support students by instigating practical approaches so they can achieve a regular breakfast intake and physical activity engagement.</p
Related Data for: Immigrant teachers in Singapore schools: Backgrounds, integration, and diversification
No full textImmigrant-background teachers make up a fragment of the teacher population in
mainstream Singapore schools. Though modest in terms of number, the presence of
these teachers in the Singapore teaching workforce is arguably significant in other
ways. To date, little research attention has been paid to this unique group of teachers. Based on a Ministry of Education-National Institute of Education funded study, this article provides an overview of the characteristics and experiences of immigrant teachers in mainstream Singapore primary and secondary schools, with a focus on the practical challenges and value tensions they encounter in the professional settings. Findings show that immigrant teachers are generally well integrated into the Singapore education system notwithstanding certain challenges. Meanwhile, some teachers’ experiences of negotiating with value differences suggest that immigrant teachers may have the potential to add diversity to the education system, although this potential appears to be limited by the pragmatic imperative of professional integration
Related Data for: Taming “Issue Investigation”: Singapore secondary social studies teachers’ accounts of challenges encountered and strategies for coping
No full textThe upper-secondary Social Studies (SS) syllabus (Express/Normal-Academic)
released in Singapore in 2016 introduced an inquiry-based component called “Issue
Investigation” (II). Given the relatively recent nature of this introduction, so far
there has been little research on II. Drawing on a small qualitative study, this
article reports on some of the typical challenges experienced by Singapore SS
teachers in implementing and enacting II, as well as the coping strategies they
developed. According to these teachers’ accounts, II was from the outset hindered
by an exam-driven pragmatic attitude prevalent in Singapore schools; whereas
specific enactment challenges included the II’s (perceived) overwhelming scope and
depth, time constraints, and deficits of certain skills or preparedness among
students and teachers. Faced with these challenges, teachers developed broadly two types of coping strategies—simplification and “piggybacking”—to tame II by making it manageable, both for the students and for themselves
Related Data for: Hands-on consensus building: Leveraging deep learning models to unveil hand gestures in consensus-building discourses
No full textFrom the lens of embodied cognition, hand gestures emerge as vital embodiments facilitating shared meaning-making among learners in collaborative learning. Despite this recognition, the specific role of hand employment in various consensus-building discourses remains elusive, and there is a lack of quantitative evidence of hand employment in authentic classrooms. This study delves into the nuanced application of embodied cognition through hands across distinct consensus-building scenarios—quick, integration-oriented, and conflict-oriented consensus-building discourses. Forty engineering students from a Singapore university collaborated in dyads to solve design problems in a face-to-face computer-supported collaborative learning environment. Their collaboration process was video recorded. A deep learning-based model was applied to quantify students’ hand movement. The different kinds of individual and collaborative hand gestures were analyzed. The results found a significantly larger quantity and more balanced quantity of hand gesture employment during conflict-oriented consensus-building discourse than other consensus-building discourses. Students most often applied depictive gestures and idea alternations to demonstrate their understanding and build on each other’s ideas. This study quantitatively explores how hand gestures contribute to consensus-building in collaborative learning, corroborating existing qualitative research. It suggests that incorporating hand gestures in classrooms may enhance students’ thought processes and foster shared understanding
Related Data for: Can a good break shot determine the game outcome in 9-ball?
No full textThis study aimed to quantify the break shot characteristics and identify their significance in predicting the game outcomes in 9-ball tournaments. The break shots of 275 frames (241 men’s, 34 women’s) of professional tournaments were analyzed from two aspects: (1) cue ball position, represented by the distance between the cue ball and the table center, and (2) ball distribution, indicated by the standard deviation of Voronoi cell areas determined from all remaining balls on the table. Spearman correlation and binary logistic regression were utilized to identify associations and to predict the frame outcomes, respectively. Results showed that the more balls falling into the pockets during the break, the more clustered the remaining balls (rs = 0.232, p < 0.001). The closer the cue ball ending toward the table center, the more balls potted in the visit immediately after the break (rs = −0.144, p = 0.027). Neither cue ball position nor ball distribution could predict table clearance or winning of a frame. In conclusion, pocketing more balls during the break is associated with more clustered balls remaining on the table. Parking the cue ball near the table center after the break can facilitate potting more balls immediately after
Related Data for: Biomechanical effects of a passive back-support exosuit during simulated military lifting tasks: An EMG study
No full textMilitary operators performing vehicle maintenance work are at times subject to onerous tasks such as lifting and transporting heavy loads, potentially in confined spaces. As this presents a risk for developing musculoskeletal injury, it is of interest to evaluate if a passive back-support exosuit could help reduce back muscle load. This study used wireless electromyographic (EMG) sensors to evaluate the biomechanical effects of exosuits during lifting tasks. Ten male participants performed military-relevant lifting tasks with and without wearing the exosuit in randomised orders. The lifting tasks included (1) vertical lifts of different weights (15 and 25 kg) onto different platform heights (0.5 m and 1.2 m) and (2) a lateral walk task across 4 m in a confined space while carrying a 39 kg weight. EMG activities of three back muscle groups (longissimus, iliocostalis, and multifidus) were measured and normalised to maximal isometric back extension tasks. The results showed no significant differences in muscle activation between conditions in most lifting tasks, except for a reduction in longissimus muscle activity when using the exosuit during lateral walking. Individual responses varied substantially, with some participants showing reduced muscle activity, while others did not. These findings highlight the challenges in implementing exosuits in reducing back muscle load during military lifting tasks. While passive back-support exosuits may provide benefits to some users, their effectiveness varies among individuals and may be task-dependent
Related Data for: Overall preference of running shoes can be predicted by suitable perception factors using a multiple regression model
No full textObjective:
This study examined (a) the strength of four individual footwear perception factors to influence the overall preference of running shoes and (b) whether these perception factors satisfied the nonmulticollinear assumption in a regression model.
Background:
Running footwear must fulfill multiple functional criteria to satisfy its potential users. Footwear perception factors, such as fit and cushioning, are commonly used to guide shoe design and development, but it is unclear whether running-footwear users are able to differentiate one factor from another.
Methods:
One hundred casual runners assessed four running shoes on a 15-cm visual analogue scale for four footwear perception factors (fit, cushioning, arch support, and stability) as well as for overall preference during a treadmill running protocol.
Results:
Diagnostic tests showed an absence of multicollinearity between factors, where values for tolerance ranged from .36 to .72, corresponding to variance inflation factors of 2.8 to 1.4. The multiple regression model of these four footwear perception variables accounted for 77.7% to 81.6% of variance in overall preference, with each factor explaining a unique part of the total variance.
Conclusion:
Casual runners were able to rate each footwear perception factor separately, thus assigning each factor a true potential to improve overall preference for the users. The results also support the use of a multiple regression model of footwear perception factors to predict overall running shoe preference.
Application:
Regression modeling is a useful tool for running-shoe manufacturers to more precisely evaluate how individual factors contribute to the subjective assessment of running footwear.</p