4 research outputs found
Activity Trackers Influencing Motivation and Awareness: Study Among Fitness Centre Members
Consumer fitness technology products are becoming increasingly
popular. This leads to interesting questions about the influence of activity
trackers on a person’s motivation to exercise. This study explored the role
of activity trackers in motivating fitness centre members towards
exercising and in increasing their awareness regarding their own health and
physical activity. The study included 100 fitness centre members divided
into a test group and a control group and three sub-groups: OLD, NEW,
and personal trainer (PT) members. The focus was on gym visit frequency
during a 10-week test period and on tracking the consistency of activity
levels. Participants also completed a pre and post study questionnaire
assessing changes in their health and physical activity awareness. The
results suggest that an activity tracker does not significantly influence
fitness centre members’ gym attendance or overall physical activity levels.
Group comparisons reveal no statistically significant differences between
groups, but observations of the descriptive statistics indicated that an
activity tracker can bring some inspiration and other benefits, especially for
PT clients and people who are just starting their new more physically active
lifestyle. Using an activity tracker increased participants’ perceived
awareness of their own wellbeing, daily sitting time, and amount of sleep.peerReviewe
Research Trends in Machine Learning Applications for Predicting Ecosystem Responses to Environmental Changes
This research discusses the trends in machine learning (ML) applications for predicting ecosystem responses to environmental changes. A keyword search was conducted in the WoS database using Boolean operators to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles. The search focused on English-language documents published between 2014 and 2023, while excluding non-original articles. Bibliometric data, includingpublication trends, citation counts, author collaboration patterns, and keyword analysis, were extracted from 554 retrieved articles. The data was then analyzed and visualized using R and VOSViewer. The study highlights the significant growth in annual scientific production, reflecting a growing interest in thisinterdisciplinary field. Core concepts such as “climate change,” “biodiversity,” and “ecological responses” continue to receive significant attention, while contemporary themes like “variability,” “time-seriesanalysis,” and “organic matter” are emerging. Co-authorship networks demonstrate extensive collaborationsacross countries, with the United States and China playing prominent roles. The research topics have evolvedfrom “ecological responses” and “community” to a focus on “model,” “optimization,” and “performance,” with an emphasis on fine-tuning models to incorporate climate variability
Psychological and motivational factors of older people’s adherence to technology-supported physical activity interventions. A Scoping Review
Which psychological and motivational factors contribute to older people’s adherence to the intervention and technology usage when using technology-supported physical activity intervention
Measurement and Evaluation of Health, Functional Capacity, Physical Fitness, and Daily Habits of Greek Female Healthcare Professionals Working in a Hospital Environment
Background/Objectives: The wellness profile of healthcare professionals is of crucial importance since it can affect the quality of healthcare services. This study created a comprehensive profile of health, functional capacity, physical fitness, and lifestyle behaviours in hospital healthcare professionals. Methods: A hundred female (age: 45.53 ± 2 yrs) professionals underwent assessments of their health (respiratory function/blood pressure/body circumference/body fat/body mass index/musculoskeletal pains), functional capacity (flexibility/balance), physical fitness (strength/aerobic capacity), and daily habits (smoking/alcohol/caffeinated beverages/screen time/physical activity). Results: According to data analysis (descriptive statistics, paired t-tests to analyze possible differences between the right and left sides), (a) 39% of the participants were overweight and 28% obese, (b) 40–44% of the participants showed higher values than normal in waist circumference and systolic blood pressure, and (c) 96% of the participants showed musculoskeletal pains. Functional capacity and physical fitness demonstrated significant differences in balance and flexibility (p < 0.05) between sides (right/left) and low levels of strength and dynamic balance-agility. Moreover, 67% of the sample did not participate in physical activities, while a significant percentage showed increased screen time on weekdays (44%) and weekends (61%). Finally, 36% of the sample smoked, 62% consumed alcohol, and 92% consumed caffeinated beverages (the majority were within permissible limits). Conclusions: In conclusion, this study contributes valuable insights into the wellness profile of healthcare professionals to ensure optimal care for this population
