Kines100: Exercise, Health and Nutrition Last Lecture Outline Lecture 12 1. Psychology of Physical Activity: Exercise AdherenceCurrent Lecture1. Primary Care Physicians and Research 2. Psychological benefits• Exercise and depression, anxiety, cognition, pain and self-esteem3. MechanismsPrimary Care Physicians and Research • Prescribe exercise in treatment of various conditions • 85% prescribe for depression• 60% prescribe exercise for anxiety• Walking is usually best prescription • Research done in 2 diverse groups: Athletes verses patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital for mental health◦ Inverse relation ship between physical fitness and psychopathology (any sort of abnormal mental behavior, i.e. depression) • Psychiatric patients:◦ Low physical fitness levels (i.e. strength, endurance, and work capacity) ◦ Length of hospitalization related to fitness levels (the higher the strength or endurance capacity, the shorter the hospital stays)• Athletes:◦ High levels of physical fitness◦ Characterized by the iceberg profile (Indicator of positive mental health)◦ Former athletes 20 years following graduation were more like general population, however, individuals who stayed somewhat physically active had positive mental health Psychological benefits • Chronic= a training program• Acute= only one workout session• Exercise and Depression◦ Depression is more than just a sad mood; complete loss of interest in daily activities, loss of appetite or extreme increase in appetite, etc, for more than a 2 week period ◦ In chronic exercise training, exercise works just as well as most medications for cognitive behavioral therapy in moderate or mild patients◦ If case is severe, professional help and medication is needed, however exercise is still recommended ◦ In acute, a study was conducted examining mood changes following acute exercise inwomen before and after pregnancy. Results indicate improvement in mood following an exercise session • Exercise and anxiety◦ restlessness, tension, easily startled, fatigued, etc, symptoms last more than a few days ◦ Acute: one can reduce state anxiety◦ Chronic: interventions lasting 3-12 weeks showed a greater reduction in symptoms ( similar to a 4 -12 week medication plan)◦ 30 minute sessions are best • Exercise and cognition◦ Brain function- memory, attention, learning, problem solving, decision making ◦ Acute: learning and memory increased after one bout of exercise ▪ cognitive function may be impaired during exercise performed at high intensities ◦ Chronic: associated with improvement of cognitive function (memory)▪ Ideal intensity and duration are unknown▪ Effects more prominent in individuals who show signs of early onset cognitive issues (Alzheimer's)• Koltyn: examined changes in pain (upper body and lower body) following an 8 week progressive strength training program ◦ results indicated significant decreases in both upper body and lower body pain following strength training • Exercise and self esteem◦ Chronic- studied in children, adolescents, and older adults ▪ 8-12 weeks; aerobic and resistance training, lead to improvements in esteem ▪ improvements in esteem are often greater in people with lower baseline levels of esteem ▪ Sonstroem's model: takes time for self esteem changes to happenPhysical activity → Physical fitness → Estimation → self esteem ← Attraction (Stems down from estimation and reconnects to physical activity)Mechanisms • There are a number of mechanisms hypothesized to be responsible for psychological changes associated with exercise ◦ Distraction- exercise distracts us from the worries of the day◦ Monoamines- Neurotransmitters◦ Opioids (endorphins)- Opioid system is activated with