Browsing by Author "Kabiri, Laura S."

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    Feasibility and Acceptability Findings of an Energy Balance Data Repository of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults with Cancer
    (MDPI, 2020) Swartz, Maria C.; Teague, Alaina K.; Wells, Stephanie J.; Honey, Theresa; Fu, Min; Mahadeo, Kris M.; Kabiri, Laura S.; Chandra, Joya; Moody, Karen; Schadler, Keri
    Cancer patients suffer changes in energy balance (EB), the combination of energy intake (nutrition) and energy expenditure (physical activity (PA)), which may influence cancer-related morbidity, mortality, and quality of life. Significant gaps remain in our understanding of the frequency and magnitude of these EB changes. Herein, we report on the feasibility and acceptability of a longitudinal repository of EB outcomes in children, adolescents and young adults (AYA) with cancer along the cancer continuum to fill these gaps. This EB repository includes PA, nutrition, and physical function (PF) parameters. PA data were gathered through activity trackers. Nutritional data were gathered through food diaries and micronutrient labs. PF was assessed with validated objective and patient-reported measures. Feasibility was achieved with >50% enrollment of eligible patients (n = 80, Mage = 18.1 ± 7.5); 26 were children with cancer and 54 were AYAs with cancer. An 88.75% retention rate indicated acceptability. Despite COVID-19 disruptions, >50% of participants provided completed data for PA and micronutrient labs as of April 2020. Food diaries and PF data collection experienced disruptions. Methodological adaptations are in progress to minimize future disruptions. Overall, our findings demonstrate that prospective EB assessments are feasible and acceptable among children and AYAs with cancer.
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    Health-Related Physical Fitness and Activity in Homeschool: A Systematic Review With Implications for Return to Public School
    (Wiley, 2021) Kabiri, Laura S.; Messineo, Ashley; Gattu, Nikhil; Ray, Brian D.; Iammarino, Nicholas K.
    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this systematic review is to summarize what is known about health-related physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, and body composition) and physical activity among homeschool youth. Findings from this study have implications for all American youth as they return to public school from mandated schooling at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Database engines identified over 22,000 articles with 82 abstracts screened for further review. Of these, 18 full-text articles were additionally screened with 10 cross-sectional articles included in the final review. Articles were condensed into a standard review template and findings were summarized by topic. RESULTS: Cardiovascular endurance findings were inconsistent. Abdominal, but not upper body, muscular strength and endurance were significantly lower in homeschool students. There were no reports on flexibility. Body composition was generally healthy in homeschool students and no differences in physical activity were seen. CONCLUSIONS: Research on health-related physical fitness in homeschool youth is limited and descriptive. Further testing and potential remediation may be needed for cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and flexibility in homeschool youth and their public school counterparts as they return to campus. However, existing literature supports healthy body composition and physical activity in this population.
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    Living Situation and Physical Activity in the COVID-19 Pandemic Among American Private University Students
    (Western Kentucky University, 2022) Villarreal, Eduardo Gonzalez; Kabiri, Laura S.; Diep, Cassandra S.; Perkins, Hedi Y.; Perkins-Ball, Amanda M.; Rodriguez, Augusto X.
     Many university students experienced changes during the COVID-19 pandemic, including potential changes in physical activity (PA) levels and living situation. As PA behaviors in young adulthood help establish life-long habits and future health outcomes, the purpose of this study was to investigate overall change in PA, as well as change in PA due to living situation, among private university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Private university students (n = 109) between 18 and 25 years of age completed an online survey that included the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form. T-tests examined changes in overall time spent in PA from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the differences in MET-minute distributions between groups. Students performed significantly less activity during the COVID-19 pandemic than before (t(108) = 3.51, p = .001, d = 0.493), with 70.6% of all students meeting exercise recommendations before the pandemic and 51.4% after. Students living with vs. without a parent/guardian attained similar PA levels (t(107) = -.114, p = .910) before the pandemic (73.1% vs. 69.9%, respectively), but students living with a parent/guardian engaged in significantly less PA (t(107) = 2.04, p = .044, d = 0.475) than those living without a parent/guardian during the pandemic (37.5% vs. 57.1%, respectively). The declines in PA suggest the need for targeted interventions and education among private university students. In order to maximize the health benefits of PA, it is crucial that activity engagement return to at least pre-COVID-19 levels.
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    Lower perceived stress among physically active elite private university students with higher levels of gratitude
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2024) Kabiri, Laura S.; Le, Jennie; Diep, Cassandra S.; Chung, Eunbi; Wong, Jacob; Perkins-Ball, Amanda M.; Perkins, Heidi Y.; Rodriguez, Augusto X.
    Elite private universities have high stress levels, particularly for underrepresented populations. While physical activity and gratitude can both reduce stress, independent effects from gratitude and interaction effects between physical activity and gratitude on stress are insufficiently explored. Our study investigated these effects among undergraduates at elite private universities. Undergraduates (n = 145) completed an online survey in Fall 2022. Moderate-high physical activity levels were reported by 96.19% of the sample. No significant interaction effect between physical activity and gratitude was seen nor a significant main effect of physical activity on perceived stress. A significant main effect of gratitude on perceived stress [F (2, 99) = 16.732, < .001, ω2 = .253] was found with higher perceived stress among participants with low compared to moderate (p = .001) or high gratitude (p < .001). Gratitude exerted an independent, significant effect on perceived stress among elite university undergraduates and could be used as an additional healthy coping mechanism along with physical activity to combat stress.
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    Organized Sports and Physical Activities as Sole Influencers of Fitness: The Homeschool Population
    (MDPI, 2019) Kabiri, Laura S.; Rodriguez, Augusto X.; Perkins-Ball, Amanda M.; Diep, Cassandra S.
    Homeschool children may rely solely on organized sports and physical activities to achieve recommended levels of physical activity and fitness. The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in fitness levels between homeschool children who did, and did not, participate in organized sports or physical activities, and then examine relationships between hours per week in sports or physical activities and cardiorespiratory fitness as measured by portions of the FitnessGram® test battery. Organized sports/physical activity participation information was gathered on 100 children ages 10–17 years who completed tests of upper, abdominal, and cardiorespiratory fitness. The current investigation revealed that participation alone was not associated with higher levels of physical fitness as assessed by the 90° push-up test or curl-up test nor was time in participation related to cardiorespiratory fitness as assessed by the Progressive Aerobic Capacity Endurance Run (PACER). These activities alone may be insufficient for meeting physical activity recommendations and improving physical fitness. Therefore, children and adolescents educated at home may need additional opportunities to participate in unstructured daily physical activity.
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    Validation of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Measurements in Adolescents
    (MDPI, 2019) Migliano, Pedro; Kabiri, Laura S.; Cross, Megan; Butcher, Allison; Frugé, Amy; Brewer, Wayne; Ortiz, Alexis
    Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an important indicator of adolescent cardiovascular well-being and future cardiometabolic health but not always feasible to measure. The purpose of this study was to estimate the concurrent validity of the non-exercise test (NET) for adolescents against the Progressive Aerobic Capacity Endurance Run (PACER®) and direct measures of VO2max as well as to examine the concurrent validity of the PACER® with a portable metabolic system (K4b2™). Forty-six adolescents (12–17 years) completed the NET prior to performing the PACER® while wearing the K4b2™. The obtained VO2max values were compared using linear regression, intra-class correlation (ICC), and Bland–Altman plots, and α was set at 0.05. The VO2max acquired directly from the K4b2™ was significantly correlated to the VO2max indirectly estimated from the NET (r = 0.73, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.53, ICC = 0.67). PACER® results were significantly related to the VO2max estimates from the NET (r = 0.81, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.65, ICC = 0.72). Direct measures from the K4b2™ were significantly correlated to the VO2max estimates from the PACER® (r = 0.87, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.75, ICC = 0.93). The NET is a valid measure of CRF in adolescents and can be used when an exercise test is not feasible.