Past Projects
1.Optimizing Exercise Adherence in People Living With Chronic Disease Using Self-Monitoring Techniques.
TEAM: Jung (PI), Kaitlyn Bailey, Kim Froom
DATE: 2014
Self-monitoring has been shown to be an important skill that can be used to increase exercise adherence. People living with chronic diseases typically have poor adherence to exercise is very beneficial. We are attempting to increase exercise adherence by teaching the skill of self-monitoring to people living with chronic diseases using novel technologies that allow participants to self-monitor their own physiological processes. Receiving individualized feedback about changes in their body folllowing exercise could potentially aid as a motivational tool to further boost exercise adherence.
2. Is low-volume high-intensity interval training an attractive alternative to continuous aerobic exercise for promoting exercise adherence? Examining the affective response and tolerability to exercise of varying intensities
TEAM: Jung (PI), Ainslie (co-I), Little (co-I)
DATE: 2013
FUNDING:UBC Hampton Research Endowment Fund
Vigorous-intensity exercise is thought to be less enjoyable and more aversive than moderate-intensity exercise. To encourage exercise adherence, exercise guidelines promote continuous moderate-intensity exercise lasting 30-60 minutes over vigorous-intensity exercise for shorter periods of time. Unfortunately, lack of time is a commonly cited barrier to exercise adherence. Low-volume high-intensity interval training (HIT) is a time-efficient alternative to continuous exercise. The affective response to HIT has yet to be explored. The purpose of this study is to examine tolerability of HIT compared to continuous vigorous- and moderate-intensity exercise, in order to determine whether HIT is an appealing alternative to continuous exercise.
3. Examining the Relationship between Self-Regulatory Efficacy and Future Exercise Attendance and Adherence
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR: Mary Jung
DATE: 2013
The purpose of this study is to examine whether feelings of personal self-confidence to self-regulate one’s exercise behaviour (self-regulatory efficacy; SRE) can predict future exercise behaviour. Fifty healthy adults who have recently joined a fitness program will be recruited to participate. Eligible participants will complete a 5-minute measure of SRE at 4 time points: weeks 3, 5, and 8 of an 8-week group fitness program, and again 4 weeks post-program conclusion (week 12). Attendance in the group fitness program will also be monitored, as well as exercise behaviour during weeks 9 through 12 via a self-report measure.
4. Effects of high-intensity interval exercise on glucose regulation and affect in prediabetes.
TEAM: Jung (PI), Stewart (Co-PI), Little (Co-I), Maureen Clement (collaborator)
DATE: 2012
FUNDING: FHSD Health Research Grant (view video)
Traditional endurance exercise improves glycemic control in individuals with prediabetes. High-intensity interval exercise (HIE) has been proposed as a time-efficient alternative for inducing physiological adaptations similar to endurance exercise, but the acute effects of this type of exercise on glycemic control is not known. Furthermore, the tolerability and enjoyment of HIE, two known factors influencing exercise adherence, have not been examined. The purpose of the proposed interdisciplinary study is to examine the effects of HIE on 24-hour blood glucose response, exercise affect, and enjoyment. in a randomized, cross-over design, 12 individuals with prediabetes (fasting blood glucose ≥6.1 mmol/l) will engage in one bout of HIE (10 x 1-min intervals @ 90% VO2peak with 1-min recovery in between), continuous moderate-intensity exercise (40-min @ 35% VO2peak), and continuous vigorous-intensity exercise (20-min @ 70% VO2peak) spaced 1 week apart. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) will be used to assess glycemic control under strict dietary, but otherwise free-living, conditions. Affective response will be assessed every 2 minutes throughout each exercise condition. Enjoyment will be assessed at the end of each bout of exercise. This study will determine whether HIE results in the same beneficial glycemic adaptations as traditional, endurance exercise, and will be the first to compare perceived tolerability and enjoyment of HIE to continuous exercise. Findings will be used in the development of future grant proposals aimed to elucidate the most effective exercise strategy for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
5. FACET6 – Pregnancy, Alcohol, Tobacco and Health Strategies (PATHS) for Youth
TEAM: Jung (PI), Poole (Co-I), Bottorff (Co-I), Greaves (Co-I), Marcellus (Co-I), and Oliffe (Co-I)
DATE: 2012
FUNDING: Faculty of Health and Social Development Internal Health Research Grant 2011
Alcohol and tobacco use among pregnant teens and young women is on the rise in recent years. While the evidence suggests that young adults often use alcohol and tobacco together, most evidence-based substance use prevention programs for youth address tobacco only. Furthermore, an important influence receiving little attention is the role pregnant-involved adolescents boys and young men play in their partner’s alcohol and tobacco use during pregnancy and postpartum.
The purpose of this exploratory pilot study was to define integrated and gender-informed approaches for pregnant-involved teens/young adults to prevent alcohol and tobacco use in pregnancy and support reduced use. This was achieved through:
1) Consulting with pregnant-involved adolescents and young adults to gather their advice on the best approaches to prevent alcohol and tobacco in pregnancy and to support a reduction in use.
2) The advice gleaned from pregnant-involved adolescents and young adults was shared with key community stakeholders and collaborators in order to develop a gender-informed and integrated approach to prevent and reduce alcohol and tobacco use among pregnant-involved adolescents and young adults overall.
The study involved two knowledge-broker facilitated consultation groups with individuals aged between 15-24 years of age