Research and Publications

Current Projects

There are several projects set to begin this summer, check the website frequently to see if there is one you want to participate in.

Validation of physical activity monitoring tools:
Researchers are constantly striving to find devices that accurately measure daily physical activity.  The Applied Physiology Laboratory at UTK has performed validation tests of several products this year (Nike + accelerometer, FitMate, etc.). With new products coming on to the market continuously, there is a huge need to supply consumers and researchers with information on the usefulness of these devices.

With a grant from the National Institute of Health, Dr. David Bassett, Ph.D. student Dinesh John, and M.S. student Paige Dudley have collected data on 18 different activities using 4 different activity monitors (Actigraph, Actical, SenseWear Arm Band, and Step Watch).  Energy expenditure estimations from these monitors are being compared to actual energy expenditure measured by Cosmed K4B2 .  Data are now being analyzed and will be used in subsequent grant applications and publications.

Walk While You Work:
As a society becomes more technologically advanced, the prevalence of sedentary occupations increase.  With a decrease in daily energy expenditure from physical activity and an increase in caloric intake, weight gain has become a problem not only in our country but also around the world.  Doctoral student Dinesh John and Dr. David Bassett are investigating the option of providing an active workspace for people with sedentary jobs.  Researchers will be placing an adjustable height desk and a treadmill in the offices of people on the UTK campus.  People will have the option of sitting, standing, or walking while performing daily tasks.  Researchers are hopeful that providing this option to people will encourage more activity during the work day, and ultimately lead to better weight control.  This project is a joint effort of the Obesity Research Center and the Center for Physical Activity and Health.

Improving the Built Environment: An Experiment Targeting Inactivity & Obesity: Recent studies show that residents of neighborhoods that are conducive to walking and bicycling are leaner and more active compared to those who live in less conducive neighborhoods. Researchers at the Center are examining through a 3-year, prospective, cohort study the impact of greenway construction on physical activity behaviors, both leisure and destinational. This study will give policy makers important information concerning the effectiveness of how physical activity can naturally be promoted by making changes in a personal neighborhood where they live.

In the News...In a study supported by the Center, Dr. Dixie Thompson and student collaborators were the first to demonstrate a strong relationship between regular daily walking and healthy body composition variables in middle-aged women. The women in this study who took 10,000 steps per day, or more, were much more likely to have a healthy body weight. This study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, has been highlighted in a number of media outlets including The LA Times, The Washington Post, Time Magazine, Shape, and others. Let's hope that this media coverage helps spread the good news about the important health benefits of regular walking! For a copy of the full article, click here.

Selected Recent Publications

Bassett, Jr., D.R., J. Pucher, R Buehler, D.L. Thompson, and S. Crouter.  Walking, cycling and obesity rates in Europe, North America and Australia. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, IN PRESS.

Tudor-Locke, C., D.R. Bassett, Jr., W.J. Rutherford, B.E. Ainsworth, C.B. Chan, K. Croteau, B. Giles-Corti, G. Le Masurier, K. Moreau, J. Mrozek, J.-M. Oppert, A. Raustorp, S.J. Strath, D.L. Thompson, M.C. Whitt-Glover, B. Wilde, and J.R. Wojcik. BMI-referenced cut-points for recommended pedometer-determined steps/day in adults. Journal of Physical Activity and Health 5(Suppl 1): S126-S139, 2008.

Churilla, J.R., E.C. Fitzhugh, and D.L. Thompson.  The Metabolic Syndrome: How Definition Impacts Prevalence and Risk in U.S. Adults: 1999-2004 NHANES. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders 5(4): 331-342, 2007.

Hultquist, C.N., C. Albright, and D.L. Thompson. Changes in walking volume during a one-year follow-up study. Journal of Exercise Physiology Online 10(2): 24-33, 2007. (available online at: http://faculty.css.edu/tboone2/asep/JEPonlineApril2007.html)

Howley, ET. VO2max and the plateau--needed or not? Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(1): 103-4, 2007.

Crouter, S.E, Churilla, J.R., Bassett Jr, D.R. Accuracy of the Actiheart for the assessment of energy expenditure. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2007 April 18.

Crouter, S.E, Churilla, J.R., Bassett Jr, D.R. Estimating energy expenditure using accelerometers. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 98:(6): 601-612, 2006.

Schneider, PL, Bassett, DR, Thompson, DL, Pronk, NP, Bielak, KM. American Journal of Health Promotion, 21(2):85-89, 2006.

Albright, C., Thompson, D.L., The effectiveness of walking in preventing cardiovascular disease in women: A review of the Current Literature. Journal of Women's Health, 15(3): 271-280, 2006.

Krumm, E.M., Dessieux, O.L., Andrews, P., Thompson, D.L., The relationship between daily steps and body composition in postmenopausal women. Journal of Women's Health, 15(2): 202-210, 2006.

Hornbuckle, L.M., D.R. Bassett Jr, D.L. Thompson. Pedometer-determined walking and body-composition variables in African-American women. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37(6): 1069-1074, 2005.

Hultquist, C.N., C. Albright, D.L. Thompson. Comparison of walking recommendations in previously inactive women. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 37(4): 676-683, 2005.