Emily L. Mailey
Kansas State University, Kinesiology, Faculty Member
Background:The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based intervention to promote physical activity and self-worth among working mothers.Methods:Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to... more
Background:The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based intervention to promote physical activity and self-worth among working mothers.Methods:Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to receive a standard web-based intervention or an enhanced intervention that included group dynamics strategies to promote engagement. The 8-week intervention was guided by self-determination theory. Each week, participants were instructed to complete 3 tasks: listen to a podcast related to well-being, complete a workbook assignment, and communicate with other participants on a discussion board. Participants in the enhanced condition received an additional weekly task to enhance group cohesion. Data were collected at baseline, week 8, and week 16.Results:Physical activity (P < .001, η2 = 0.35) and self-worth (P < .001, η2 = 0.39) increased significantly in both groups following the intervention, and introjected (P < .001, η2 = 0.30) and external motivation (P = .04, η2 = 0.10) decreased. Website use declined across the 8-week intervention in both groups (P < .001, η2 = 0.48); however, discussion board use was higher in the enhanced condition (P = .04, η2 = 0.21).Conclusions:These findings suggest web-based interventions can improve physical activity and self-worth among working mothers. Group dynamics strategies only minimally enhanced user engagement, and future studies are needed to optimize web-based intervention designs.
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Promoting intrinsic affective exercise benefits may facilitate autonomous motivation and exercise behavior. However, most media messages primarily emphasize extrinsic weight and health-related benefits. This study examined whether... more
Promoting intrinsic affective exercise benefits may facilitate autonomous motivation and exercise behavior. However, most media messages primarily emphasize extrinsic weight and health-related benefits. This study examined whether altering exercise messages would influence individuals' exercise motivation and behavior. Using a 2 x 2 factorial design, message frames were manipulated on the following dimensions: Intrinsic/Extrinsic exercise goal and Easy/Hard exercise routine. A representative sample of adults aged 30-45 (N = 505) completed measures of leisure-time exercise and motivation and then were randomly assigned to view one of the four messages or a control message. Immediately after viewing the message, participants indicated their primary exercise goal. One week later, they completed the exercise and motivation measures again. An ANCOVA revealed no between-group differences in motivation or exercise behavior. Relative to the extrinsic and control conditions, participants in the intrinsic message conditions were more likely to identify an effective primary exercise goal immediately after viewing the message. Overall, a single message exposure did not significantly affect individuals' exercise motivation or behavior in this sample. Future studies should consider honing optimal message content, assessing message understanding and determining the minimum dose of message exposure needed for a meaningful impact.
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Background: COVID-19 restrictions and alterations to daily living (e.g. working from home, caregiving responsibilities) necessitated changes in physical activity (PA) behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand how PA... more
Background: COVID-19 restrictions and alterations to daily living (e.g. working from home, caregiving responsibilities) necessitated changes in physical activity (PA) behavior. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand how PA within specific domains and behavior settings changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An e-survey, conducted April-June 2020, examined changes in PA across domains and settings in a national sample of adults (N=805; M age=38.7 ± 14.9 yrs; 78.0% female). Results: Respondents reported domain-specific increases in household and recreational PA, but decreases in active transportation, occupational PA, and public transportation use. Weekly minutes of PA changed significantly across all behavior settings, with reported increases in home-based, neighborhood, parks/trails, and total PA, and decreases in PA through recreational sports and fitness facilities. Total weekly PA minutes increased by 10.6% (Z= 4.428, p < .000). Those with caregiving respon...
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Objectives Recent research suggests the possibility for significant variability in nutrient content and dietary quality (DQ) of school lunches, even when meeting National School Lunch Program (NSLP) nutrition standards. The purpose of... more
Objectives Recent research suggests the possibility for significant variability in nutrient content and dietary quality (DQ) of school lunches, even when meeting National School Lunch Program (NSLP) nutrition standards. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there were differences in nutrient content and DQ by socioeconomic status (SES) and rurality, among middle school lunch menus meeting NSLP standards. Methods All 283 Kansas school districts were stratified into high and low SES groups ( 50% of students received free/reduced-price lunch). Forty-five menus from low and from high SES strata (N = 90) were obtained from websites of randomly selected school districts for the same time period (first six weeks of school). Included menus were also stratified for analyses by rurality, determined by National Center for Education Statistics locales. Thirty days of each menu were portioned per NSLP standards for the middle school age group and per standardized assumptions across ...
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The hippocampus shrinks in late adulthood, leading to impaired memory and increased risk for dementia. Hippocampal and medial temporal lobe volumes are larger in higher-fit adults, and physical activity training increases hippocampal... more
The hippocampus shrinks in late adulthood, leading to impaired memory and increased risk for dementia. Hippocampal and medial temporal lobe volumes are larger in higher-fit adults, and physical activity training increases hippocampal perfusion, but the extent to which aerobic exercise training can modify hippocampal volume in late adulthood remains unknown. Here we show, in a randomized controlled trial with 120 older adults, that aerobic exercise training increases the size of the anterior hippocampus, leading to improvements in spatial memory. Exercise training increased hippocampal volume by 2%, effectively reversing age-related loss in volume by 1 to 2 y. We also demonstrate that increased hippocampal volume is associated with greater serum levels of BDNF, a mediator of neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Hippocampal volume declined in the control group, but higher preintervention fitness partially attenuated the decline, suggesting that fitness protects against volume loss. Caud...
Research Interests: Neuroscience, Psychology, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Aging, Medicine, and 15 moreMultidisciplinary, Space perception, Memory, Biological Sciences, Hippocampus, Humans, Exercise, Dentate Gyrus, Aged, Middle Aged, Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Aerobic Exercise, Hippocampal formation, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and Exercise training
Research Interests: Education, Measurement and Evaluation, Physical Activity, Physical Education, Medicine, and 15 moreOlder Adults, Clinical Nutrition, Exercise Science, Humans, Enjoyment, Female, Feasibility Studies, Male, Exercise, Long Term Adherence to Physical Activity by Older Adults, PACES, Perceived Change, Aged, Middle Aged, and Medical and Health Sciences
Research Interests: Gerontology, Mobile Technology, Aging, Computer Mediated Communication, Exercise therapy, and 15 moreMedicine, Attentional Control, Fatigue mechanisms in endurance exercise, Online Media, Exercise Science, Humans, Female, Male, External Validity, Aged, Media theory and Research, Older Adult, Performance Measure, Motor activity, and Medical and Health Sciences
Sedentary behavior negatively impacts mental health, which can decrease employee productivity. Employee mental well-being and work performance may improve with sedentary reduction interventions, especially strategies that include... more
Sedentary behavior negatively impacts mental health, which can decrease employee productivity. Employee mental well-being and work performance may improve with sedentary reduction interventions, especially strategies that include environmental workplace modifications and behavior-changing strategies. However, such interventions have not been examined among employees working remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the Stand Up Kansas program, 95 sedentary university employees working from home were randomized into one of four intervention arms: height-adjustable desk provision (Desk Only), online sedentary behavior modification program (Program Only), Desk + Program, or Control. The outcomes were measured at a baseline (November 2020) and following the 12-week intervention (February 2021). Employees reported mood (positive and negative affect), stress, fatigue (duration, interference with activities and severity) and work performance (irritability, focus, work satisfaction,...
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Research Interests: Disability Studies, Measurement and Evaluation, Aging, Exercise therapy, Factor analysis, and 15 moreExercise Science, Humans, Maximum Likelihood, Female, Construct Validity, Measurement Invariance, Male, Clinical Sciences, Aged, Middle Aged, Geriatric Assessment, Indexation, Lower Extremity, Health Survey, and Disability Evaluation
Research Interests: Aging, Physical Activity, Parallel Processing, Behavioral Medicine, Physical Education, and 15 moreExercise Science, Humans, Female, Male, Exercise, Physical Fitness, Aged, Middle Aged, Oxygen, Behavioral, Geriatric Assessment, Older Adult, Growth Model, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
Parents face numerous barriers to exercise and exhibit high levels of inactivity. Examining theory-based determinants of exercise among parents may inform interventions for this population. The purpose of this study was to test a... more
Parents face numerous barriers to exercise and exhibit high levels of inactivity. Examining theory-based determinants of exercise among parents may inform interventions for this population. The purpose of this study was to test a social-cognitive model of parental exercise participation over a 12-month period. Mothers (n = 226) and fathers (n = 70) of children <16 completed measures of exercise, barriers self-efficacy, perceived barriers, and exercise planning at baseline and 1 year later. Panel analyses were used to test the hypothesized relationships. Barriers self-efficacy was related to exercise directly and indirectly through perceived barriers and prioritization/planning. Prioritization and planning also mediated the relationship between perceived barriers and exercise. These paths remained significant at 12 months. These results suggest efforts to increase exercise in parents should focus on improving confidence to overcome exercise barriers, reducing perceptions of barrie...
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Regular participation in strength training significantly enhances older adults’ physical and functional health, yet only 14% of adults over age 50 report engaging in strength training at least twice per week. Exercise messages about why... more
Regular participation in strength training significantly enhances older adults’ physical and functional health, yet only 14% of adults over age 50 report engaging in strength training at least twice per week. Exercise messages about why and how older adults should engage in strength training could influence their perceptions of and participation in the behavior. This study was designed to promote strength training among adults aged 50–70 and to determine whether the message frame accompanying a brief workout would have an impact on participants’ motivation, self-efficacy, and/or physical activity behavior. Participants (N = 308) were randomly assigned to one of four message conditions: Easy Intrinsic, Hard Intrinsic, Easy Extrinsic, or Hard Extrinsic. Immediately after completing baseline measures of motivation and physical activity, participants received the recommended strength training workout and corresponding motivational message. They completed follow-up measures of motivation...
OBJECTIVE This study examined the individual and combined effects of a height-adjustable desk and an online behavioral intervention on sedentary behavior and health among university employees working from home. METHODS Participants... more
OBJECTIVE This study examined the individual and combined effects of a height-adjustable desk and an online behavioral intervention on sedentary behavior and health among university employees working from home. METHODS Participants (N = 95) were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: Desk Only, Program Only, Desk + Program, or Control. Desk participants received a height-adjustable desk; program participants received a 12-week web-based intervention. Outcomes measured at baseline and post-intervention included workday sitting and cardiometabolic health outcomes. RESULTS Reductions in sitting were largest in the Desk + Program condition (-206 min/workday; d = 1.84), followed by the Desk Only condition (-122 min/workday; d = 0.98), and the Program Only condition (-96 min/workday; d = 1.13). There were no significant changes in the health outcomes assessed. CONCLUSIONS Both a height-adjustable desk and an online behavioral intervention effectively reduced occupational sitting, and a combined approach was most effective.
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This comparative effectiveness trial examined the effects of a behavior change intervention supplemented by a general or specific exercise recommendation on physical activity among postpartum mothers. Participants ( N = 49) attended three... more
This comparative effectiveness trial examined the effects of a behavior change intervention supplemented by a general or specific exercise recommendation on physical activity among postpartum mothers. Participants ( N = 49) attended three workshop sessions that provided the exercise recommendation and taught self-regulatory skills. Physical activity, self-efficacy, planning, and barriers were assessed at baseline, post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up. Self-reported physical activity increased significantly in both groups ( p
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This two-part study aimed to first evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a brief staff training intervention to promote physical activity among children attending an after-school program, and then to determine the feasibility of... more
This two-part study aimed to first evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a brief staff training intervention to promote physical activity among children attending an after-school program, and then to determine the feasibility of delivering the training to a larger number of sites. Two Boys and Girls Club after-school sites (intervention, control) participated in study 1. Accelerometer-measured physical activity of children and directly observed staff behaviors were assessed at each site in February and May 2019. Following baseline data collection, staff at the intervention site attended a brief physical activity promotion training, which emphasized expanding the quantity and enhancing the quality of physical activity opportunities. For study 2, the training was delivered to all staff, and they completed pre- and post-training measures of self-efficacy and intention to implement strategies to promote physical activity. In study 1, children at the intervention site decreased seden...
Reducing sedentary behavior in the workplace has become an important public health priority; however, some employers have expressed concerns regarding the potential for reduced productivity if employees are not seated while at work.... more
Reducing sedentary behavior in the workplace has become an important public health priority; however, some employers have expressed concerns regarding the potential for reduced productivity if employees are not seated while at work. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between workplace sedentary behavior (sitting time) and work productivity among full-time office-based employees, and further to investigate other potential factors associated with productivity. A 19-item online self-report survey was completed by 2068 government employees in Kansas. The survey assessed workplace sedentary behavior, work productivity, job satisfaction, and fatigue. Overall, office workers reported high levels of sedentary time (mean > 78%). The primary results indicated that sitting time was not significantly associated with productivity (β = 0.013, p = 0.519), but job satisfaction and fatigue were positively (β = 0.473, p < 0.001) and negatively (β = −0.047, p = 0....
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Background: National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards have improved school lunch dietary quality (DQ), however, further improvements could be made. Acceptability and feasibility of higher DQ are potential barriers. Thus, the purpose... more
Background: National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards have improved school lunch dietary quality (DQ), however, further improvements could be made. Acceptability and feasibility of higher DQ are potential barriers. Thus, the purpose is to compare acceptability and feasibility of best practice (BPSL, optimizing DQ) with typical school lunches (TSL, meeting minimum NSLP standards) served separately and concurrently. Methods: Forty elementary school-aged participants were recruited for a randomized crossover trial. Participants attended three meal conditions (MC) choosing one of two meal types—MC1) BPSL1/BPSL2, MC2) TSL1/TSL2, MC3) BPSL/TSL. Acceptability included taste test surveys, weighted plate waste assessments, and hunger scales. Feasibility included meal cost, time, and skill and equipment requirements. Results: There were no significant differences in total taste test score, average total plate waste, or change in hunger (ps > 0.017) before or after adjusting for covari...
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Background: Many parents are insufficiently active. Further research is needed to understand the goals that drive sustained exercise participation among parents. The purpose of this study was to use self-determination theory derived... more
Background: Many parents are insufficiently active. Further research is needed to understand the goals that drive sustained exercise participation among parents. The purpose of this study was to use self-determination theory derived constructs to examine the relationship between parents’ exercise goals and their autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and exercise behavior across 1 year. Methods: Mothers (n = 226) and fathers (n = 70) of children less than 16 years completed the Exercise Motivations Inventory-2 and, 1 year later, the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-2 and Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire. Linear mixed effects models were used to examine the longitudinal relationships between exercise goals and autonomous motivation, controlled motivation, and leisure-time exercise. Results: All goals except weight management were significantly associated with autonomous motivation, whereas only weight and appearance goals predicted controlled motivation...
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The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which sedentary behavior interventions are being implemented in Kansas worksites. The WorkWell KS Physical Activity Assessment was administered online to 111 worksites across Kansas... more
The purpose of this study was to identify the extent to which sedentary behavior interventions are being implemented in Kansas worksites. The WorkWell KS Physical Activity Assessment was administered online to 111 worksites across Kansas from October 2016 through April 2018. Each worksite identified a point of contact to complete the worksite-level assessment. Four of the WorkWell KS Physical Activity Assessment's items assessed interventions that may reduce employees' sedentary behavior: offering point-of-decision prompts to reduce employees' sedentary behavior, offering a program for employees to reduce their sedentary time at work, having an organizational norm that allows employees to stand, stretch, and/or move during meetings at least every 30 minutes, and offering standing desks. All 111 worksites that participated in the WorkWell KS Physical Activity Workshop completed the WorkWell KS Physical Activity Assessment, resulting in a 100% response rate. Most worksites...
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The aim of this study was to determine whether individuals who participated in an intervention to reduce sitting at work would report changes in arousal, fatigue, and mood. Inactive females with full-time sedentary occupations (N = 49)... more
The aim of this study was to determine whether individuals who participated in an intervention to reduce sitting at work would report changes in arousal, fatigue, and mood. Inactive females with full-time sedentary occupations (N = 49) were randomly assigned to take short, frequent breaks (SBs) or longer, planned breaks (LBs) from sitting each workday for 8 weeks. At baseline and postintervention, participants completed measures of arousal, fatigue, and mood. Within- and between-group changes were examined. SB participants reduced sitting and reported moderate to large improvements in all affective outcomes except calmness (d = -0.44 to -0.82), whereas effect sizes were small for the LB group (d = 0.01 to -0.28). Only changes in negative affect differed between groups (P = 0.045). This study suggests that taking short, frequent breaks from sitting may be an effective strategy for improving affective outcomes among sedentary female employees.
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Background:The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based intervention to promote physical activity and self-worth among working mothers.Methods:Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to... more
Background:The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based intervention to promote physical activity and self-worth among working mothers.Methods:Participants (N = 69) were randomly assigned to receive a standard web-based intervention or an enhanced intervention that included group dynamics strategies to promote engagement. The 8-week intervention was guided by self-determination theory. Each week, participants were instructed to complete 3 tasks: listen to a podcast related to well-being, complete a workbook assignment, and communicate with other participants on a discussion board. Participants in the enhanced condition received an additional weekly task to enhance group cohesion. Data were collected at baseline, week 8, and week 16.Results:Physical activity (P < .001, η2 = 0.35) and self-worth (P < .001, η2 = 0.39) increased significantly in both groups following the intervention, and introjected (P < .001, η2 = 0.30) and externa...
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Increased sedentary behavior and reduced physical activity are risk factors for morbidity and mortality. As adults spend a significant portion of their time at work where the default is to spend the majority of the day sitting, shifting... more
Increased sedentary behavior and reduced physical activity are risk factors for morbidity and mortality. As adults spend a significant portion of their time at work where the default is to spend the majority of the day sitting, shifting workplace norms to decrease sedentary time and increase active time could have a public health impact. Workplaces offer a unique setting for multi-level interventions that can reach diverse populations. Traditional worksite wellness initiatives have produced equivocal results in terms of increasing physical activity. One reason for this may be the focus on corporate-fitness type programs and health education with little change in workplace culture. More innovative approaches combining theory-based worksite wellness components with behavioral economics approaches promoting incidental physical activity at the workplace to make activity the default may be necessary. This article discusses strategies to shift the workplace paradigm from being sedentary t...
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White matter structure declines with advancing age and has been associated with a decline in memory and executive processes in older adulthood. Yet, recent research suggests that higher physical activity and fitness levels may be... more
White matter structure declines with advancing age and has been associated with a decline in memory and executive processes in older adulthood. Yet, recent research suggests that higher physical activity and fitness levels may be associated with less white matter degeneration in late life, although the tract-specificity of this relationship is not well understood. In addition, these prior studies infrequently associate measures of white matter microstructure to cognitive outcomes, so the behavioral importance of higher levels of white matter microstructural organization with greater fitness levels remains a matter of speculation. Here we tested whether cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2max) levels were associated with white matter microstructure and whether this relationship constituted an indirect pathway between cardiorespiratory fitness and spatial working memory in two large, cognitively and neurologically healthy older adult samples. Diffusion tensor imaging was used to determine white matter microstructure in two separate groups: Experiment 1, N=113 (mean age=66.61) and Experiment 2, N=154 (mean age=65.66). Using a voxel-based regression approach, we found that higher VO2max was associated with higher fractional anisotropy (FA), a measure of white matter microstructure, in a diverse network of white matter tracts, including the anterior corona radiata, anterior internal capsule, fornix, cingulum, and corpus callosum (PFDR-corrected&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;.05). This effect was consistent across both samples even after controlling for age, gender, and education. Further, a statistical mediation analysis revealed that white matter microstructure within these regions, among others, constituted a significant indirect path between VO2max and spatial working memory performance. These results suggest that greater aerobic fitness levels are associated with higher levels of white matter microstructural organization, which may, in turn, preserve spatial memory performance in older adulthood.
Research Interests: Spatial Memory, Aging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, Brain Mapping, Brain, and 13 moreHumans, Female, Neuroimage, Male, Neuronal Plasticity, Aged, Middle Aged, White matter, Short Term Memory, Oxygen Consumption, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, and Medical and Health Sciences
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Weight gain is common during the first year of college, and interventions to attenuate weight gain have had mixed success. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a peer-delivered weight... more
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Weight gain is common during the first year of college, and interventions to attenuate weight gain have had mixed success. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a peer-delivered weight management intervention and to determine whether changes in weight and physical activity could be explained by unobserved subgroups constructed based on mental health changes. METHOD: Female participants (N= 246) were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group and ...