Reliability of the Heartbeat Tracking Task to Assess Interoception.

Interoception refers to the competence in perceiving and interpreting internal sensations emerging from the body. The most common approach to assess interoception is through cardiac interoceptive tests like the heartbeat tracking task (HTT), which measures the accuracy on perceive and counting heartbeats during a period. However, the literature is scarce in providing adequate reliability evidence for this measure so that the interoception assessment may be threaten. In addition to HTT accuracy, it is possible to determine sensibility (self-reported confidence) and interoceptive awareness (correspondence between accuracy and sensibility). Thus, we measured the test-retest reliability of HTT and also investigated the behavior of HTT outcomes along the task. Therefore, 31 healthy adults (16 males) with 27.8 (9.4) years old performed two consecutive HTT interspersed by one day. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM) and minimal detectable difference (MD) analyzes showed 'Good' relative reliability for interoceptive accuracy (ICC = 0.880; SEM = 0.263; MD = 0.728; p < 0.001) and 'Moderate' for sensibility (ICC = 0.617; SEM = 0.648; MD = 1.797; p < 0.001) and awareness (ICC = 0.593; SEM = 0.227; MD = 0.628; p < 0.001). The absolute reliability shows low threshold values for observing true effects in HTT outcomes. The results also showed that reducing the number of HTT blocks did not impact the outcomes. The HTT showed to be reliable in determine the interoceptive competences in healthy adults.

Positive Implicit Associations for Physical Activity Predict Physical Activity and Affective Responses During Exercise.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of implicit associations and explicit evaluations with affective responses during an aerobic exercise session, physical activity, and sedentary behavior in adults. Fifty adults (70% women; median age = 31 years; 25th, 75th percentiles: 24.50, 40.50 years old; body mass index = 25.29 ± 4.97 kg/m2) not engaged in regular physical activity completed an implicit association test and a questionnaire of explicit evaluations and wore an accelerometer for 7 days. After the 7-day period, the participants performed 30 min of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. Every 5 min, the affective response and the perception of effort were recorded. Participants who had more positive implicit associations toward physical activity (vs. sedentary behavior) reported higher affective responses during exercise and engaged in more moderate to vigorous physical activity. Encouraging pleasant physical activity may act to partially improve future physical activity through automatic motivational processes.

The Effect of Resistance Exercise Movement Tempo on Psychophysiological Responses in Novice Men.

Tavares, VDdO, Agrícola, PMD, Nascimento, PHD, Oliveira Neto, L, Elsangedy, HM, and Machado, DGS. The effect of resistance exercise movement tempo on psychophysiological responses in novice men. J Strength Cond Res 34(5): 1264-1273, 2020-This study aimed to compare the effects of movement tempo in resistance exercise (RE) on psychophysiological responses in novice men. Seventeen novice men (24.5 ± 3.2 years; 79.3 ± 8.22 kg; 1.76 ± 0.06 m) performed the 10 repetition maximum (10RM) test for bench press and knee extension in 2 sessions (test-retest) and 2 RE training sessions with different movement tempos in a random and counterbalanced order (4 sets of 10 repetitions). The low tempo RE (LTRE) session was performed using 50% 10RM with 3-0-3-0 seconds (concentric, pause, eccentric, and pause, respectively). The moderate tempo RE (MTRE) session was performed using 80% 10RM with 1-0-1-0 seconds (concentric, pause, eccentric, and pause, respectively). Affective valence (Feeling Scale), perceived activation (FAS), attentional focus, and ratings of perceived exertion (Borg 6-20) were reported after each set. A two-way analysis of variance with repeated measures showed only a significant main effect of the set (all ps < 0.05), indicating changes between sets but not between LTRE and MTRE. In addition, a paired-samples t-test did not find significant differences between LTRE and MTRE, on average, in any psychophysiological responses (all ps > 0.16). Thus, for the protocol tested, there is no psychophysiological advantage to using either LTRE or MTRE in novice men. From a practical perspective, for psychophysiological responses, the present results suggest that it is up to the trainer/coach to decide which RE movement tempo to use, which will depend on the purpose of the training period, specificity, client tolerance of and preference for exercise intensity, and movement tempo.

Can Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Modulate Psychophysiological Response in Sedentary Men during Vigorous Aerobic Exercise?

This study evaluated whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could change physiological and psychological responses during vigorous exercise with a constant load. 13 sedentary males (23.0±4.2 years; 25.6±4.2 kg/m²) took part in this randomized, crossed-over, sham-controlled, and double-blinded study. Participants underwent 2 sessions with anodal or sham tDCS (2 mA, 20 min) applied before exercise over the left temporal cortex targeting the left insular cortex. The exercise was performed at vigorous intensity (%HRmax 81.68±6.37) for 30 min. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and affective responses (pleasure/displeasure) were recorded at every 5 min. Additionally, heart rate variability (HRV) was measured before, immediately after and 60 min after the end of exercise. A 2-way repeated measure ANOVA showed that tDCS improved HRV neither at rest nor after exercise (p>0.15). Similarly, HR, RPE, and affective responses were not enhanced by tDCS during vigorous exercise (p>0.23). The findings of this study suggest that tCDS does not modulate either HRV at rest nor HR, RPE and affective responses during exercise. Transcranial direct current stimulation's efficiency might depend on the participants' levels of physical fitness and parameters of stimulation (e. g., duration, intensity, and arrangement of electrodes).

Self-selected intensity, ratings of perceived exertion, and affective responses in sedentary male subjects during resistance training.

[Purpose] This study examined the exercise intensity and psychophysiological responses to a self-selected resistance training session in sedentary male subjects. [Subjects and Methods] Twelve sedentary male subjects (35.8 ± 5.8 years; 25.5 ± 2.6 kg·m(2)) underwent four sessions at 48-h intervals: familiarization; two sessions of one repetition maximum test and a resistance training session in which they were told to self-select a load to complete 3 sets of 10 repetitions of chest press, leg press, seated rows, knee extension, overhead press, biceps curl, and triceps pushdown exercises. During the latter, the percentage of one repetition maximum, affective responses (feeling scale), and rating of perceived exertion (OMNI-RES scale) were measured. [Results] The percentage of one repetition maximum for all exercises was >51% (14-31% variability), the rating of perceived exertion was 5-6 (7-11% variability), and the affective responses was 0-1 point with large variability. [Conclusion] Sedentary male subjects self-selected approximately 55% of one maximum repetition, which was above the intensity suggested to increase strength in sedentary individuals, but below the recommended intensity to improve strength in novice to intermediate exercisers. The rating of perceived exertion was indicative of moderate intensity and slightly positive affective responses.

Affect-regulated exercise: an alternative approach for lifestyle modification in overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: Affect-regulated exercise ("ARE") is an alternative approach to guide exercise intensity based on feeling of pleasure. The aim of this study was to analyze if overweight/obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) meet the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendation regarding to exercise intensity to improve health status during a single bout of "ARE". METHODS: A sample of 14 overweight/obese women with PCOS (18-34 years) performed a single bout of "ARE" (40 min of aerobic exercise on outdoor track). The Feeling Scale (FS) was used to guide "ARE" intensity/pace maintaining an affective valence between "good" and "very good" during all time. Heart rate (HR), speed, % of HR at first and second ventilatory threshold (VT1 and VT2) and time spent at moderate (64-76% of HR(max)) and vigorous (77-95% of HR(max)) intensity during "ARE" were measured with a global positioning system (GPS) device. RESULTS: Volunteers exercised at 73% (68-78%) of HR(max), 5.8 (5.2-6.2) km/h, 93.4% of HR at VT1 (89.3-98.2) and 80.5% of HR at VT2 (75.3-84.6) and spent >80% of time at moderate intensity. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight/obese women with PCOS met the ACSM recommendation regarding exercise intensity to improve health status when exercised between "good" and "very good" of FS. Thus, "ARE" may be an interesting approach to be used in clinical practice regarding to exercise prescription and/or physical activity advice.

Effects of musical tempo on physiological, affective, and perceptual variables and performance of self-selected walking pace.

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of musical tempo on physiological, affective, and perceptual responses as well as the performance of self-selected walking pace. [Subjects] The study included 28 adult women between 29 and 51 years old. [Methods] The subjects were divided into three groups: no musical stimulation group (control), and 90 and 140 beats per minute musical tempo groups. Each subject underwent three experimental sessions: involved familiarization with the equipment, an incremental test to exhaustion, and a 30-min walk on a treadmill at a self-selected pace, respectively. During the self-selected walking session, physiological, perceptual, and affective variables were evaluated, and walking performance was evaluated at the end. [Results] There were no significant differences in physiological variables or affective response among groups. However, there were significant differences in perceptual response and walking performance among groups. [Conclusion] Fast music (140 beats per minute) promotes a higher rating of perceived exertion and greater performance in self-selected walking pace without significantly altering physiological variables or affective response.

Effect of High-Intensity Interval, Moderate-Intensity Continuous, and Self-Selected Intensity Training on Health and Affective Responses.

Purpose: To compare the effects of 12-week high-intensity interval (HIIT), moderate-intensity continuous (MICT), and self-selected intensity training (SSIT) on health outcomes and affective responses. Methods: Seventy-three overweight/obese inactive adults (62% woman; age, 31.4 ± 7.2 years; height, 1.66 ± 0.09 cm; Body mass index, 28.9 ± 2.7 kg.m-2) who were randomized into HIIT (n = 23), MICT (n = 24) and SSIT (n = 26) groups. The training was conducted three times per week in an outdoor environment, with 4 weeks under direct supervision and 8 weeks with semi-supervision. Cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and metabolic profile were evaluated at baseline and at the end of the 4th and 12th weeks. Core affect was measured during all training sessions. Results: Peak oxygen uptake improved in all groups after 4 and 12 weeks compared with baseline. Only the SSIT had reductions in body fat throughout the intervention. No improvements were observed in the metabolic profile across all groups. SSIT was perceived as more pleasurable than HIIT; however, there were no differences in affective responses between SSIT and MICT. Affective responses in-task (e.g. negative and positive peak, rate of change and affect at the end of the exercise session) predicted the HIIT and SSIT exercises attendance rate. Conclusion: Regardless of the exercise training protocol, overweight/obese inactive adults improved health outcomes, which suggests the prescribing HIIT, MICT, and SSIT in outdoor environments. SSIT should be considered in order to optimize the pleasure during training sessions. Affective response more positive in-task of the HIIT and SSIT is associated with greater attendance rate in these exercise protocols.

Automatic processes moderate the association between reflective processes and movement behavior: A cross-sectional study.

Dual-process theories postulate that both reflective and automatic processes regulate health behavior. Further research is required to test the basic postulates of dual-process theories. We investigated the direct associations and moderating effect between automatic processes and multiple indicators of reflective processes on various levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior assessed using accelerometry in adults who were not participating in regular physical exercise programs. This cross-sectional study included 257 adults. Each participant completed a computerized test for automatic associations, a set of questions assessing reflective processes, a seven-day assessment using accelerometers to determine their levels of physical activity and sedentary behavior. The results showed a direct relationship between perceived benefits (B = 15.90, p = 0.043), perceived cons (B = -12.81, p = 0.034), decisional intention (B = -0.07, p = 0.049) with light physical activity, and self-efficacy with daily steps (B = 485.71, p = 0.008). There was a positive association between intention strength and daily steps when implicit associations favored physical activity (b = 623.36, LLCI = 79.09, ULCI = 1167.62, p = 0.025); a negative association between self-efficacy and sedentary behavior when implicit associations favored sedentary behavior (b = -25.73, LLCI = -49.77, ULCI = -1.70, p = 0.035); and a positive association between intention strength and sedentary behavior when implicit associations favored physical activity (b = 34.18, LLCI = 8.81, ULCI = 59.56, p = 0.008). These findings underscore the importance of considering the interplay between reflective and automatic processes in shaping movement behavior.

Sit less and move more! A cross-sectional study of the associations between physical activity and sedentary behaviors with inhibitory control in Brazilian adults.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the independent and joint associations between sedentary behaviors (SB) and physical activity (PA) with inhibitory control (IC) in adults. METHODS: A total of 111 participants (median age = 30 years; 60% women), completed the Stroop Color-Words test to assess IC. They also wore accelerometers for seven days to measure SB, light PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), and daily steps. We previously set cutoff points for SB and PA measurements and tested them to determine their association with IC. All analyses were adjusted for potential confounding factors including age, gender, post-secondary education, income, body mass index, and accelerometer wear time. RESULTS: Low SB, high MVPA, and high daily steps were independently associated with a better IC compared to their respective counterparts. Adults with low levels of SB and light PA demonstrated better IC performance (ß = -227.67, 95%CI = -434.14 to -21.20) compared to those with high SB and low light PA. Conversely, individuals with high SB and high light PA exhibited worse performance (ß = 126.80, 95%CI = 2.11 to 251.50) than those in the high SB and low light PA group. Furthermore, the joint association of low SB with high MVPA (ß = -491.12, 95%CI = -689.23 to -293.01) or low SB with high daily steps (ß = -254.29, 95%CI = -416.41 to -92.16) demonstrated better IC performance compared to those with high SB and low MVPA or low daily steps. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight independent and joint associations between low SB, high MVPA, and high daily steps with enhanced IC in adults.

The Influence of L-menthol on Time Trial Running Performance in Recreational Runners.

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of combined mouth rinse and topical application of L-menthol on perceptual responses and running performance under thermoneutral conditions (22 ± 2°C and 30-60% relative humidity). Methods: Twelve recreational male runners (age: 31.7 ± 3.8 years; age range: 27-39 years) completed a familiarization, a control test (CON) and two maximal 10-km time trials (counterbalanced randomized crossover design) performed in different days with a non-thermal cooling intervention (combined application of a L-menthol mouth rinse and topical L-menthol gel - MEN) or placebo (PLA). Performance and perceptual measures (thermal sensation, thermal comfort, ratings of perceived exertion and affective response) were recorded for every km completed in the 10-km test. Results: Performance time was lower in MEN (P = 0.03) and PLA (P = 0.003) compared to CON, but no differences were found between MEN vs PLA (P = 1.00). All perceptual responses increased over time in all conditions (P < 0.0001), but only the thermal sensation was lower (P = 0.01) in the MEN compared to CON. Conclusion: L-menthol strategies promote fresh sensations and may improve running performance in 10-km time trial in recreational runners, but the performance improvement could mainly be due to a placebo effect.

Intensity-Dependent Influence of Interoceptive Accuracy on Psychophysiological Responses During Aerobic Exercise in Physically Inactive Men.

We aimed to investigate the influence of interoceptive accuracy on affective valence, arousal, and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) during 20 minutes of aerobic exercise at both moderate and heavy intensity among physically inactive men. We divided our participant sample into men with poor heartbeat perception (PHP, n = 13) and good heartbeat perception (GHP, n = 15), based on their cardioceptive accuracy. We measured their heart rate reserve (%HRreserve), perceived affective valence (Feeling Scale; +5/-5), perceived arousal (Felt Arousal Scale, 0-6), and ratings of perceived effort (RPE; Borg scale 6-20) every five minutes during an exercise session on a bicycle ergometer. During moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, the GHP group presented a greater decline in affective valence (p = 0.010; d = 1.06) and a greater increase in RPE (p = 0.004; d = 1.20) compared to the PHP group, with no group differences in %HRreserve (p = 0.590) and arousal (p = 0.629). Psychophysiological and physiological responses to the heavy-intensity aerobic exercise were not different between groups. We concluded that the influence of interoceptive accuracy on psychophysiological responses during submaximal fixed-intensity aerobic exercise was intensity-dependent in these physically inactive men.

Should We Trust Perceived Effort for Loading Control and Resistance Exercise Prescription After ACL Reconstruction?

CONTEXT: The rating of perceived effort (RPE) is a common method used in clinical practice for monitoring, loading control, and resistance training prescription during rehabilitation after rupture and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). It is suggested that the RPE results from the integration of the afferent feedback and corollary discharge in the motor and somatosensory cortex, and from the activation of brain areas related to emotions, affect, memory, and pain (eg, posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, and prefrontal cortex). Recent studies have shown that rupture and ACLR induce neural adaptations in the brain commonly associated with the RPE. Therefore, we hypothesize that RPE could be affected because of neural adaptations induced by rupture and ACLR. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 5. RESULTS: RPE could be directly altered by changes in the activation of motor cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, and prefrontal cortex. These neural adaptations may be induced by indirect mechanisms, such as the afferent feedback deficit, pain, and fear of movement (kinesiophobia) that patients may feel after rupture and ACLR. CONCLUSION: Using only RPE for monitoring, loading control, and resistance training prescription in patients who had undergone ACLR could lead to under- or overdosing resistance exercise, and therefore, impair the rehabilitation process. STRENGTH-OF-RECOMMENDATION TAXONOMY: 3C.

Mental Fatigue Prior to Aerobic Exercise Reduces Exercise Pleasure and Negatively Affects Implicit Attitudes Toward Future Exercise.

We investigated the effects of mental fatigue (MF) on affective responses during an aerobic exercise session at moderate intensity. We submitted 12 insufficiently active adults (50% women; M age = 24.9 years, SD = 3.0; M BMI = 24.3 kg/m2; SD = 2.6) to two 30-minute pre-exercise conditions: an MF condition (Stroop Color-Word task) and a control condition (watching a documentary) prior to their performance of 20 minutes of aerobic treadmill exercise at 40-59% of heart rate reserve. The minimum washout interval between conditions was two days. Perceived MF and motivation to perform physical exercise were assessed before and after conditions with a visual analog scale of 100 mm. We assessed participants' affective and exertion responses with the Feeling Scale, Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and heart rate during every two minutes of physical exercise. Implicit attitudes toward physical exercise were assessed by the Implicit Association Test before the MF and control conditions and after the physical exercise session. The participants in the MF condition reported lower pleasure (M difference = -1.57, 95% CI = -2.64 to -0.50, d = 0.93, p = .008) and higher exertion (RPE) (M difference = 1.16, 95% CI = 0.04 to 2.27, d = 0.66, p = .043) compared to those in the control condition. Participants who experienced MF also reported a more negative implicit attitude toward physical exercise than in the control condition (ß = -0.47, 95% CI= -0.73 to -0.21, d = 1.41, p < .001). While these findings should be cross-validated in subsequent research with a larger and more diverse participant sample, there appears to be value in minimizing pre-exercise mental fatigue to avoid negative MF effects on the exercisers' affective experience.

Effects of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval, moderate-intensity continuous and self-selected intensity exercise training protocols on cognitive inhibitory control in overweight/obese adults: A randomized trial.

Growing evidence shows that aerobic exercise improves cognitive function. However, it is unclear how exercising at different exercise intensities affects cognitive inhibitory control in overweight/obese adults. Herein we compared the effects of 12 weeks of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), and self-selected intensity training (SSIT) on cognitive inhibitory control in overweight/obese adults. A total of 64 adults (59.4% women, 31.3 ± 7.1 years, 29 ± 2.5 kg/m²) were randomized into three walking/running groups: HIIT, MICT and SSIT. All groups performed three exercise sessions per week on an outdoor running track for 12 weeks. Cognitive inhibitory control was assessed at baseline and after the exercising programs using a computerized version of the Stroop Color-Words test. The HIIT and SSIT resulted in a faster Stroop effect (i.e. enhanced performance) when compared to MICT (p=.018; p= .026), however, there were no significant differences between the HIIT and SSIT groups (p> .05). The enhanced Stroop effect was correlated with increases in cardiorespiratory fitness after HIIT (r= -.521, p= .018) and decreases in body fat after MICT (r= .671, p= .001). These findings may suggest that overweight/obese adults performing exercise interventions at higher intensities or self-selected intensity may enhance their cognitive ability to inhibit automated behavioral responses.Highlights HIIT and/or SSIT are more effective than MICT in improving cognitive inhibitory control after 12-weeks in overweight/obese adults.Increases in cardiorespiratory fitness and decreases in body fat after HIIT and MICT were correlated with improvements in cognitive inhibitory control.Our study highlights the possibility of performing different exercise programs in an outdoor environment to improve cognitive function in overweight/obese adults.

Effects of Self-selected Resistance Training on Physical Fitness and Psychophysiological Responses in Physically Inactive Older Women: A Randomized Controlled Study.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 12-week self-selected resistance training (SSRT) program on physical fitness and psychophysiological responses among physically inactive older women. We randomly allocated 32 inactive older women (M age = 66.0 years, SD = 3.0) into either an SSRT (n = 16) or control group (n = 16). Participants performed SSRT three times per week over 12 weeks. We assessed maximal isotonic and isokinetic muscle strength, functional capacity, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition at baseline and after the intervention. Affective responses and perceived exertion were evaluated after each exercise set throughout the training program. The SSRT group significantly improved their maximal muscle strength in all exercises (Cohen's d ranging from 1.4-3.3; all p's < .001), peak torque (knee flexors: d = 1.7; knee extensors: d = 1.6; all p < .001), flexibility (knee flexors: d = 1.7; single hip flexors: d = 1.6; all p < .001; bilateral hip flexors: d = 1.1, p = .001), fat-free mass (d = .9, p = .008), and cardiorespiratory fitness (d = .9, p = .014), compared to the control group. All components of functional capacity improved compared to the control group (Cohen's d ranging from .8 to 5.5; all p's ≤ .001). Participants perceived the exercise training sessions as pleasant and of low to moderate effort. Thus, a 12-week SSRT program was effective at improving physical fitness and inducing feelings of pleasure among inactive older women.

Exercise behavior patterns and associations with subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the behavior and practice of planned and structured physical exercises. This study aimed to investigate the association between changes in physical exercise behavior and subjective well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in Brazil and included a total of 595 individuals recruited through social media platforms, personal and professional contacts. Each participant responded to self-completed questionnaire via an online survey between March 29 and May 7, 2020. The characteristics of physical exercise (frequency, intensity, and duration) were collected before and during the pandemic. The subjective state of mood was measured through the Profile of Mood States (POMS) questionnaire during the pandemic. A generalized linear model was employed for the analysis. RESULTS: Exercising during the pandemic only promoted protective effects on the subjective mood. An exercise frequency of 3-5 days/week was associated with improved vigor and between 6-7 days/week with improved vigor and total mood when compared to not exercising at all (p < .005). A moderate intensity was associated with improved vigor, and a high intensity with improved vigor, total mood, and less fatigue in comparison to low-intensity exercise programs (p < 0.05). Maintaining the same duration of exercise sessions during the pandemic was associated with lower scores of depression/anxiety, fatigue and irritability, and improved vigor and total mood, while performing longer sessions with improved vigor when compared to short exercise sessions (p < .005). CONCLUSION: Regular exercising during the pandemic promotes positive changes in the subjective well-being. Our results reinforce the need for adopting and maintaining a physical exercise routine during the COVID-19 pandemic as a protective effect on mental health.

Housing type is associated with objectively measured changes in movement behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults with hypertension: An exploratory study.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between housing characteristics with objectively measured changes in physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults with hypertension. METHODS: Thirty-five older adults with hypertension were included in this exploratory study. Accelerometer-based PA and SB measures were assessed before and during a period of social distancing policy imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Housing type, housing surface area and household size were tested as predictors of changes in PA and SB. A generalized linear mixed model was used for the analysis. RESULTS: Housing type was associated with changes in PA and SB. Individuals residing in an apartment showed a greater decrease in light PA on weekdays (ß= -65 min/day, p=0.035) and a trend for an increase in SB (ß= 55 min/day, p=0.056) compared to those residing in a detached house. Individuals residing in a row house showed a greater decrease in moderate-vigorous PA (ß= -10 min/day, p=0.037) and steps/day (ß= -2064, p=0.010) compared to those residing in a detached house. Individuals residing in an apartment showed a greater decrease in light PA on the weekends (ß= -83 min/day, p=0.015) and an increase in SB (ß= 72 min/day, p=0.036) compared to those residing in a detached house. No association was found for housing surface area and household size. CONCLUSIONS: Older adults with hypertension residing in an apartment or row house have greater unhealthy changes in movement behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic. Further studies are needed to confirm our preliminary findings.

Age and physiological, perceptual, and affective responses during walking at a self-selected pace.

The aim of this study was to examine physiological, perceptual, and affective responses during self-paced walking for three age groups. 66 adult women were assigned into three groups by age: 20-25 yr. (n=22), 30-35 yr. (n=22), and 40-45 yr. (n=22). Each participant completed a maximal exercise test and a 20-min. bout of walking at a self-selected pace. The preferred walking speed was similar for all age groups, whereas physiological responses relative to maximal and ventilatory threshold values were greater in the 40-45 yr. group than the other two groups. Nevertheless, perceptual and affective responses were similar for all age groups. These findings suggest that physiological responses, but not perceptual and affective responses, of sedentary women are associated with age during walking at a self-selected pace.

The influence of adiposity on physiological, perceptual, and affective responses during walking at a self-selected pace.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of adiposity (% body fat) on physiological, perceptual, and affective responses during walking. 45 women were divided into low, medium, and high tertiles according to % body fat. Each participant completed a maximal exercise test and a 20-min. bout of walking at a self-selected pace. The preferred walking speed was similar among groups, whereas %VO2 max was greater in the high tertile group compared with the other two groups. Nevertheless, perceptual and affective responses were similar between the groups. These findings suggest that physiological responses relative to maximal capacity, but not perceptual and affective responses, of sedentary women are influenced by adiposity during walking at a self-selected pace. However, when the physiological responses are relative to ventilatory threshold, there are no differences between individuals with different levels of adiposity.