Title Abstract "The physical environment and older adults' physical activity: expeirments using photographs on the conscious and unconscious choice of where to be physically activity" "This project aims to: (1) explore environmental influences on walking in older adults, (2) identify key environment characteristics related to walking and (3) investigate the causal effects of changes in these key characteristics related to walking. These studies are based upon novel methods using go-along interviews, (manipulation of) photographs and choice tasks." "Behavioural change based on the self-categorisation theory: promotion of physical activity among sedentary older adults (intervention study among older adults on intrinsic and social determinants of physical activity and health-related behaviour)." "Filip Boen" "Social and Cultural Psychology, Physical Activity, Sports & Health Research Group" "Regular physical activity has been recognized as a major contributor toindividuals health and well-being. Moreover, physical activity engagement has been shown to be crucial for healthy ageing and for improving (older) adults ability to perform daily activities. Nevertheless, only half of the Western population attains the recommended physical activity level for health, with decreasing participation rates with advanced age. Considering the continuously growing proportion of older adults as well as the economic burden associated with physical inactivity, physical activity promotion has emerged as one of the public health priorities, particularly among the older adult population. Various physical activity promoting strategies have been found to positively impact on individuals physical activity behavior. However, those grounded in a theoretical framework have been shown to be most effective, particularly in thelong term. Therefore, the main purpose of this thesis was to examine the extent to which the Self-Determination Theory and the Self-Categorization Theory contribute to the adoption and the (year-round) maintenance of physical activity behavior among (older) adults who do not attainthe physical activity recommendations for health. More specifically, westudied whether, in accordance with the tenets of the Self-Determination Theory, creating a need-supportive environment yields autonomous forms of motivation and consequently sustained behavioral changes in different population groups, i.e. employees (Study 1) and olderadults (Study 2). Individuals are autonomously motivated when they engage in an activity because the activity is personally important and meaningful and will help them to attain valued goals (i.e. identified regulation), because the activity fits their personality and overalllifestyle (i.e. integrated regulation) or for reasons of interest, enjoyment or challenge (i.e. intrinsic motivation). Autonomous motivation isself-initiated and therefore assumed to facilitate longer-term behavioral engagement than controlled motivation. Furthermore, we evaluated whether, in accordance with the Self-Categorization Theory, integrating group processes and postulating social identity-based normative support for physical activity produce a more autonomous form of motivation, and consequently larger and longer-term increases in older adults physical activity than individually-tailored need-supportive counseling (Study 3). Given that both the Self-Determination Theory and the Self-Categorization Theory involve assumptions that are related tobehavior as well as to health, this doctoral thesis evaluated and compared the impact of the theoretically-grounded physical activity promotingstrategies not only on individuals behavioral persistence (i.e. over aperiod of one year) but also on their health perceptions. The first intervention study aimed at examining the effectiveness of a four-month physical activity counseling based on the Self-Determination Theory amonguniversity employees who did not attain the physical activity recommendations for health (n = 126). Participants of the intervention condition (n = 92) received an individually-tailored need-supportive coaching from a bachelor in Kinesiology. Specifically, the coach facilitated participants physical activity behavior by supporting their need for autonomy (e.g., by exploring physical activity options rather than prescribing physical activities), their need for competence (e.g., by drafting a structured and appropriate physical activity plan or by providing positive feedback) and their need for interpersonal relatedness (e.g., by creating a warm relationship within an empathetic environment). Participants of the waiting-list control condition (n = 34) did not receive any physical activity adviceor coaching.With respect to self-reported physical activity, results showed significantly different changes over time between the intervention and control condition. In particular, the intervention condition increased in moderate (+ 158%) and strenuous (+ 436%) physical activity from baseline to four-month follow-up and in mild (+ 81%), moderate (+ 215%) and strenuous (+ 386%) physical activity from baseline to one-year follow-up. In the control condition, no changes emerged in (the different intensities of) physical activity. Autonomous motivation and self-efficacy (i.e. the confidence one has to be physically active in adverse situations such as fatigue or bad weather conditions) significantly mediated the intervention effect on (strenuous) physical activity from baseline to four-month follow-up. Social support from significant others (e.g., friends) mediated the intervention effect from baseline to one-year follow-up.With respect to physical well-being, results showed a significantly different change over time between the intervention and control condition. In particular, the intervention condition substantially improved in physical well-being from baseline to four-month follow-up and from baseline to one-year follow-up whereas no changes emerged in the control condition. The intervention effect on physical well-being was mediated by strenuous physical activity. With respect to psychological well-being, no significant changes were found in the intervention or control condition from baseline to four-month follow-up,but however, a significant decrease emerged in both conditions from baseline to one-year follow-up. We concluded that an individually-tailored physical activity program based on the Self-Determination Theory can positively impact on employees physical activity behavior and their (physical) well-being, even after a one-year follow-up period. Moreover, the results underscored the importance of high quality motivation and social support in the adoption and maintenance of physical activity behavior. The second intervention studyaimed at examining and comparing the effectiveness of three physical activity programs varying in counseling procedure and intensity among adults aged 60 years or older who did not attain the physical activity recommendations for health (n = 442). The first strategy (i.e. referral condition; n = 146) consisted of a 15-minute contact in which a Health Fitness Specialist referred participants to local physical activityprograms. The second strategy (i.e. walking condition; n = 146) embraced a 15-minute contact in which a Health Fitness Specialist provided participants a structured program consisting of walking schemes that gradually increased in volume and intensity. The walking program wasassumed to inherently support participants need for competence. The third strategy (i.e. need-supportive coaching condition; n = 150) comprised a ten-week multiple-contact individually-tailored physical activity counseling in which a Health Fitness Specialist supported participants needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness, consistent withthe tenets of the Self-Determination Theory.With respect to physical activity, each of the programs yielded significant and substantial increases in daily steps and self-reported physical activity from baseline to ten-week follow-up. However, significantly larger increases emerged in the walking condition (e.g., self-reported physical activity: + 104%) and the need-supportive coaching condition (e.g., self-reported physical activity: + 116%) compared with the referral condition (e.g., self-reported physical activity: + 65%). Similarly, each of the programs yielded significant increases in self-reported physical activity frombaseline to one-year follow-up, with larger increases in the walking condition (+ 131%) and the need-supportive coaching condition (+ 166%) than in the referral condition (+ 92%). With respect to daily steps from baseline to one-year follow-up, significant increases were found in the walking and the need-supportive coaching condition whereas no changes emerged in the referral condition, but however, no significant time by condition interaction effect emerged. Autonomous motivation mediated the relation between participants perceived need-support of the coach and theirphysical activity level, irrespective of intervention condition.With respect to subjective health, results showed no significantly different changes over time between the referral condition, the walking condition and the need-supportive coaching condition. However, each of the programs yielded significant improvements in subjective well-beingand trait anxiety, from baseline to ten-week follow-up and from baseline to one-year follow-up. From baseline to two-year follow-up, no changesemerged in subjective well-being, indicating a relapse to baseline level two years after the intervention. Similarly, trait anxiety significantly increased from baseline to two-year follow-up. The improvements in participants health perception were significantly predicted by their increases in physical activity. Also a higher level of perceived need-support of the coach contributed to a better subjective health.We concluded that physical activity promoting programs varying incounseling strategy and intensity can positively affect older adults physical activity and subjective health, even after a one-year follow-up period. However, an individualized and (partially) need-supportive physicalactivity program seemed to be more successful in producing long-term physical activity engagement than a referral to widespread opportunities. In this respect, and considering its one-contact character, providing a structured (walking) program appears to be a potentially effective strategy to implement at a large scale. Furthermore, the findings pointed out the key role of autonomous motivation in the transition from an inactive to regularly active lifestyle in older adults. At the same time, an increased physical activity level and satisfactory feelings of perceived need-support emerged as important determinants of older adults subjective health over a one-year follow-up period.  The third intervention study aimed at examining and comparing the effectiveness of three six-week identity-based physical activity counseling strategies among adults aged 55 to 70 years who did not attain the physical activity recommendations for health (n = 169). The first strategy (personal identity condition; n = 56) consisted of an individually-tailored need-supportive physical activity coaching based on the Self-Determination Theory. A Health Fitness Specialist targeted participants personal self, and thus their unique characteristics. Participants were encouraged to engage in physical activity for their own personally valued reasons (e.g., because of the health-related benefits, because of the social contact, in order to work off steam etc.). The second strategy (social identity condition; n = 57) embraced a socially-oriented physical activity promoting program based on the Self-Categorization Theory. A Health Fitness Specialist targeted participants social self and provided group-based normative support for physical activity. More specifically, physical activity behavior was proposed as prototypical for a relevant reference group within this population. Based on the results of a preliminary survey (n = 1340), sociallyengaged persons and independent persons were considered as the most appropriate reference groups to be used in the physical activity intervention. The third strategy (joined identity condition; n = 56)comprised a physical activity counseling procedure based on the Self-Determination and Self-Categorization Theory. A Health Fitness Specialist facilitated participants physical activity behavior by targeting both their personal and social self.With respect to physical activity, each of the strategies yielded significant and substantial increases in daily steps, daily aerobic minutes and self-reported physical activity, from baseline to six-week follow-up (e.g., steps: personal identity condition: + 75%; social identity condition: + 68%; joined identity condition: + 71%) and from baseline to one-year follow-up (e.g., steps: personal identity condition: + 62%; social identity condition: + 56%; joined identity condition: + 69%). Changes over time did not significantlydiffer between the interventions, except for aerobic minutes, which increased significantly more in the social identity condition from baselineto six-week follow-up than in the personal identity condition. Consistent with the tenets of the Self-Determination Theory, the relation between perceived need-support and physical activity was mediated by identified regulation (i.e. being physically active because of its valued outcomes such as health benefits). Consistent with the Self-Categorization Theory, the relation between perceived normative support and physical activity was mediated by integrated regulation (i.e. being physically active because it fits your personality and your overall lifestyle and goals).With respect to the self-rated health, significant increases emerged in the social identity condition and the joinedidentity condition from baseline to six-week follow-up and from baseline to one-year follow-up whereas no changes emerged in the personal identity condition. Physical well-being significantly increased in the joinedidentity condition from baseline to six-week follow-up and from baseline tot one-year follow-up whereas no changes occurred in the personal identity condition and the social identity condition. Finally, psychological well-being significantly improved in the joined identity condition from baseline to six-week follow-up whereas no changes emerged in the personal identity condition and the social identity condition. Participants self-rated health and physical well-being were positively related to their daily steps. In addition, participants degree of identificationwith a relevant social identity was significantly and positively related to each of the proposed dimensions of their subjective health.We concluded that physical activity promoting strategies targeting individuals personal self, their social self or both their personal and social self are (equally) effective in increasing physical activity in the older adult population, even after a one-year follow-up period. However, the socially-oriented strategy that postulated group-based physical activity norms involved a non-individualized approach, and accordingly entailed relatively low costs. Therefore, a Self-Categorization Theory-based program appears to be particularly beneficial to implement in the wider community compared with individually-tailored Self-Determination Theory-based physical activity coaching. Moreover, the findings pointed out the importance of activating a highly qualitative behavioral regulation, either identified or integrated, to perform physical activity behavior in the short and the long term. With respect to perceived health, it was concluded that emphasizing older adults membership of a meaningful and positively valued group can positively affect their subjective health and well-being. In this respect, it seems that not only being but also perceiving oneself as a physically active person contributesto satisfactory health perceptions. In conclusion, both the Self-Determination and Self-Categorization Theory have been demonstrated to be valuable frameworks within the domain of physical activity promotion. Specifically, various individually-tailored need-supportivestrategies as well as a socially-oriented procedure that postulated normative support yielded substantial and equal increases in (older) adults physical activity level, even after a one-year follow-up period. In this respect, the number of individuals who attained the physical activityrecommendations for health increased up to 50% after participation in one of the programs. In addition to facilitating behavioral changes, eachof these strategies has been shown to positively affect different dimensions of subjective health and well-being. However, it should be pointedout that both a one-contact need-supportive strategy and a group-based counseling are less time-consuming procedures than a multiple-contact personalized physical activity coaching. Therefore, these two strategies appear to be particularly beneficial to implement at a large scale, and accordingly impact on public health. Finally, both personally-oriented and socially-oriented physical activity programs should strive to facilitate highly qualitative forms of behavioral regulation, either identified,integrated or intrinsic, in order to successfully encourage individuals to perform physical behavior in the short and the long term. Physical activity promoting strategies should thus put emphasis on the valued outcomes of physical activity, on its harmony with individuals lifestyle or on the fun that is associated with it.  " "Optimising physical education teachers’ motivating style via an online tailored approach: what are the effects on students’ motivation and physical activity, and teachers’ well-being?" "Katrien De Cocker" "Department of Movement and Sports Sciences" "Regular exercise is beneficial for youth’s physical and mental health. Still, the majority is insufficiently active. Physical education teachers and more specifically their motivating style play a crucial role in motivating young people to be active. Hence the need for effective interventions targeting teachers’ motivating style. Current Self-Determination-Theory-based interventions are mostly workshop-like one-size-fits-all programs. In this project, we aim to (1) develop an online tailored tool to optimise secondary school teachers’ motivating style (Phase 1) and (2) evaluate its effects on student- and teacher-outcomes (Phase 2). In Phase 1, we will conduct cross-sectional (Study 1) and design-based (Study 2) research. In Study 1, tailoring principles will be developed by comparing teachers’ self-reports, students' perceptions (questionnaire), and observations (class video-recordings) of teachers’ motivating style. In Study 2, teachers' desires concerning an online tool will be identified through interviews and questionnaires. In Phase 2, we will evaluate the tool in a randomised-controlled-trial (Study 3). Effects on student- (need-satisfaction/frustration, motivation for physical education, and physical activity) and teacher- (motivating style and well-being) outcomes will be examined. Groundbreaking is the online tailoring based on multi-informant measures and the potential impact on health promotion and educational practice." "Metabolic syndrome in bipolar disorder: relationships with physical activity, physical fitness and functional exercise capacity." "Michel Probst" "Research Group for Adapted Physical Activity and Psychomotor Rehabilitation" "Individuals with mood disorders have a high risk for cardiovascular diseases. The lack of physical activity and a limited physical fitness are known to be important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Individuals with mood disorders should therefore especially be motivated to adopt an active lifestyle. In order to offer clear guidelines, there is first need for reliable assessment. In this research project we want to evaluate the reliability of easy-to-use physical fitness field-tests. Questions on which we hope to find an answer are: (1) if we repeat these tests twice in one person, do we obtain the same results, (2) are there any practice effects, i.e. do participants perform systematically better on the second occasion (offered within 3 days) or not? We also want to investigate whether these physical fitness tests and a frequently used physical activity questionnaire really measure what that are meant to measure. In order to find an answer on this question we will ask our patients to perform a golden standard cycle test in a laboratory situation and we will ask them to wear a bracelet which objectively measures their physical activity level for 7 days. We will compare the data obtained in our field tests and throughout the physical activity questionnaires with the data we will obtain by these highly sophisticated and objective assessment tools. We also would like to know if the level of physical fitness is associated with the level of physical activity and whether age, gender, illness duration, psychiatric and physical symptoms do explain partially the level of physical fitness and physical activity. In a last phase, we will bring all our data together and collect systematically all the available knowledge on physical activity and physical fitness. Afterwards, we will formulate together with several experts from different disciplines and different countries new clinical practice guidelines for the use of physical activity in patients with mood disorders." "Generalisation and maintenance of physical activity from physical education to recess in elementary schools" "Peter Iserbyt" "Physical Activity, Sports & Health Research Group" "The World Health Organization recommends that children and youth aged 5-17 accumulate 60 minutes of physical activity (PA) daily. Belgian data show that for 6-9-year-olds, only 11% of boys and 1.6% of girls achieve this guideline. A large proportion of Belgian youth is therefore at risk to develop health-related diseases as adults. Physical Education (PE) contributes significantly to the achievement of the daily recommended PA guideline. However, PE is only scheduled on average twice a week and therefore does not meet children’ s health needs. In this project, we will investigate the effect of a PE intervention in elementary schools on the generalization and maintenance of PA. Generalization means children are physically active in a setting other (e.g., recess) than the one in which they learned it (e.g., PE). Maintenance means children will continue to be physically active after the intervention has stopped. To date, research investigating PA interventions in PE and schools as a whole have mainly focused on increasing PA and developing different types of physical activities. Collectively, these studies has shown that when the intervention stops, the effect ends. By emphasizing generalization and maintenance we aim at having a sustainable impact on children's health. More specific teacher behavior and learning outcomes will be examined." "Physical activity and physical fitness in lymphoma patients before, during and after treatment - a prospective observational study." "Rik Gosselink" "Research Group for Rehabilitation in Internal Disorders, Laboratory of Experimental Hematology" "Fatigue is the most prevalent and distressing treatment-related symptomin cancer patients in general and in patients with haematological cancers in particular. Survivors of lymphoma often report profound deficits in health-related quality of life and decreased physical fitness (exercise capacity, muscle strength) and self reported physical activity. Aside from the adverse effects of the disease itself also the impact of the treatment (chemotherapy and radiotherapy) of lymphoma will affect on the patients health and physical fitness. This has however never been studied in a longitudinal design. In addition we will measure physical activity in daily life with an activity monitor, a very small device worn on the waist, that objectively measures how much time of the day is spent in walking, standing, sitting and lying. Furthermore, we will investigatethe relationship of change in physical activity and fitness with different patient-, disease-, and treatment-related factors. This will allow us to identify patients at risk of developing a significant decline in physical activity and fitness. These patients might be candidates for an individualized exercise program during their treatment." "Evaluating the influence of the physical environment on transport-related physical activity by agent-based simulation models of urban interventions." "Department of Movement and Sports Sciences" "Engaging in sufficient physical activity is known to decrease the risk of poor health and premature mortality, due to its impact on several noncommunicable diseases (e.g. heart disease). Urban interventions in the physical environment (e.g. improved sidewalks) to promote active transport are powerful tools to increase physical activity levels. However, urban interventions are not under the control of the evaluating researchers, making the evaluations very challenging to design. Complementary to evaluations of urban interventions, simulations of such interventions can provide crucial information for transport planning and public health. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of simulated urban interventions on transport-related physical activity with agent-based simulation models. Innovative machine learning prediction models based on self-collected GPS and accelerometer data will allow us to detect transport behavior and related physical activity levels in four data sets (n = 4443) previously collected in Ghent (Belgium). With the combined data, we will run agent-based simulation models of urban interventions. The simulated urban interventions will be evaluated on their impact on physical activity levels, through changing transport behavior. Future research will be able to use the models to evaluate the potential impact of urban interventions on other transport-related exposures; for example, the impact of traffic calming measures on air pollution." "Prospective associations between sedentary behaviour, physical activity, physical fitness and metabolic risk in Flemish adult men and women." "Johan Lefevre" "Physical Activity, Sports & Health Research Group" "The present research project focuses on the longitudinal or prospective analysis of physical (in)activity, physical fitness and it components, and some health-related parameters in Flemish adults. A base line sample of Flemish adults has been included in a previous large scale study (2002-2004). During that study, a continuous metabolic risk score has been developed and the relationship with physical activity, and health-related fitness (morphological, muscular, cardiovascular, motor, metabolic) was investigated , in both men and women, in a cross-sectional design. Since prospective studies are scarce, hte present research proposal intends to start a longitudinal study, using the same base line sample of about 900 Flemish men and women. Besides the further investigation of the validity of a continuous metabolic risk score (in longitudinal context), relationship with lifestyle behavior (activity, inactivity,...), and several health-related fitness components will be examined." "Contribution of physical activity and physical fitness to the interrelated hippocampal structure-function abnormalities in early schizophrenia patients: a two year follow-up study." "Michel Probst" "Research Group for Adapted Physical Activity and Psychomotor Rehabilitation, Research Group for Rehabilitation in Internal Disorders, Clinical Psychiatry" "Individuals at risk mental state for psychosis (ARMS) and first episodeschizophrenia patients (FE) have become a major focus for research designed to explore markers for early detection of, and clinical interventions for schizophrenia. Recent developments in brain -and neuropsychological research indicate the hippocampus as a key region in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Hippocampal interrelated structure-function abnormalities are present from the early phases of schizophrenia and are hypothesized to co-mediate the transition to psychosis onset. The identification of correlates of hippocampal pathology in early schizophrenia can give important insights into the neurobiological nature of hippocampal deterioration and illness progression. Interestingly, studies in elderly show that higher levels of physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are associated with preservation of hippocampal volume and better memory performance. The present study wants to explore the contribution of PA and PF to the interrelated hippocampal structure-function abnormalities in early schizophrenia patients. Literature regarding PA and PF in ARMS and FE patients is scarce. Physical inactivity and poor cardiorespiratory fitness have been reported in early phase schizophrenia patients. The absence of objective measurement and follow-up data of PA and PF level makes it difficult to tackle and modify these major risk health factors by the implementation of a feasible and acceptable exercise program for young people with severe mental illness." "Physical education teachers inspiring young people towards engagement in lifelong physical activity?! A cross -cultural study." "Physical inactivity is a one of the leading health risk behaviours related to the globalepidemic of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart diseases. The increasingnumber of young people being inactive is therefore discouraging. Within schools, increasingattention has been paid to the health-promoting role of physical education, as manyyoungsters from all social backgrounds experience school physical education for severalyears. Unfortunately, evidence shows that physical education has so far made little effectivecontribution to the promotion of lifelong engagement in physical activity.The present grant proposal is part of an international and cross-disciplinary researchprogram on motivational dynamics in physical education, which brings together researchers inmotivational psychology, public health and sport pedagogy to investigate how physicaleducation teachers can more effectively promote lifelong engagement in physical activity. Anovel approach towards studying motivational dynamics in physical education is taken byobserving teaching behaviours in search of evidence on effective pedagogies for health-relatedphysical education. By conducting a cross-cultural studies involving different educationaltracks, concrete, real-life examples of how teacher need support gets manifested acrosscountries and educational tracks will be identified."