Advisory Committee Chair
Gary R Hunter
Advisory Committee Members
Jane Roy
Paula C Chandler-Laney
Gordon Fisher
David Brock
Document Type
Thesis
Date of Award
2011
Degree Name by School
Master of Arts in Education (MAE) School of Education
Abstract
Objective It has been previously found previously overweight women who over-perceived their exertion during a submaximal task gained more weight during the following year and reported lower vitality, poorer mental health, and poorer dietary control when compared to those who under-perceived exertion. Therefore, we investigated the effect of diet-induced weight loss on accuracy of perceived exertion (APE), and examined whether any changes persist one year following a weight loss intervention in premenopausal, previously overweight, African American (AA) and European American (EA) women. Design formerly overweight women (n=102, age 20-44 yrs) completed a weight loss program to achieve a normal body weight (BMI <25). Submaximal aerobic exercise task was performed while measures of physiological and perceived exertion (Borg's 6-20 RPE Scale) were recorded prior to, immediately following, and approximately one year after weight loss. Results APEz was significantly greater than zero at baseline and at 1-year follow-up for EA women (0.347±0.88 p<0.05 and 0.525±0.92, p<0.01 respectively) and was significantly less than zero at 1-year follow-up for AA (-0.366±1.1, p<.010). EA women had lower physiological effort at baseline and 1-year follow-up states (-0.238±0.66 p<0.05; and, -0.266±0.84 p<0.05 respectively). AA women had higher physiological effort, at 1-year follow-up state (0.207±0.61, p<0.010). Conclusion EA women tended to overperceive despite lower physiological effort compared to AA women. AA women tended to underperceive, despite having higher physiological effort than EA women. Physiologic effort and perceived exertion contributed independently to the racial differences, and APE may be a trait evaluation before planning an exercise intervention.
Recommended Citation
Sweatt, Sarah Katherine, "Ethnic Differences in the Consistency of Accuracy of Perceived Exertion" (2011). All ETDs from UAB. 3084.
https://digitalcommons.library.uab.edu/etd-collection/3084