UBC Okanagan research shows community and cash motivates

Physical activity is an effective way to help improve the many mental and physical side effects of breast cancer treatment. Yet, studies show up to 70 per cent of breast cancer survivors are not getting enough activity.

This may be about to change thanks to new research from UBC’s Okanagan campus that demonstrates that financial support and incentives are effective in increasing physical activity among breast cancer survivors.

Called Project MOVE, the program offers ‘action grants’—a combination of microgrants up to $2,000 and additional financial incentives—to prompt and sustain physical activity.

“Many of the available programs such as dragon boating, yoga and hiking are seen as exclusive and may not be of interest to all women treated for breast cancer,” says principal investigator, Cristina Caperchione, associate professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “Our approach supported community-based initiatives designed and implemented by breast cancer survivors themselves. Groups developed their interventions based on their own needs and preferences, and these reflected any unique circumstances and barriers that limited them from being active.”

Caperchione adds that the action grant scheme has long been used to stimulate personal growth and improve access to social and health services. With this in mind, Project MOVE used the microgrant model to make physical activity more accessible and enjoyable for breast cancer survivors.

From can’t to can do

Caperchione and her colleagues invited breast cancer groups to submit microgrant applications, which outlined their physical activity initiatives. A review panel identified successful applicants and provided funding for their proposed activities.

The effectiveness, acceptability and satisfaction of the program were evaluated at 6 and 12 months. More than 86 per cent of the participants were satisfied with their program, 70 per cent learned about new physical activities and more than 96 per cent agreed that Project MOVE was appropriate for breast cancer survivors. Many participants were confident that they would continue with physical activity following positive experiences with the project.

“One of our key findings is that Project MOVE offered an opportunity for women to be active with others in a similar position,” says co-author Joan Bottorff, professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Nursing. “This fostered social support and helped build autonomy and confidence in their ability to be physically active. The participants changed their outlook from being physically limited to capable.”

Caperchione adds that the benefits of exercise cannot be understated.

“Physical activity has been associated with numerous health benefits for cancer survivors including weight management, reduced pain and fatigue, reduced depression and anxiety, reduced mortality and breast cancer reoccurrence.”

“This approach may lead to similar physical activity interventions for diverse cancer survivors, because it has the potential to accommodate a wide range of interests and needs,” she says.

The study, published in Psycho-Oncology was supported by funds from the Canadian Cancer Society.

Cristina Caperchione, associate professor at UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences.

About breast cancer

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian women. Most often, breast cancer starts in cells that line the ducts and is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

About UBC’s Okanagan campus

UBC’s Okanagan campus is an innovative hub for research and learning in the heart of British Columbia’s stunning Okanagan Valley. Ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world, UBC is home to bold thinking and discoveries that make a difference. Established in 2005, the Okanagan campus combines a globally recognized UBC education with a tight-knit and entrepreneurial community that welcomes students and faculty from around the world. For more visit ok.ubc.ca.

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UBC study shows lasting benefits to brief workouts

Just one 30-minute bout of exercise makes women feel stronger and thinner, according to a new UBC study. And the positive effect lasts well beyond the activity itself, which may be good news for women concerned about their body image.

“Women, in general, have a tendency to feel negatively about their bodies,” says study senior author Kathleen Martin Ginis, professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “This is a concern because poor body image can have harmful implications for a woman’s psychological and physical health including increased risk for low self-esteem, depression and for eating disorders. This study indicates exercise can have an immediate positive effect.”

Martin Ginis, along with her graduate student Lauren Salci, compared the body image and physical perceptions of women who completed 30 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise with those who sat and read. Women in the exercise group had significant improvements in their body image compared to those who didn’t exercise. This positive effect lasted at least 20 minutes post-exercise. The research team further established that this effect was not due to a change in the women’s mood, rather it was linked to perceiving themselves as stronger and thinner.

“We all have those days when we don’t feel great about our bodies,” says Martin Ginis. “This study and our previous research shows one way to feel better, is to get going and exercise. The effects can be immediate.”

Martin Ginis sees this study as a gateway to developing maximally effective body image-enhancing exercise interventions.

According to the National Institutes of Health, nearly one-half of North American women experience some degree of body image dissatisfaction and this has become more prevalent over the last three decades.

“We think that the feelings of strength and empowerment women achieve post exercise, stimulate an improved internal dialogue,” says Martin Ginis. “This, in turn, should generate positive thoughts and feelings about their bodies which may replace the all too common negative ones.”

The study, published in July’s issue of Psychology of Sport and Exercise, was supported by funds from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Kathleen Martin Ginis is a professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Heath and Exercise Sciences.

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Kathleen Martin Ginis is a professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Heath and Exercise Sciences.

The evidence is clear. Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease, says a panel of researchers and not-for-profit leaders, led by UBC’s Okanagan campus.

The researchers also confirmed that regular physical activity may improve the performance of daily activities for people afflicted with Alzheimer’s. Their conclusions may have significant implications for the 1.1 million Canadians affected directly or indirectly by dementia.

“As there is no current cure for Alzheimer’s, there is an urgent need for interventions to reduce the risk of developing it and to help manage the symptoms,” says study first author Kathleen Martin Ginis, professor in UBC Okanagan’s School of Health and Exercise Sciences. “After evaluating all the research available, our panel agrees that physical activity is a practical, economical and accessible intervention for both the prevention and management of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.”

Martin Ginis and her cohort reviewed data from more than 150 research articles about the impact of physical activity on people with Alzheimer’s. Some of the work explored how physical activity improves the patient’s quality of life and the others examined the risk of developing Alzheimer’s based on the amount of activity in which an individual participated.

The panel concluded that regular physical activity improves activities of daily living and mobility in older adults with Alzheimer’s and may improve general cognition and balance.  They also established that older adults not diagnosed with Alzheimer’s who are physically active were significantly less likely to develop the disease compared to people who were inactive.

“This is exciting work,” says Martin Ginis. “From here we were able to prepare a consensus statement and messaging which not only has community backing, but is also evidence-based. Now we have the tool to promote the protective benefit of physical activity to older adults. I’m hopeful this will move the needle on this major health concern.”

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, characterized by progressive neurodegeneration that results in severe cognitive impairment, compromised physical ability and loss of independence. The number of worldwide cases is expected to increase from 30.8 million in 2010 to more than 106 million in 2050.

The study, published in BMC Public Health, was supported by funding from the Ontario Brain Institute and the Alzheimer Society.

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Research by UBC’s Okanagan’s Jonathan Little is demonstrating that high-intensity interval training can help reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Just one session of interval weight-training can decrease the risk of Type 2 diabetes complications, according to a UBC Okanagan study. This is encouraging news for those starting the New Year with good intentions.

Jonathan Little, an assistant professor in the School of Health and Exercise Sciences at UBC Okanagan’s campus, says the study demonstrates that a series of simple leg exercises, involving weights, can improve blood vessel function of people with and without diabetes.

“Individuals with Type 2 diabetes are up to four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease than those without,” says Little, the study’s senior researcher. “After completion of just one bout of exercise, we saw an improvement in blood vessel function, an indicator of heart health and heart attack risk.

“With further study, this information could provide a new safe and cost-effective tool to help people manage their disease.”

In the study, Little and his research team compared the effect of two types of interval training—resistance (leg press, extensions and lifts) and cardiovascular (stationary bicycle) exercises—on blood vessel function. Both of these alternated periods of high- and low-intensity effort, in a one-to-one work/rest ratio.

Thirty-five age-matched study participants were assigned into one of three groups; people with Type 2 diabetes, non-exercisers, and regular exercisers without diabetes. Each group performed a 20-minute exercise routine, which included a warm up and seven one-minute, high-intensity efforts with a one-minute rest between each interval.

“All exercisers showed greater blood vessel function improvement after the resistance-based interval training,” says Monique Francois, a UBC graduate student and the co-author of the study. “However, this was most prominent in the Type 2 diabetes group.”

“Resistance training was introduced to this group because it’s relatively easy and can accommodate individuals who are new to exercising. This study shows that resistance-based interval training exercise is a time-efficient and effective method with immediate effects.”

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, there are 11 million Canadians living with diabetes or prediabetes.

Diabetes is a chronic, debilitating, and sometimes fatal disease, in which the body cannot produce insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the blood.

The study, published in American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

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