Perceptions of the heart-rate guide.
Preliminary assessment was made concerning perceptions of the newly developed heart-rate guide, devised as an educational tool to promote physical activity. Unlike the traditional target heart-rate chart, the heart-rate guide illustrates the value of low to moderate intensity physical activity. Following a brief lecture about the Surgeon General's report on physical activity and health and the usefulness of heart-rate charts and guides, 120 college students (M age 21.5 +/- 2.8 yr.) completed a self-report survey consisting of statements regarding their use of target heart rates during exercise and their perceptions of the new heart-rate guide as compared to the traditional heart-rate chart. 83% of the subjects reported that the new guide better illustrated the findings from the Surgeon General's report, 5% reported no difference between the guide and the chart, and 12% reported that the chart better illustrated the report's findings (p < .01). 48% never measure their heart rates when they exercise, 48% sometimes measure their heart rates and 4% always do so (p < .01). While the new guide should not replace the traditional chart, these results suggest that college students perceive the heart-rate guide as a useful tool despite the fact that only a small percentage of students regularly measure their heart rates when they exercise.
Department of Human Performance and Fitness, University of Massachusetts, Boston 02125-3393, USA.
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Faigenbaum
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Ciccolo
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Libonati
D004282:Documentation; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D055656:Prescriptions; D011996:Records