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Influence of Race, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Body Fat on Fear Response during Exercise among Adults with Obesity

Shoemake, Jocelyn D
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1565790756708323

Abstract Details

2019, Master of Arts, Ohio State University, Psychology.
Obesity is a major public health concern especially among African Americans who experience disproportionately higher rates of obesity and are less likely than European Americans to lose weight in weight loss interventions, possibly due to less interest in physical activity. Hence, there is a strong need for studies addressing barriers to exercise that African Americans may encounter. This study explored the degree to which anxiety sensitivity and body fat are associated with fear during exercise; and the extent to which this effect may be more pronounced in African Americans than European Americans. African American (n=30) and European American (n=34) participants with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) were recruited from the community and from among patients enrolled in Ohio State University’s Living Well program. All participants completed two study conditions (i.e., exercise and reading activity). Participants in the exercise condition walked/ran on a treadmill at 70% of the age-predicted maximum heart rate reserve for 20 minutes. During the activity, participants provided ratings every four minutes of affective state, perceived exertion, and current state of distress or fear. Statistical Analysis Software (SAS) version 9.3 was used to complete all analyses. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to evaluate racial group differences in anxiety sensitivity. Hierarchical regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of body fat with negative affect and perceived exertion during reading and bouts of exercise. Hierarchical regression was also used to evaluate the relationship of body fat, anxiety sensitivity, and race on mean fear in the exercise condition. Results indicated that anxiety sensitivity did not differ between African Americans and European Americans. Results also indicated a significant interaction of race, the physical subscale of anxiety sensitivity, and BMI in predicting fear response to exercise (β = 0.70, p=0.040). Among European Americans, higher BMI and physical ASI-3 scores predicted greater mean fear during exercise but, surprisingly, for African Americans fear scores appeared relatively constant regardless of BMI. These preliminary data suggest that racial differences exist in fear response during exercise. Future research should further explore the effects of race and anxiety sensitivity on fear response among individuals with obesity, especially among European Americans.
Charles Emery (Advisor)
Michael Vasey (Committee Member)
Julian Thayer (Committee Member)
Psychology
Obesity; physical activity; exercise; race; African American; anxiety sensitivity

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Shoemake, J. D. (2019). Influence of Race, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Body Fat on Fear Response during Exercise among Adults with Obesity [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1565790756708323

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Shoemake, Jocelyn . Influence of Race, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Body Fat on Fear Response during Exercise among Adults with Obesity. 2019. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1565790756708323.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Shoemake, Jocelyn . "Influence of Race, Anxiety Sensitivity, and Body Fat on Fear Response during Exercise among Adults with Obesity." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2019. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1565790756708323

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.