| dc.description.abstract | The present study examined the relationship of fitness
and exercise to psychological state, health behaviours,
and cardiovascular recovery from stress in a sample of
79 females aged 17-36 years. The study was conducted
during two sessions. Fitness was appraised with the
Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness (1986), modified
to include a prediction of aerobic power (MV02) from a
sub-maximal workload on a bicycle ergometer.
Cardiovascular recovery from both a mental and a
physical stressor was measured. Questionnaires which
assessed physical activity, health behaviours, life
stress, mood, quality of life, and perceived exertion
during the stressors were given. Few correlations
between fitness and exercise behaviours, and health and
psychological measures were found. Fitness (MV02) was
significantly correlated with faster systolic blood
pressure recovery following the mental and physical
stressors. However, MV02 was not related to heart rate
recovery; nor were the other fitness and exercise
variables clearly related to cardiovascular recovery.
The findings suggest caution in concluding that aerobic
fitness yields or mediates clear psychological or
stress-related benefits. | |
