We invite participants to volunteer for the following study which will be performed by two Master's students studying Sport and Health Sciences at the University of Exeter.

Project title: The energy costs of domestic and lifestyle activities.
Location: Paediatric Physiology Lab 1, Children’s Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC), University of Exeter, St. Luke’s Campus, Heavitree Road, Exeter, EX1 2LU

Purpose of the Study
Public health recommendations currently emphasise regular participation in moderate-intensity physical activity that is convenient to everyday life, including the performance of domestic errands and leisure pursuits (such as housework, gardening, and car washing). There remains however considerable doubt as to whether self-paced domestic activities are in truth performed at a moderate intensity. The purpose of this investigation therefore is to accurately determine the energy cost of selected household and leisure activities, to determine if they are, in fact, of moderate intensity.

What are the advantages of taking part in this study?
You’ll learn lots about your health, including your cholesterol concentration, body composition, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, and lung function. You’ll also receive guidelines to help you interpret your results.

What will I have to do?
You will visit our lab on a single occasion and will initially be required to lie down for a period of 10-minutes, a procedure used to establish your resting energy expenditure. Your height, weight, and blood pressure will then be measured, and a finger-prick blood sample will be taken to determine your cholesterol and blood sugar concentrations. Following such procedures your energy expenditure during various activities will be assessed, via the use of a portable metabolic cart (a small unit strapped to your chest with a face mask). Activities will include brisk walking, sweeping, vacuuming, window cleaning, walking with shopping bags, shoveling and sweeping sand, car washing, hedge cutting and lawn mowing. The test duration will be approximately 2-2.5 hours.

Prior to any testing your cardiovascular disease risk profile will be determined. ‘Low-risk’ individuals with no more than one heart disease risk factor will be permitted to perform all activities, all other persons will be asked to refrain from activities deemed too strenuous. Please be aware that participation in the study is voluntary: you may withdraw freely and without prejudice at any time, before, during or after testing.

What are the risks?
It is unlikely that the test procedure will cause any harm or discomfort. Finger-prick blood sampling may induce slight stress in persons suffering from needle phobia however. This project has been reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Sport and Health Sciences.

Eligibility
You can volunteer to take part in this study if you’re a non-smoker aged 45 to 55 years with a body mass index (BMI) of between 20 and 30 (this will be measured for you). You cannot take part if you suffer from type II diabetes, heart/lung disease, or if you take medication known to affect energy metabolism.

Confidentiality
Your identity will be coded and will not be revealed in any research publication. The only persons that will be able to reconcile your results with your identity will be two Master’s students (David and Paul) and their dissertation supervisor.

When will the study begin?
The study will commence on June 23rd 2008 and will continue throughout July and August. If you would like to participate, or if you have any questions about our project, please feel free to contact:-

David Spencer
E-mail: dps208@ex.ac.uk

Or

Paul Collings
E-mail: pc269@ex.ac.uk

Contact details

• Email: Click here to reply to this ad

Anti spam: Do NOT contact me offering services or anything of a commercial nature.