Limestone’s Dr. Felicia Cavallini & Former Student Have Their Fulbright Research Paper Published

Limestone University Professor of Physical Education Dr. Felicia Cavallini and alumna Abigail “Abi” Treadway had a research paper published recently in the Journal of Family Medicine and Disease Prevention.

Dr. David J. Dyck, a longtime collaborator with Cavallini from the University of Guelph, is also listed as an author of the paper.

It marked the final publication of research from Cavallini’s Fulbright United States Scholar Grant, which has included various studies with findings from Cherokee County residents.

In this most recent paper, titled “Perceptions, Gym Participation, and Motivators for Physical Activity in Older Ontario Males,” the authors looked to examine the perceptions, participation, and motivators of physical activity and exercise of older men in Southern Ontario, Canada.

The study contained multiple phases, first through focus group discussions, followed by a survey that each participant completed individually.

The authors found that older men prefer to incorporate physical activity into their lives through activities outside of a gym setting, such as walking, gardening, or yardwork. Therefore, it is important to encourage such activities to this population.

“Because the aging population tends to become more dependent on others over time, family members, health and wellness experts, and the medical community must be responsible in focusing on each older person’s needs to become more physically active, realizing that most older adults prefer lifestyle physical activity,” Cavallini explained.

Cavallini was awarded the prestigious, internationally distinguished Fulbright United States Scholar Grant for 2014-2015 as a Visiting Research Chair in the Human Health and Nutritional Sciences Department at the University of Guelph. Following her time in Guelph, Cavallini and her research team created “MyActivity” graphics to represent their findings. The graphics reflected the data gained from 13 diverse focus groups held during Cavallini’s time in Canada. Along with the research, at least 15 of the “MyActivity” graphics have been published in peer-review national and international research journals.

Accompanying photo: Dr. Felicia Cavallini.