Professor Cavallini To Have Research Published In Journal

Limestone College’s Professor of Physical Education, Dr. Felicia Cavallini, will soon have some of her research published in a renowned, peer-reviewed publication.

Cavallini is invested in educating others on how simple it is to achieve the recommended amount of daily physical activity within the comfort of one’s home, school, or workplace.

The research to be published in the Journal of Behavioral and Social Science explores how women engage in physical activity within their daily routines at home and work.   

A study conducted by Cavallini found that 73 percent of people, specifically females, become consumed in their busy work and home responsibilities and feel as if they do not have time to set aside for physical activity. In addition, she found that extreme weather, including the cold climate, negatively affects females’ decision making to engage in physical activity.

“Parenting, family obligations, job expectations, house duties, social engagements and the demands of day-to-day living make it difficult for many people to meet the United States’ recommended guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity and two or more strengthening activities per week,” Cavallini explained. “Half of the females surveyed found it difficult to find the time to fit the gym into their day, with the majority, 56 percent, finding it difficult to be active once home after a full day. The results draw attention to the importance of lifestyle physical activity, which has proven significantly effective for overall health.”

To that end, Cavallini and her research team developed “MyHouse Activity” and “MyWork Activity” signage that highlights ways to get the amount of daily exercise that is recommended by the United States Physical Activity Guidelines.

“During our research, we discovered that many people have an aversion to the term ‘exercise,’” Cavallini explained. “It was then that we became confident that lack of exercise actually has more to do with modifying everyday physical behavior and less to do with finding the time to sweat it out in a gym.”

The Journal of Behavioral and Social Science, a comprehensive, peer-reviewed publication, has a stringent review process under the guidance and assistance of a sound and established Editorial Board comprised of well-known and highly respected researchers.

Cavallini earned her Education Doctorate Degree in Physical Education from the University of Houston and has accomplished numerous presentations and peer-reviewed publications both nationally and internationally while at Limestone. Between 2014 and 2015, she completed an 11-month Fulbright Scholar Student/Research Grant in Canada where she served at the University of Guelph as a Visiting Research Chair in the Human Health and Nutritional Sciences Department, and her primary focus was on physical activity and exercise. Cavallini taught and conducted research in collaboration with the faculty and currently serves as an ambassador to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and Canada.