Journal of physical activity & health最新文献

Background: Student engagement and effort in physical education (PE) can influence long-term physical fitness development. This study examined whether self-reported effort in PE (ePE) predicts changes in physical fitness among English secondary school students.

Methods: A 4-year longitudinal study involved 1422 adolescents from 9 public schools in the East of England. Assessments took place at years 7, 9, and 11 (year 7 = 12 [0.5] y), measuring aerobic fitness, muscular strength, and muscular power. ePE was self-reported using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. Latent growth curve models examined changes in fitness over time, and whether these associations were modified by sex, body mass index (BMI), or socioeconomic status (via Index of Multiple Deprivation).

Results: Girls had lower baseline fitness and smaller gains over the 4-year period than boys across aerobic fitness, muscular power, and muscular strength. Higher baseline BMI and living in a disadvantaged area were associated with lower initial fitness, and changes in BMI influenced longitudinal changes in fitness. Baseline ePE positively predicted all baseline fitness measures, with aerobic fitness showing the strongest association. Change in ePE over time was the strongest predictor of improvements across all fitness components.

Conclusion: Effort in PE classes supports long-term fitness development. Interventions that encourage students to be active and engaged in PE may benefit all adolescents, especially girls and those with higher BMI or from disadvantaged areas. These findings highlight the value of promoting effortful participation in PE to enhance adolescent health and physical fitness.

Background: Chile is one of the countries with the lowest indicators of children's physical activity therefore it is necessary to promote the development of factors that encourage regular practice, such as motor competence (MC), which is considered a fundamental factor in improving physical activity trajectories in school-age children. This CoMoSur study aimed to determine the prevalence of MC in fifth- and sixth-grade primary school children in central-southern Chile and analyze the association of MC with sex, age, and weight status.

Methods: The MC of 1513 schoolchildren (49.4% girls; mean = 11.12 y, SD = 0.92) from 7 regions of central-southern Chile was assessed using the MOBAK 5-6 test. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation models were applied to test 2 models: (1) the factorial validity of the 2 dimensions of MC (object control and self-movement) and (2) the associations of MC with sex, age, and weight status.

Results: Low levels of MC were observed, especially in girls. Model 1 showed adequate fit indices (χ2 = 64.912, df = 19, P ≤ .001, CFI = .975, TLI = .963, RMSEA = .040, SRMR = .035). Model 2 also presented satisfactory fit (χ2 = 161.97, df = 37, P ≤ .001, CFI = .943, TLI = .920, RMSEA = .047, SRMR = .071), revealing significant associations: sex is associated with both object control and self-movement, age was positively related to both MC dimensions, and higher weight status was negatively associated with MC.

Conclusions: The MC levels in Chilean schoolchildren are concerning, underlining the urgency of implementing intervention programs to strengthen motor competencies. Such strategies should consider differences in sex, age, and weight status to promote sustainable trajectories of physical activity from childhood onward.

Background: To effectively promote exercise and sport behavior, it is often emphasized that individual motives should be more strongly considered. The assumption is that people are more likely to maintain an activity if their motives are satisfied. This study investigates how individual motives relate to different types of exercise and sport activities, aiming to improve the empirical basis for tailored recommendations.

Methods: 20,613 adults (Mage = 36.37 y, 67.74% women) completed a 1-time survey. Using a machine learning approach, associations between 7 motives (eg, social contact, stress reduction), sociodemographic variables (eg, sex), and weekly exercise volume were analyzed as predictors of 10 categories of exercise and sport activities (eg, team sports, group-oriented fitness activities).

Results: Overall, the motives of social contact, aesthetics, and fitness/health, along with age, weekly volume of exercise and sport, and sex, emerged as the strongest predictors. However, a closer look reveals distinct combinations of variables associated with participation in each category of activities. For example, team sports were mainly chosen by younger, highly active men who score high in social contact and competition/performance and low on aesthetics.

Conclusions: The findings pave the way for empirically grounded, tailored recommendations that align activity types with individuals' motives and sociodemographic characteristics. When integrated into counseling, such recommendations may enhance long-term adherence by focusing more on personal motivation.

Introduction: Active travel to school-walking or biking to school-is a valuable source of physical activity with benefits for physical and mental health. This study examined the association of active travel to school with psychological distress, health risk behaviors, and social-environmental factors among Filipino school-going adolescents.

Methods: The current study analyzed data from the 2011, 2015, and 2019 Global School-based Health Survey.

Results: Multivariable logistic regressions showed that those who engaged in frequent active travel to school were more likely to report loneliness and sedentary behavior (≥3 h). On the other hand, frequent active travel was associated with lower chances of having no close friends, being physically inactive, reporting infrequent physical activity, physical education attendance, drinking alcohol, using tobacco, marijuana, and drugs, and consuming fast-food and soft drinks.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that frequent active travel to school is linked to more beneficial than detrimental outcomes. Policymakers are encouraged to strengthen infrastructure that supports safe walking and biking to school to maximize these health and social benefits for Filipino youth.

Background: Physical activity (PA) is essential to adolescent health. International research has shown ethnic disparities in PA, and the method used to classify ethnicity may influence how disparities are detected and interpreted particularly in increasingly multiethnic societies. This study examined how different ethnicity classification methods affect adolescent PA outcomes.

Methods: Secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2023 Voice of Rangatahi survey in Aotearoa New Zealand (n = 19,776; ages 12-19 y). PA was measured using a discrete scale (0-7 d/wk) and a binary variable (>4 vs ≤4 d/wk). Ethnicity was self-identified and classified using 4 methods: Prioritized, Total Response, and Single/Combination (8- and 15-group). Analyses applied regression and nonparametric tests.

Results: Overall, 24.3% identified as multiethnicity. Asian adolescents consistently reported the lowest PA outcomes (mean = 3.51-3.67 d/wk; 34.4%-36.3% achieving >4 d/wk), while multiethnic Pacific Peoples/European reported the highest (mean = 4.34 d/wk; 52% achieving >4 d/wk). The Single/Combination 15-group method provided the greatest intergroup differentiation (χ2(13) = 218.65, P < .001), whereas the Total Response method attenuated contrasts. The Single/Combination 8-group method demonstrated the best model fit (lowest Akaike Information Criterion/Bayesian Information Criterion).

Conclusions: Ethnicity classification strongly influences observed disparities in adolescent PA. The Single/Combination 8-group method may be most suitable for research applications due to better model fit and parsimony, while the 15-group method offers finer differentiation to guide policy and the design of targeted interventions. Selecting context-appropriate classification methods is critical for accurately identifying disparities and informing equitable, culturally responsive PA interventions.

Background: Fundamental motor skills (FMS) are essential for children's overall development and lifelong engagement in physical activity. Limited exposure to FMS during early childhood is associated with delayed motor development, potentially hindering successful participation in sport and healthy lifestyle practices.

Methods: This study aimed to enhance the FMS of 6- to 8-year-old children through a self-designed gross motor intervention to promote future physical activity engagement. Using a quantitative research approach and a quasi-experimental design, a convenience sample of 118 children from a primary school in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa was selected. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental group (n = 67) and a control group (n = 51). Pretesting and posttesting were conducted using the Test for Gross Motor Development, Third Edition.

Results: Following a 6-week school-based intervention, results showed that the experimental group exhibited significant improvements in locomotor skills particularly in running, galloping, hopping, skipping, jumping, and sliding compared with the control group. Enhanced object control skills were also observed, notably in 2-hand striking and overhand throwing. However, no significant changes were found in dribbling, catching, and underhand throwing.

Conclusion: The study underscores the need for ongoing research and tailored interventions to optimize FMS development in young children, encouraging lifelong participation in physical activity.

Background: Evidence linking specific types and quantities of home play equipment to preschoolers' screen time is limited, with unclear differences between weekdays and weekends and scarce data from Asian contexts. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the quantity of play equipment at home in various categories and screen time on both weekdays and weekends, as well as to assess potential differences based on sex.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 610 preschoolers and their parents participated. Parents reported the availability of play equipment at home using questionnaires, which were then categorized by physical and functional characteristics. Additionally, parents provided information on their children's screen time using the Children's Leisure Activities Study Survey questionnaire-Chinese version, along with demographic details. Generalized linear models with a gamma distribution and log link were utilized to examine the relationship between play equipment at home and screen time.

Results: A total of 610 preschoolers (5.3 [1.0] y; 55.9% boys) were included in the analysis. A greater availability of equipment that fosters multiple movement skills was linked to reduced screen time on weekdays (B = -0.04; 95% confidence interval, -0.06 to -0.01). Additionally, a higher quantity of equipment with specific physical (eg, medium, portability, outdoor suitability) and functional features (eg, team-based use, recreational purpose, moderate to vigorous intensity, and multiskill development) was correlated with lower weekend screen time. These associations varied between boys and girls.

Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated a connection between the presence of play equipment at home and screen time, especially during weekends. An increased amount of equipment with certain physical and functional traits was associated with reduced screen time. These insights highlight the importance of focusing on specific equipment features to promote healthier lifestyles for preschoolers.

Background: Stress shapes parents' decision making around risk-taking, yet little is understood about how this relates to the risks they allow their children to take. This study investigates the association between parental psychological distress and attitudes toward and tolerance of risky play in British parents of 2- to 11-year-olds.

Methods: Data from 2 cross-sectional, nationally representative samples, the British Preschool Children's Play Survey and the British Children's Play Survey, were used. Survey respondents were parents and caregivers of preschoolers aged 2-4 years and school-aged children aged 5-11 years in Britain, respectively. Surveys used comparable methods and validated scales. Parental psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress (K6) scale. Parental attitudes toward and tolerance of risky play were assessed by the Risk Engagement and Protection Survey (REPS) and the Tolerance of Risk in Play Scale (TRiPS). Linear regression investigated the association between K6 (exposure) and REPS and TRiPS (outcomes). Gender differences were tested with interactions and stratified analyses.

Results: Among 1009 preschool parents, mothers experiencing greater distress were more protective (B = 0.10, P = .038). Among 1272 parents of school-aged children, higher distress was associated with more protective attitudes (B = 0.08, P = .006) and less supportive attitudes for risk engagement (B = -0.07, P = .019).

Conclusions: Parents who experience greater psychological distress have more risk-averse attitudes toward risky play in 2- to 11-year-olds than less distressed parents. Parental mental health is an important factor to consider when designing interventions to promote opportunities for child movement and risky play.

Purpose: Although the "weekend warrior (WW)" physical activity (PA) pattern has known health benefits, its association with sarcopenia is unclear. This study examined whether the WW PA pattern is associated with a lower likelihood of sarcopenia compared with the inactive and regularly active (RA) PA patterns.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included 28,918 participants. Individuals reporting ≥150 minutes per week of moderate PA, ≥75 minutes per week of vigorous PA, or ≥ 150 minutes per week of moderate to vigorous leisure-time PA were classified as "active." Within the active group, those exercising 1 to 2 days per week were categorized as WWs, and those exercising on ≥3 days per week were categorized as RA. Sarcopenia was defined as a sarcopenia index >2 SD below the sex-specific reference.

Results: In a logistic regression adjusted for all covariates, WWs had significantly lower odds of sarcopenia compared with both inactive (OR 0.16; 95% CI, 0.07-0.35) and RA individuals (OR 0.25; 95% CI, 0.11-0.56). RA participants also showed reduced odds compared with the inactive group (OR 0.64; 95% CI, 0.52-0.79). Regarding PA volume, the Kruskal-Wallis test indicated that RA participants participate in more moderate-intensity PA (RA 159.3 vs WW 125.3 min/wk), whereas WWs engaged in more vigorous-intensity PA (RA 32.4 vs WW 47.1 min/wk).

Conclusions: The WW PA pattern was associated with a lower prevalence of sarcopenia compared with both inactive and RA individuals, suggesting that concentrated, infrequent but high-intensity activity may help reduce sarcopenia risk-particularly for those with limited time.

Background: Outdoor recess during school is a prominent source of children's physical activity; however, children's movement is likely affected when recess is moved indoors due to inclement weather. This study assessed the amount and intensity of children's physical activity during school recess when it took place inside gyms or classrooms compared with traditional outdoor recess during periods of high heat.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included assessments of movement intensity levels during recess (sedentary, light, and moderate to vigorous physical activity [MVPA]) among fifth-grade children (N = 251; ages = 10-12 y) at 5 schools in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area (Arizona, United States) between August and September 2024. School personnel determined the locations for recess (in classrooms, gyms, or outdoors). Physical activity levels were assessed using the System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth during 91 observations across 15 recess periods. Differences in mean physical activity intensities were compared between recess locations for the entire sample and by child sex using 1-way analyses of variance.

Results: Outdoor temperatures ranged from 91 to 109 °F (33-43 °C). Most recess was held outside (60%), with 20% in classrooms and 20% in gyms. All physical activity intensities differed between locations, with the greatest difference in time occurring in MVPA in gyms (51%) and outdoors (28%) compared with classrooms (11%), where children were mainly sedentary (71%). Boys spent more time in MVPA and less time sedentary than girls across all settings.

Conclusions: Having indoor facilities to support movement such as gyms provides more MVPA and less time sitting compared with classrooms or outdoors on high-heat days.