Physical fitness and psychological health in overweight/obese children: A cross-sectional study from the ActiveBrains project

Análisis de la condición física según sexo, edad, índice de masa corporal y nivel de actividad física en estudiantes de primaria en España

Introducción. La evidencia científica sugiere que la calidad de vida de los escolares se relaciona de forma directa con el estado de su condición física (CF).Objetivo. Analizar la CF según edad, sexo, índice de masa corporal (IMC) y nivel de actividad física en estudiantes de primaria.Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal con 103 escolares entre 8 y 12 años de España. La CF se midió mediante la batería ALPHA-Fitness y la actividad física, con el cuestionario Physician-based Assessment and Counseling for Exercise. Los participantes se categorizaron según su nivel de actividad física (no activos versus activos) y su IMC (normo-peso versus sobrepeso-obesidad). Para el análisis se aplicó estadística paramétrica.Resultados. Los varones tuvieron un mejor nivel de CF, pero en ambos sexos se observó un leve incremento de esta a medida que aumentaba la edad. Los escolares con normopeso o activos físicamente tuvieron una mejor capacidad aeróbica y una composición corporal más saludable.Conclusión. Mantener niveles óptimos de CF a lo largo de la vida requiere de la adopción de un estilo de vida saludable desde la infancia, por tanto, es necesario promover la práctica autónoma de actividad física en los escolares.

Objective and subjective measures of physical functioning in women with fibromyalgia: what type of measure is associated most clearly with subjective well-being?

PURPOSE

To find modifiable factors that are related to subjective well-being would be valuable for improving interventions in fibromyalgia. Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness may represent potential areas to optimize treatment regimens. In fibromyalgia, there is a discordance between clinical observations and patient-reported outcomes (objective and subjective assessments). Therefore, the present study aims at analyzing the associations of objective and subjective evaluations of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness with subjective well-being and determine if and how objective and subjective associations differ.

METHODS

In this population-based cross-sectional study participated 375 women with fibromyalgia from the al-Ándalus project (Spain). Physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and physical fitness were objectively (accelerometers and performance testing) and subjectively (questionnaires) measured. Participants self-reported their levels of positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction.

RESULTS

In the most conservative multivariate analysis, we found independent associations of the objective measures of physical activity with positive affect and life satisfaction and sedentary behaviour with positive affect. No such relationship was seen with subjective measures of the same behaviours. Moreover, we observed that objective and subjective physical fitness evaluations were independent of each other related to subjective well-being.

CONCLUSIONS

Independent associations of the objective measures (but not the subjective assessments) of physical activity with positive affect and life satisfaction, and of sedentary behaviour with positive affect were observed. However, objective measures and subjective appraisals of physical fitness appear to be independently related to well-being, which should be considered when developing physical exercise interventions for fibromyalgia.Implications for rehabilitationThe analysis of concurrent associations of objective and subjective evaluations of physical functioning with subjective well-being offers indications for modifiable targets in rehabilitation that can improve well-being in fibromyalgia.Exercise-based rehabilitation may help women with fibromyalgia to improve subjective well-being, particularly positive affect.Rehabilitation should focus on both the objective physical performance of women with fibromyalgia and on their perceptions of what they can do physically.When rehabilitation aims at enhancing positive affect or life satisfaction by changing the lifestyle of women with fibromyalgia, physical activity and sedentary behaviour should be objectively monitored.

Female athletes: managing risk and maximizing benefit

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The purpose of this review is to provide an updated summary on the unique aspects of caring for female youth and adolescent athletes.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent research on female athletes has led to a better understanding of injuries and conditions that are more likely to occur in female youth and adolescent athletes, including the frequency and severity of concussions, musculoskeletal injury such as involving the anterior cruciate ligament, and the female athlete triad. Social factors, such as the growing pressure to specialize in a sport particularly at an early age, also put young female athletes at risk for issues such as overuse injuries. Researchers continue to explore the benefits of athletic participation that extend beyond physical fitness.

SUMMARY

Female participation in youth sports has increased dramatically during the past 50 years. This has led to greater research on how to manage risks and maximize benefits for young female athletes, although there is still much to be learned. Providers should educate patients, parents, and coaches on both the increased risks for female athletes and ways to provide better support and accessibility of youth sports to all children.

Muscular weakness in adolescence is associated with disability 30 years later: a population-based cohort study of 1.2 million men

Objective

To investigate the associations of muscular strength in adolescence with later disability pension (DP), across different body mass index (BMI) categories and in combination with aerobic fitness.

Method

This prospective cohort study consisted of males aged 16–19 years, recruited from the Swedish military conscription register between 1969 and 1994. A total of 1 212 503 adolescents met all the inclusion criteria and were therefore included in the analyses. Knee extension, handgrip and elbow flexion strength and aerobic fitness (bicycle ergometer test) were measured during conscription. Causes of DP were retrieved from the Social Insurance Office between years 1971 and 2012 (average follow-up time: 29.6 years).

Results

Knee extension strength in adolescence was inversely associated with men’s risk of obtaining DP due to all causes (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.36 to 1.44 for lowest vs highest strength quintile). Thus, muscular weakness was associated with DP. The risk associated with low muscular strength differed between specific causes of DP and the strongest associations were found for psychiatric, nervous system and other causes (HRs between 1.47 and 1.90 for lowest vs highest quintile). Being strong was associated with lower DP risk across BMI categories and being unfit, weak and obese was associated with the highest DP risk (HR 3.70, 95% CI 2.99 to 4.58).

Conclusion

There was a strong association between muscular weakness and disability. A combination of muscular weakness and low aerobic fitness was an especially important risk factor for disability. This adds weight to call for muscular strength and fitness enhancing exercise for adolescents in all BMI categories.

Effect of a pilot multi-component intervention on motor performance and metabolic risks in overweight/obese youth

This study evaluated the effect of a multi-component intervention on motor performance (MP) and metabolic risk markers (MRM) in overweight/obese youth. A secondary aim was to examine whether changes in MP are associated to changes in MRM. A 3-month multi-component intervention was performed, consisting of physical exercise sessions (twice/week;1h), nutritional education sessions (once/month), and parental support (twice/week). The sample included 35 volunteers (7-13 y.o), allocated to intervention (INT, n = 17) and control (CONT, n = 18) group. Variables were measured pre (T0) and post intervention (T1). Fasting blood samples were analyzed for MRM. MP tests included the measurement of health related physical fitness components and motor coordination performance (KTK battery). To assess food intake, a 24-hour recall diary was used. GLM-ANCOVA was performed. Standardized scores were calculated for the outcome variables, and multilinear regressions were applied to analyze associations between the key variables. INT group showed improvements in MP, glycolytic and hepatic profiles. After adjustments for MVPA, SB, total intake and maturational stage, negative associations between %ΔMP and %Δglycolytic (β = -.424; 95%CI:-0.343:-0.022), and %Δhepatic scores (β = -.382 95%CI:-0.001:-0.009) were observed. The intervention produced a moderate-to-high effect on the MP and some MRM. Changes in MP were inversely associated with changes in glycolytic and hepatic markers.