Children and Fitness: A Public Health Perspective

Abstract

The promotion of cardiorespiratory fitness through increased physical activity has become a national public health objective for both adults and children. Based on numerous small-scale studies it appears that children are highly fit but the population distribution is unknown due to the lack of rigorous population studies. Very little is known about the extent of children's physical activity; the available evidence does not support the hypothesis that children obtain sufficient activity to explain their generally high levels of fitness. Due to the lack of evidence of substantial carry-over effects of youth fitness to adult health and the likelihood of children's resistance to vigorous fitness routines, there is little reason to recommend an aerobic training focus in physical education. A focus on enjoyable moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with carry-over value to adulthood is recommended. Physical education is an important vehicle for promoting physical activity by children; it appears, however, that children may obtain little MVPA during physical education class.     

Effect of carbohydrate ingestion during cycling exercise on affective valence and activation in recreational exercisers

Carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion enhances “feel-good” responses during acute exercise but no study has examined the effect of regular ingestion of CHO on affective valence. We investigated the effect of CHO ingestion on perceptual responses and perceived work intensity of individual exercise sessions throughout a 10-week cycling (“spin”) exercise intervention. We also assessed whether any changes in affect and/or perceived work intensity would influence health and fitness parameters. Twelve recreational exercisers (46 ± 9 years; nine females and three males) were randomly allocated to either CHO (7.5% CHO; 5 mL · kg^?1 per exercise session; n = 6; CHO) or placebo (0% CHO, taste- and volume-matched solution; n = 6; PLA) groups. Participants exercised 2 × 45-min per week, over a 10-week intervention period. Perceptual measures of exertion (RPE), affect (feeling scale, FS) and activation (felt arousal scale, FAS) were assessed after each exercise session. The FAS ratings increased over time in CHO but decreased throughout the intervention in PLA (P = 0.03). There were no differences in heart rate (P = 0.70), RPE (P = 0.05) and FS (P = 0.84) between trials. Furthermore, no changes in health and fitness parameters were observed over time or between groups. CHO ingestion enhanced ratings of activation in recreational exercisers throughout a 10-week cycling intervention.     

Attraction to Physical Activity in Urban Schoolchildren: Parental Socialization and Gender Influences

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the contribution of parental socialization processes and gender to children's interest in physical activity using Eccles' expectancy-value model of motivation. An additional purpose was to examine the nature of these relationships among children of a lower socioeconomic level, a sample that has been underrepresented in pediatric exercise research to date. Fourth- through sixth-grade children (N = 107) from a large metropolitan school district were participants in this study and completed questionnaires assessing attraction to physical activity, perceived physical competence, and perceptions of their parents' physical activity beliefs and behaviors. Multivariate regression analyses revealed a significant relationship between parental socialization processes and children's perceived physical competence and attraction to physical activity. Gender differences were also identified and were primarily related to liking of the exertional characteristics of physical activity and exercise. These findings are consistent with theory and research regarding parental and gender-role socialization during childhood.     

Inventories and Norms for Children's Attitudes Toward Physical Activity

Abstract

This paper summarizes the development of an inventory for the assessment of children's attitudes toward physical activity (CATPA), including an overview of its psychometric properties. Through a series of studies, an original and frequently used attitude inventory was restructured, resulting in a revised inventory which is both shorter and psychometrically superior to the original. This instrument, which assesses attitudinal dispositions toward each of seven physical activity subdomains, is shown to possess high internal consistency and strong factor validity. In addition, a new CATPA inventory suitable for grade 3 children is introduced. The two inventories are presented, along with instructions for their administration and scoring. Norms, based on samples of approximately 500 children of each grade and sex, are provided for boys and girls in grades 3, 7, and 11. Throughout the paper consideration is given to research applications, as well as cautions relative to the use and interpretation of the two CATPA inventories.     

从被动学习到主动学习、合作学习——学校体育学课程学生综合成绩评估体系构建

体育专业学生理论课综合成绩传统评估体系弊端重重,为此提出并阐述了与新的教学改革模式“目标－半导式教学法”相配套的评估体系,其主要特点。为理论课学生综合成绩评价体系的改进和完善提出新的思路。     

A Causal Modeling Analysis of Sociodemographics and Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity Behavior of American Adults

Abstract

Confusion still exists about the relationships between sociodemographics and adult physical activity behavior. In this paper, data from a national sample of 19,110 adults is examined to determine which of the sociodemographic variables are associated with physical activity behavior, their relative importance, and why these associations may exist. Once one controls for multicollinearity among the sociodemographic variables only age, education, and income maintain any substantive correlation. However, the amount of variance explained is small (R ² _adj = 8%). Two causal models are presented to account for the education: physical activity variance. The relationship is believed to be a spurious one in that there is some other third variable(s) which is speculated to affect both schooling and physical activity behavior. Exposure to sports and physical activity in the schools, though, may enhance the skills necessary for many activities providing an argument for a direct effect of education. Understanding this spurious/direct association is important for policy decision making and further research is warranted.     

Pedometer Accuracy in Elementary School Children while Walking,Skipping, Galloping,and Sliding

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of the SW-701 (Yamax Corporation, Tokyo, Japan) and NL-800 (New-Lifestyles, Inc., Lee's Summit, Missouri, USA) pedometer in fifth-grade students while walking, skipping, galloping, sliding, and hopping. Counts registered by both pedometer models were significantly lower than actual counts while skipping, galloping, and sliding, and counts from the NL-800 were significantly lower than the SW-701 during these same movements. No significant differences in step counts were detected between actual counts and the SW-701 and between the pedometer models while walking and hopping; however, the NL-800 registered counts significantly higher than actual counts while hopping. Bland–Altman plots suggest the greatest variability occurred while skipping, galloping, and sliding, with the percent error lowest in the SW-701 during these movements.     

大学生课余体育锻炼特征与锻炼感受分析

目的：分析大学生课余体育锻炼特征与锻炼感受差异。方法：采用《锻炼感觉量表》测试重庆高校309名大学生。结果：样本大学生课余体育锻炼在运动选项和锻炼时间上具有显著的性别和专业差异,且不同运动选项和锻炼时间大学生的锻炼感觉差异显著。结论：有必要在课余体育锻炼指导中关注参与者的锻炼特征与锻炼感受。     

Modifying Equipment in Early Skill Development: A Tennis Perspective

Purpose: The International Tennis Federation recently launched a worldwide campaign advocating the use of equipment scaling for children learning to play tennis. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence that varying racquet sizes and ball compressions had on children's ability to play a forehand groundstroke. Method: This was a quantitative repeated-measures design experiment. Children were required to perform a forehand hitting task using each of 9 combinations of tennis racquets and balls (i.e., 3 racquet sizes × 3 ball compressions). Children's hitting performance was measured using a points system. The aim for the children was to score as many points as possible. Hitting technique was measured via video replay. Results: Hitting performance was best when the smallest racquet combined with the ball with the least compression was used. The ball with the least compression also promoted 2 technique benefits: swinging the racquet from low to high and striking the ball in front and to the side of the body. Conclusions: This study demonstrated the benefits for young children playing with scaled racquets and low-compression balls. The findings are discussed with regards to their relevance to theories of skill acquisition.     

学校体育活动中潜在风险因素分析及对策

从风险管理的层面对学校体育活动中潜在的风险因素进行分析,发现体育教师和学生的体育活动风险意识不强,学校体育设施和医疗保障系统存在管理上的疏漏。提出要加强对学校体育活动风险的认识和学校体育活动风险的教育,建议选择合理的风险管理策略并定期或适时对管理策略进行评估和改进。     

Accuracy of an infrared LED device to measure heart rate and energy expenditure during rest and exercise

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the accuracy of the ePulse Personal Fitness Assistant, a forearm-worn device that provides measures of heart rate and estimates energy expenditure. Forty-six participants engaged in 4-minute periods of standing, 2.0 mph walking, 3.5 mph walking, 4.5 mph jogging, and 6.0 mph running. Heart rate and energy expenditure were simultaneously recorded at 60-second intervals using the ePulse, an electrocardiogram (EKG), and indirect calorimetry. The heart rates obtained from the ePulse were highly correlated (intraclass correlation coefficients [ICCs] ≥0.85) with those from the EKG during all conditions. The typical errors progressively increased with increasing exercise intensity but were <5 bpm only during rest and 2.0 mph. Energy expenditure from the ePulse was poorly correlated with indirect calorimetry (ICCs: 0.01–0.36) and the typical errors for energy expenditure ranged from 0.69–2.97 kcal · min^?1, progressively increasing with exercise intensity. These data suggest that the ePulse Personal Fitness Assistant is a valid device for monitoring heart rate at rest and low-intensity exercise, but becomes less accurate as exercise intensity increases. However, it does not appear to be a valid device to estimate energy expenditure during exercise.     

学校体育如何培养学生的终身体育意识

主要采用文献资料法、归纳分析法,对我国学校体育的现状及其在培养学生终身体育中的作用进行分析,探讨,并提出实施途径和方法。     

中小学生体育课外活动的“自立性”培养研究——以重庆巴南区马王坪学校为例

自立是一个人立足于社会的根本,也是完善人格过程中,人生不可缺少的一个部分,具有无可替代的重要性和独特性。本文通过文献资料等与实地调研等研究方法,对重庆巴南区马王坪学校学生的体育锻炼情况进行研究,发现现在家庭的孩子,往往忽略了孩子自立特性的培养。因此,本文想从体育锻炼等方面,以此为媒介,希望孩子能够树立自立精神。     

影响大学生课外参加体育锻炼因素的调查与分析

通过对影响大学生参加课外体育锻炼因素的调查，在分析研究的基础上，提高培养大学生体育锻炼的兴趣，养成自觉锻炼习惯的措施。     

The validity of the commercially-available,low-cost,wrist-worn Movband accelerometer during treadmill exercise and free-living physical activity

Low-cost physical activity monitors may provide a more accurate measure of physical activity than subjective methods (e.g., self-report) while being less costly than research-grade accelerometers. The present study assessed the validity of a low-cost monitor (Movband 2) to estimate physical activity behavior/intensity. Participants (N = 23, n = 16 female, BMI = 22.9 ± 4.0 kg/m², age = 21.9 ± 1.6 years) completed four, five-minute treadmill stages (2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 MPH) while wearing both the Movband and the previously-validated Actigraph monitor. Oxygen consumption (VO₂) was recorded during each stage (Laboratory assessment). A subset (n = 15, n = 10 female, BMI = 22.2 ± 3.2 kg/m², age = 21.5 ± 0.8 years) of these participants then wore the two accelerometers for three days (Free-living assessment). During the Laboratory assessment there were strong, significant (r = 0.94, p ≤ 0.001) relationships between Movband and Actigraph counts and VO₂. During Free-living assessment there was also a strong, significant (r = 0.97, p < 0.001) correlation between Movband and Actigraph counts. The low-cost, Movband accelerometer appears to provide a valid assessment of physical activity behavior/intensity.     

The Dual-Mode Theory of affective responses to exercise in metatheoretical context: I. Initial impetus,basic postulates,and philosophical framework

The exercise psychology literature is replete with assertions that ‘exercise makes people feel better’. However, this appears to be inconsistent with the high prevalence of physical inactivity and drop-out rates. Recent empirical findings, based on a new methodological platform, have demonstrated that the exercise-affect relationship is complex, exhibiting both a dose-response pattern and substantial inter-individual variability. The Dual-Mode Theory was developed to (a) bridge mind-focused and body-focused approaches for explaining the exercise-affect relationship, (b) provide a fit to extant data by accounting for patterns of dose-response and inter-individual variability, and (c) be consistent with information from exercise physiology and emerging evidence on the neural basis of affect. Investigations based on the Dual-Mode Theory could inform the ongoing debate on the role of somatic influences in generating affective responses and guide interventions designed to improve the affective responses of exercisers. A selective review of phenomenological accounts that served as the philosophical basis of the theory supports the thesis that affect has a dual basis, being driven by cognition in many circumstances but by direct somatic cues when homeostasis is challenged.     

中学生主观锻炼体验与体质健康关系研究

以1200名中学生为调查对象,就主观锻炼体验(积极幸福感、心理烦恼、疲劳)与体质健康评价结果、体质健康评价指标间的关系进行分析.研究发现,体质健康评价结果与积极幸福感呈正相关、与心理烦恼及疲劳呈负相关,且存在性别差异;积极幸福感与体质健康各评价指标呈正相关,心理烦恼和疲劳与体质健康各评价指标呈负相关.研究结果提示,关注学生锻炼过程中积极情感体验可能是提高体质健康状况的间接手段.     

身体锻炼与中学生羞耻感关系的探索性研究

为了解身体锻炼对羞耻感的影响,对215名初中2年级学生进行了身体锻炼和羞耻感的问卷调查,并根据身体锻炼量表中的得分将学生分成3组,进行了对比研究。研究结果显示:身体锻炼与中学生羞耻感的4个维度以及羞耻体验之间存在着显著的负相关关系,大锻炼量对学生的个性羞耻、行为羞耻、羞耻体验有显著影响,而对身体羞耻和家庭羞耻的影响不具显著性;中锻炼量、小锻炼量组学生羞耻感存在显著的性别差异,大锻炼量组学生羞耻感性别差异不显著。     

高职院校女生课外体育锻炼的现状调查与分析

本文采用问卷调查等方法,对江门职业技术学院女生课外体育锻炼的现状进行调研分析,探讨了课外体育锻炼对高职院校女生的身心健康发展的影响,提出针对个体特点与职业倾向,提高他们体育锻炼的能力,养成终身体育锻炼的习惯,对增强提高个体的竞争力和提高生活品味、生活质量有着积极的作用。     

大学生体育活动中的锻炼承诺和锻炼坚持性研究

采用问卷调查的方法,对967名大学生的锻炼承诺和锻炼坚持性进行调查,并分析不同体育锻炼情况的大学生在锻炼承诺与锻炼坚持性上的不同,结果表明,锻炼时间、锻炼方式、锻炼效果和身体自我感觉的不同在锻炼承诺和锻炼坚持性上存在差异。