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Children
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Physical Activity and Physical Fitness among Children and Adolescent
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Physical Activity and Physical Fitness among Children and Adolescent

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Pediatric Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 7587

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Goran Sporiš

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: physical education; physical activity; control weight; cardiorespiratory system; brain

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical activity benefits children and adolescents by increasing fitness. It helps to prevent or reduce the risk of stress, obesity, and a host of other conditions that can negatively affect a child’s health.  For teens, being physically active can provide several physical benefits, such as improving the cardiorespiratory system, building strong muscles and bones, controlling weight, reducing the risk of obesity, reducing the risk of heart disease, reducing the risk of cancer, reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes, reducing the risk of high blood pressure, reducing the risk of osteoporosis, and increasing life span.

The brain has the ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout one’s life. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment. Physically active children tend to achieve better academic results, as exercise helps with memory and thinking, improves attention, and can produce positive changes in brain structures and functions. Parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have a greater volume in physically active children versus children who are not active. Therefore, inactivity is killing our brains.

Prof. Dr. Goran Sporiš
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • physical education
  • physical activity
  • control weight
  • cardiorespiratory system
  • brain

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 295 KiB  
Article
Convergent Validity of the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Pediatric Physical Activity Instrument (PROMIS®-PA) with Wearable Devices in Adolescents
by Reem A. Algheryafi, Katherine B. Bevans, Shivayogi V. Hiremath, Jin-Shei Lai and Carole A. Tucker
Children 2023, 10(6), 940; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10060940 - 26 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1961
Abstract
The study was conducted mainly to examine the convergent validity of the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Pediatric Physical Activity instrument (PROMIS®®®-PA) with step counts from wearable devices and another validated self-reported outcome measure. As a secondary aim, we explored the [...] Read more.
The study was conducted mainly to examine the convergent validity of the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Pediatric Physical Activity instrument (PROMIS®®®-PA) with step counts from wearable devices and another validated self-reported outcome measure. As a secondary aim, we explored the effect of different recall time frames (7-day, end-of-day [EoD], and ecological momentary assessment [EMA] time frames during the day) in terms of their feasibility and associations with each other and with step counts. This was a prospective cohort study that examined the associations between measures of PA in school-age children and adolescents (n = 84, aged 10–20). The participants wore Fitbit devices for 7 consecutive days, and then completed the 7-day-recall PROMIS-PA short form and Youth Activity Profile (YAP). Additional analyses were completed in a sub-sample (n = 25, aged 11–18 years) using the PROMIS-PA for the EMA at five intervals during the day (shorter form) and at the EoD. In the total sample, the PROMIS-PA results showed positive moderate correlations with the YAP and average daily steps (r = 0.533, p < 0.001 and r = 0.346, p = 0.002, respectively). In the sub-sample, the 7-day PROMIS-PA was highly correlated with the averaged EMA or EoD ratings for the week, and moderately correlated with the daily step counts. These findings support the validity of the PROMIS-PA as a measure of self-reported physical activity. Adolescents demonstrated higher compliance rates and preference for the 7-day recall and EoD assessments compared to more frequent EMA reporting. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Physical Fitness among Children and Adolescent)
9 pages, 1037 KiB  
Article
Peer Verbal Encouragement Enhances Offensive Performance Indicators in Handball Small-Sided Games
by Faten Sahli, Hajer Sahli, Omar Trabelsi, Nidhal Jebabli, Makram Zghibi and Monoem Haddad
Children 2023, 10(4), 680; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10040680 - 3 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1340
Abstract
Objective: This study aimed at assessing the effects of two verbal encouragement modalities on the different offensive and defensive performance indicators in handball small-sided games practiced in physical education settings. Methods: A total of 14 untrained secondary school male students, aged 17 to [...] Read more.
Objective: This study aimed at assessing the effects of two verbal encouragement modalities on the different offensive and defensive performance indicators in handball small-sided games practiced in physical education settings. Methods: A total of 14 untrained secondary school male students, aged 17 to 18, took part in a three-session practical intervention. Students were divided into two teams of seven players (four field players, a goalkeeper, and two substitutes). During each experimental session, each team played one 8 min period under teacher verbal encouragement (TeacherEN) and another under peer verbal encouragement (PeerEN). All sessions were videotaped for later analysis using a specific grid focusing on the balls played, balls won, balls lost, shots on goal, goals scored, as well as the ball conservation index (BCI), and the defensive efficiency index (DEI). Results: The findings showed no significant differences in favor of TeacherEN in all the performance indicators that were measured, whereas significant differences in favor of PeerEN were observed in balls played and shots on goal. Conclusions: When implemented in handball small-sided games, peer verbal encouragement can produce greater positive effects than teacher verbal encouragement in terms of offensive performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Physical Fitness among Children and Adolescent)
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15 pages, 983 KiB  
Article
A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Preadolescent Cardiometabolic Health: Associations with Fitness, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, Nutrition, and Sleep
by Nicholas Castro, Gabriel Zieff, Lauren C. Bates, Patricia Pagan Lassalle, Simon Higgins, James Faulkner, Sally Lark, Paula Skidmore, Michael J. Hamlin, T. Leigh Signal, Michelle A. Williams and Lee Stoner
Children 2023, 10(2), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10020336 - 9 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1701
Abstract
Background: Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk often begins early in life. Healthy lifestyle behaviors can mitigate risk, but the optimal combination of behaviors has not been determined. This cross-sectional study simultaneously examined the associations between lifestyle factors (fitness, activity behaviors, and dietary patterns) and [...] Read more.
Background: Cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk often begins early in life. Healthy lifestyle behaviors can mitigate risk, but the optimal combination of behaviors has not been determined. This cross-sectional study simultaneously examined the associations between lifestyle factors (fitness, activity behaviors, and dietary patterns) and CMD risk in preadolescent children. Methods: 1480 New Zealand children aged 8–10 years were recruited. Participants included 316 preadolescents (50% female, age: 9.5 ± 1.1 years, BMI: 17.9 ± 3.3 kg/m2). Fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness [CRF], muscular fitness), activity behaviors (physical activity, sedentary, sleep), and dietary patterns were measured. Factor analysis was used to derive a CMD risk score from 13 variables (adiposity, peripheral and central hemodynamics, glycemic control, and blood lipids). Results: Only CRF (β = −0.45, p < 0.001) and sedentary time (β = 0.12, p = 0.019) were associated with the CMD risk score in the adjusted multivariable analysis. CRF was found to be nonlinear (VO2 max ≤ ≈42 mL/kg/min associated with higher CMD risk score), and thus a CRF polynomial term was added, which was also associated (β = 0.19, p < 0.001) with the CMD risk score. Significant associations were not found with sleep or dietary variables. Conclusion: The findings indicate that increasing CRF and decreasing sedentary behavior may be important public health targets in preadolescent children. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Physical Fitness among Children and Adolescent)
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14 pages, 311 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Characteristics of At-Risk Youths in Guatemala: Evidence from a Sports for Human Development Program
by Pedro Danilo Ponciano Nuñez, Iago Portela-Pino and María José Martínez-Patiño
Children 2023, 10(1), 134; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10010134 - 10 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2083
Abstract
Guatemala is a multiethnic and multicultural country that has suffered from poverty and violence. Sports can serve as tool to foster development across the country; however, there is limited research on the use of sports as a tool for promoting broader social benefits [...] Read more.
Guatemala is a multiethnic and multicultural country that has suffered from poverty and violence. Sports can serve as tool to foster development across the country; however, there is limited research on the use of sports as a tool for promoting broader social benefits in Guatemala. The purpose of this study was to compare sports and the health and physiological characteristics of at-risk youths in Guatemala. The research objectives were achieved through a quantitative approach and the participation of 90 youths involved in an educational organization through sports and 91 youths who have not been influenced by any organization. The results showed that urban at-risk youths involved in a sports for education organization develop more self-esteem; they have higher levels of physical activity than their peers who are not involved in an educational organization; the socioemotional competencies of self-regulation and motivation are higher in urban areas; empathy is higher in men than in women; the level of the self-perception of health is lower and health literacy higher. However, the at-risk youths who are not involved in an educational organization showed that their self-regulation was higher, and the level of health literacy was higher for all factors. This was through a set of attitudes and skills as a result of their historical development and sociocultural strategies transmitted from generation to generation to foster health and physical activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physical Activity and Physical Fitness among Children and Adolescent)
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