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The agreement between self-reported and objective estimates of activity energy expenditure was evaluated in adolescents by age, sex, and weight status. Altogether, 403 participants (217 females, 186 males) aged 13–16 years completed a 3-day physical activity diary and wore a GT1M accelerometer on the same days. Partial correlations (controlling for body mass) were used to determine associations between estimated activity energy expenditure (kcal · min−1) from the diary and accelerometry. Differences in the magnitude of the correlations were examined using Fisher's r to z transformations. Bland–Altman procedures were used to determine concordance between the self-reported and objective estimates. Partial correlations between assessments of activity energy expenditure (kcal · min−1) did not differ significantly by age (13–14 years: r = 0.41; 15–16 years: r = 0.42) or weight status (normal weight: r = 0.42; overweight: r = 0.39). The magnitude of the association was significantly affected by sex (Δr = 0.11; P < 0.05). The agreement was significantly higher in males than in females. The relationship between activity energy expenditure assessed by the objective method and the 3-day diary was moderate (controlling for weight, correlations ranged between 0.33 and 0.44). However, the 3-day diary revealed less agreement in specific group analyses; it markedly underestimated activity energy expenditure in overweight/obese and older adolescents. The assessment of activity energy expenditure is complex and may require a combination of methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The main purpose of this pilot study was to examine the relations between estimated biological maturity status, body size, and leisure-time exercise behaviour in British Year 9 students. Estimated biological maturity status and body size were assessed in 103 male and 82 female students aged 13-15 years (mean 14.04 years, s = 0.31) in physical education classes. To assess exercise behaviour, participants completed the Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (Godin & Shephard, 1985). One year later, 127 of the participants were reassessed for maturity status and body size. Maturity status was positively correlated with involvement in mild forms of reported exercise behaviour and total reported exercise activity in males, and negatively associated with involvement in strenuous forms of reported exercise in females. Hierarchical regression models, with main and interactive effects of body size and maturity status as predictor variables, failed to predict a significant proportion of variance in total reported exercise activity in both males and females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined the relations between biological maturity status, body mass index, age, and perceptions of adult autonomy support in the context of youth soccer. A total of 70 female and 43 male soccer players, aged 9 – 15 years, completed three adult-specific versions (i.e. mother, father, coach) of the perceived autonomy support subscale from the Interpersonal Style Scale. The participants' percent predicted adult stature was used as an estimate of biological maturity status. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that advanced maturity status in male players predicted lower perceptions of autonomy support from the coach. Maturity status was unrelated to perceptions of autonomy support from the coach in female soccer players, and paternal and maternal autonomy support in male and female players. Age and body mass index were unrelated to perceptions of adult (i.e. coach, mother, father) autonomy support in male and female players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]