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Context: Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors are associated with adverse health outcomes in both adults and children. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 9-week program using a Cycle Desk during school time in French primary school children from high or low socioeconomic status (SES) on body composition, physical fitness (PF), and executive function. Methods: Seventy-five (n = 75) children completed a test battery before and after 9 weeks of use of Cycle Desk to evaluate anthropometric characteristics, body composition, PF, and executive function. Results: Body mass index increased significantly (P =.0095), while body fat decreased after the use of Cycle Desks (P <.0001). Specifically, lean mass increased in the high-SES group while it decreased in the low-SES group (P <.0001). After 9 weeks, there was an improvement in motor skills (P <.0001), upper and lower limbs' strength (P <.0001), and executive function performance (P <.0001). More specifically, the low-SES group had a greater improvement in motor skills and maximal aerobic speed between T0 and T1, compared to the high-SES group (P =.001, P =.023, respectively). In contrast, the high-SES group had a greater improvement in executive function at 9 weeks of use of Cycle Desk compared with the low-SES group (P =.0084). Conclusions: The promotion of low-intensity physical activity with the use of a Cycle Desk at school may help offset some adverse effects of excess sedentary behavior among children. Moreover, this strategy appears to be particularly effective in children from low-SES backgrounds. What's New: The use of a Cycle Desk during school time has no deleterious effects on PF as well as cognitive executive functions in primary children. Modifications are more beneficial in children from low SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Scientific evidence and public health reports keep highlighting the continuous and alarming worldwide progression of physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors in children and adolescents. The present paper summarizes findings from the 2022 French Report Card (RC) on physical activity for children and youth and compares them to the 2016, 2018, and 2020 RCs. Methods: The 2022 edition of the French RC follows the standardized methodology established by the Active Healthy Kids Global Matrix. Ten physical activity indicators have been evaluated and graded based on the best available evidence coming from national surveys, peer-reviewed literature, government and nongovernment reports, and online information. The evaluation was also performed in children and adolescents with disabilities. Indicators were graded from A (high level of evidence) to F (very low level of evidence) or INC for incomplete. Results: The evaluated indicators received the following grades: overall physical activity: D−; organized sport participation and physical activity: C; active play: F; active transportation: C; sedentary behaviors: D−; family and peers: D; physical fitness: C; school: C−; community and the built environment: F; government: B. Conclusions: While this 2022 French RC shows progression for 7 out of the 10 indicators considered, it also underlines the continuous need for actions at the local, regional, and national levels to develop better surveillance systems and favor a long-term improvement of youth movement behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: The identification of predictive parameters of the success of multidisciplinary weight loss interventions (MWLI) appears essential to optimize obesity management. The association between baseline cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and changes in anthropometric parameters and body composition during MWLI remains underexplored in adolescents with obesity. Objectives: To assess whether baseline CRF was associated with the effectiveness of a 16‐week MWLI measured through improved body mass, body mass index (BMI) and body composition (percentage of total fat mass (FM) as the main criterion). Methods: Cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition were respectively measured by peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) during maximal exercise tests and dual‐photon x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA), before (T0) and after (T1) a 16‐week MWLI in 165 adolescents (aged 13.3 ± 1.38 years, 61.2% female, BMI 35.11 ± 5.16 kg/m2). Results: Reductions in BMI and total FM percentage between T0 and T1 were greater in subjects with a baseline VO2peak ≥ 3rd quartile compared to the first quartile (p < 0.001) and the interquartile range (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001, respectively). Baseline VO2peak and VO2 at the first ventilator threshold were positively correlated with the reductions in body mass, BMI and total and visceral FM percentages and with the increase in lean mass (LM) percentage between T0 and T1 after adjustment for age and gender (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Initial CRF is associated with the success of MWLI in adolescents with obesity. Improving their aerobic fitness before starting a MWLI might be a promising strategy to optimize its benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a strong marker of current and future health. The aim of this study was to assess the national temporal trends in CRF for French children and adolescents between 1999 and 2022. Methods: CRF data were obtained from several cross‐sectional studies on 15 420 (51.1% boys) French children and adolescents aged 9–16 years between 1999 and 2022. The 20‐m shuttle run test (20mSRT) estimated CRF. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from measured height and body mass, with BMI z‐scores (BMIz) calculated using WHO growth curves. The 20mSRT results were corrected for protocol and converted to z‐scores (20mSRTz) using international sex‐ and age‐specific norms. With additional adjustment for BMIz, temporal trends in mean 20mSRT performance (20mSRTz) were estimated using linear regression, with the distance max (Dmax) method used to locate a breakpoint and linear segments fitted to points below and above the breakpoint. Trends in distributional characteristics were assessed visually and described as the ratio of the coefficients of variation (CVs). Results: After adjustment for protocol, age, sex, and BMIz, a large decline in mean 20mSRT performance (trend per decade (95% CI): −1.42 SDs (−1.45, −1.39) or −18.4% (95% CI: −18.8, −18.0)) between 1999 and 2022 was found. Dmax located a breakpoint for the two‐linear‐segment model in year 2010. There was a large decline in mean 20mSRT performance pre‐2010 (trend per decade (95% CI): −2.31 SDs (−2.39, −2.24)), which reduced 0.06‐fold to a negligible decline post‐2010 (trend per decade (95% CI): –0.15 SD (−0.20, −0.10)). We also found that the trend in mean 20mSRT performance was not uniform across the population distribution. Between 1999 and 2022, there was a small trend in distributional asymmetry, with slightly smaller declines experienced by the high performers (above the 75th percentile). Conclusions: Our data suggest a large decline in the 20mSRT performance of French children and adolescents since 1999. This declining trend seems to have diminished considerably since 2010. Such declines in CRF could translate into declines in health status. Although a slowing in the declining trend in CRF in recent years is encouraging, more data are needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent evidence suggests better appetite control in states of high-energy flux (HEF) in adults and lean children. Nevertheless, it is unknown whether this extends to youth with obesity. This study compares the effects of low, moderate or HEF on short-term appetitive control in adolescents with obesity. Sixteen adolescents with obesity (12–16 years, Tanner stages 3–5, 11 females) randomly completed three conditions: (i) low-energy flux (LEF); (ii) moderate energy flux (MEF; + 250 kcal) and (iii) HEF (HEF; + 500 kcal). Energy flux was achieved in MEF and HEF through elevated energy intake (EI) and concomitant increase in energy expenditure using cycling exercise (65 % VO2peak). Ad libitum EI, macronutrient intake and relative EI were assessed at dinner, subjective appetite sensations taken at regular intervals and food reward measured before dinner. Ad libitum EI at dinner was greater in LEF compared with HEF (P = 0·008), and relative EI (REI) was higher in LEF compared with MEF (P = 0·003) and HEF (P < 0·001). The absolute consumption of carbohydrates was lower in LEF compared with MEF (P = 0·047) and HEF (P < 0·001). Total AUC for hunger and desire to eat was lower in HEF compared with LEF (P < 0·001) and MEF (P = 0·038). Total AUC for prospective food consumption was lower on HEF compared with LEF (P = 0·004). Food choice sweet bias was higher in HEF (P = 0·005) compared with LEF. To conclude, increasing energy flux may improve short-term appetite control in adolescents with obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]