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Background: The association between indicators of maturation and measures of physical fitness are not well correlated and vary according to chronological age, sex, body size, and motor characteristics. It is known that chronological age, maturation, and fat mass are significant predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness in girls, however, the contributions of fat mass to the relationship between maturation and endurance performance are still unclear. Objective: The current study aimed to examine whether the association between somatic maturation and running performance in the 20‐m shuttle‐run in girls is mediated by estimated fat mass. Methods: The sample comprised 67 girls, aged 8.00–8.99 years. Stature, body mass, and skinfolds were measured. Estimates of body composition and predicted mature stature (PMS) were then calculated. Current stature was expressed as a percentage of PMS and somatic maturation was given by z‐scores of the percentage of PMS. Mediation analysis was performed using the bias‐corrected bootstrap approach with 5000 resamples in order to obtain estimates of total, direct, and indirect effects of z‐scores of the percentage of PMS on 20‐m shuttle‐run performance mediated by fat mass. Results: The results show that fat mass mediated the negative effect of biological maturation on 20‐m shuttle‐run performance in the observed sample of prepubescent girls (Indirect effect: β = −0.177, 95%CI: −0.291 to −0.059). Conclusion: Although the participants were prepubescent girls, poorer aerobic running performance appeared to be partly due to increased levels of fat mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to evaluate indicators of bone health associated with sports practice in male adolescents using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure bone mineral content (BMC), density (BMD), and body composition (BC) for the whole body (WB) and specific regions. This cross-sectional study involved 65 individuals (18–35 years). Athletes had higher BMD for WB (1.064 ± 0.121 g/m−2) than sedentary individuals (0.753 ± 0.129 g/cm−2). Differences were also observed within specific regions such as the trunk, upper and lower limbs. Individuals who practice regular sports present improved bone health indicators compared to their sedentary peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Volleyball, with its unique calendar structure, presents distinct challenges in training and competition scheduling. Like many team sports, volleyball features an unconventional schedule with brief off-season and pre-season phases, juxtaposed against an extensive in-season phase characterized by a high density of matches and training. This compact calendar necessitates careful management of training loads and recovery periods. The effectiveness of this management is a critical factor, influencing the overall performance and success of volleyball teams. In this review, we explore the associations between training stress measures, fatigue, and well-being assessments within this context, to better inform future research and practice. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in databases including PsycINFO, MEDLINE/PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science, and Scopus. Inclusion criteria were original research papers published in peer-reviewed journals involving volleyball athletes. Results: Of the 2535 studies identified, 31 were thoroughly analysed. From these 31 articles, 22 included professional athletes, seven included collegiate-level volleyball athletes, and two included young athletes. Nine studies had female volleyball players, while the remaining 22 had male volleyball athletes. Conclusions: Internal training load should be collected daily after training sessions and matches with the session rating of perceived exertion method. External training load should also be measured daily according to the methods based on jump height, jump count, and kinetic energy. If force platforms are available, neuromuscular fatigue can be assessed weekly using the FT:CT ratio of a countermovement jump or, in cases where force platforms are not available, the average jump height can also be used. Finally, the Hooper Index has been shown to be a measure of overall wellness, fatigue, stress, muscle soreness, mood, and sleep quality in volleyball when used daily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the World Health Organization, 17 million people die every year of cardiovascular diseases (CVD), particularly heart attacks and strokes. More than half of all deaths across the Europe are caused by CVDs. 80 % of premature deaths from these causes could be avoided by controlling the main risk factors: tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Local authorities provide sport and recreation facilities to their communities. They also have a central role in forging partnerships with public and private sector to enhance the local sport delivery system. The present paper consists of an empirical exercise about the statistical relationship between the financial effort of Portuguese municipalities in the implementation of sports policies and the prevalence of CVDs. The estimation of a Spatial Autocorrelation Model confirms the strong spatial dependence between neighbouring municipalities and validates the existence of a positive impact of local sports policies on mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases. The results raise the need to reinforce local policies to promote active living based on holistic approaches to combating heart disease and promoting healthy lifestyles in partnerships with health professionals, educators, and community leaders., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)