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Background: We aimed to identify long-term patterns of sport participation (overall, team, and individual sport) from childhood into adolescence, and to examine the association between these patterns and academic outcomes. Methods: This cohort study used data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children in wave 3 (4–5 y) to wave 9 (20–21 y). The participants were a nationally representative sample of 4241 children. We conducted latent class analyses to identify sport participation trajectories and assessed the association between these trajectories and academic outcomes. Results: Continued sport participation was associated with lower odds of being absent from school (OR = 0.44; 95% confidence intervals [CIs], 0.26 to 0.74), better performance on attention (B = −0.010; 95% CIs, −0.019 to −0.002) and working memory (B = −0.013; 95% CIs, −0.023 to −0.003), higher numeracy (B = 20.21; 95% CIs, 14.56 to 25.86) and literacy scores (B = 9.42; 95% CIs, 2.82 to 16.02), higher end of school academic performance (B = 3.28; 95% CIs, 1.47 to 5.09), and higher odds of studying at university (OR = 1.78; 95% CIs, 1.32 to 2.40). Team sport participation was associated with reduced absenteeism, better performance on attention and working memory, and being awarded the Higher School Certificate. Whereas individual sport participation was associated with higher literacy scores and end of school academic performance. Conclusions: Team and individual sport participation both benefit academic outcomes, but differently. Given the decline in sport participation during adolescence, these findings highlight the need to develop educational policies to establish an environment that promotes sport participation, which in turn could improve academic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cross-sectional studies show associations between loneliness, social isolation and physical inactivity. Cohort studies are shedding light on these relationships and further longitudinal investigations are needed. Purpose This study aimed to assess the longitudinal and bidirectional associations between loneliness, social isolation, and physical inactivity. Methods Data were drawn from five annual waves of the Household and Labour Dynamics of Australia Survey (2015–2019), providing a sample of 17,303 persons (mean age = 46.3 years [ SD = 18.0], 49.4% female). Relationships between loneliness, social isolation, and physical inactivity were examined using cross-lagged panel modeling, with estimation of simultaneous cross-lagged effects across each wave. Models adjusted for sociodemographic factors, chronic disease status, psychological distress, and mutually for social isolation or loneliness. Moderation of associations by sex was explored. Results There were modest lagged effects of physical inactivity on loneliness across the survey waves (odds ratio 1.16 [95% confidence interval 1.04–1.29] to 1.20 [1.07, 1.33]). A lagged effect of physical inactivity upon social isolation was only present across three of the waves (odds ratio 1.20 [1.02–1.41] to 1.23 [1.05–1.42]). While loneliness and social isolation showed lagged effects upon physical inactivity, these did not persist with adjustment for psychological distress. Conclusions Longitudinal analysis found that physical inactivity consistently predicted loneliness, but not social isolation. After adjustment for confounding, loneliness and social isolation were not predictive of physical inactivity. While the strength of the associations was modest, further investigation is warranted of the type and dose of physical activity that is most beneficial for reducing loneliness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this review we examine the evidence regarding self-determination theory within the school physical education context. We applied a multilevel structural equation modeling approach to meta-analyze data from a systematic review that identified 265 relevant studies. In line with theory, autonomous motivation was positively correlated with adaptive outcomes and negatively correlated with maladaptive outcomes. Introjected regulation was modestly correlated with both adaptive and maladaptive outcomes. External regulation and amotivation both showed negative relationships with adaptive outcomes, and positive relationship with maladaptive outcomes. Also supporting SDT, autonomy, competence, and relatedness satisfactions were strongly correlated with autonomous student motivation, and less strongly, but still positively, correlated with introjected regulation. Weak negative correlations were found between autonomy, competence, and relatedness and external regulation. Amotivation had moderate negative correlations with needs satisfaction. Findings further revealed that teachers more greatly impact classroom experiences of autonomy and competence, whereas relatedness in physical education is associated with both peer and teacher influences.

Physical activity is associated with numerous health benefits in youth; however, these benefits could extend further than health, into education. Our aim was to systematically review and combine in meta-analyses evidence concerning the association between physical activity and the dimensions of school engagement, including behavior (e.g., time-on-task), emotions (e.g., lesson enjoyment), and cognition (e.g., self-regulated learning). We conducted meta-analyses using structural equation modeling on results from 38 studies. Overall, physical activity had a small, positive association with school engagement (d = 0.28, I[superscript 2] = 0.86), 95% confidence interval [0.12, 0.46]. This association was moderated by study design, with significant associations shown in randomized controlled trials but not in studies employing other designs. Risk of bias was also a significant effect moderator, as studies with a low risk of bias showed significant associations but not high risk of bias studies. Altogether, these results suggest that physical activity could improve school engagement.

Issue addressed: Australia has smoking prevalence of less than 15% among adults, but there are concerns that the rates of decline have stabilised. Sustained mass media campaigns are central to decreasing prevalence, and the emotions evoked by campaigns contribute to their impact. This study investigates the association between potential exposure to campaigns that evoke different emotions on quitting salience (thinking about quitting), quitting intentions and quitting attempts. Methods: Data on quitting outcomes were obtained from weekly cross‐sectional telephone surveys with adult smokers and recent quitters between 2013 and 2018. Campaign activity data were collated, and population‐level potential campaign exposure was measured by time and dose. Results: Using multivariate analyses, a positive association between potential exposure to 'hope' campaigns and thinking about quitting and intending to quit was noted, but no association was seen with quit attempts. Potential exposure to 'sadness' evoking campaigns was positively associated with quitting salience and negatively associated with quit attempts, whereas those potentially exposed to campaigns evoking multiple negative emotions (fear, guilt and sadness) were approximately 30% more likely to make a quit attempt. Conclusions: This study suggests a relationship between the emotional content of campaigns, quitting behaviours. Campaign planners should consider campaigns that evoke negative emotions for population‐wide efforts to bring about quitting activity alongside hopeful campaigns that promote quitting salience and quitting intentions. The emotional content of campaigns provides an additional consideration for campaigns targeting smokers and influencing quitting activity. So what?: This study demonstrates the importance of balancing the emotional content of campaigns to ensure that campaign advertising is given the greatest chance to achieve its objectives. Utilising campaigns that evoke negative emotions appear to be needed to encourage quitting attempts but maintaining hopeful campaigns to promote thinking about quitting and intending to quit is also an important component of the mix of tobacco control campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A combination of walking, other moderate physical activity, and vigorous physical activity is recommended for achieving good health. Vigorous activity has unique health benefits but may be less accessible to disadvantaged people. To reduce health inequity, we need to understand the differences in physical activity participation among socioeconomic subgroups and whether this is changing over time. Methods: Data from the 2002 to 2015 Adult New South Wales Population Health Surveys (164,652 responses) were analyzed to investigate trends in walking, moderate and vigorous physical activity participation by socioeconomic status as measured by educational attainment. Analysis used age- and sex-adjusted multivariable linear models that accounted for complex survey design. Results: In 2002, the highest socioeconomic group spent 18.5 (95% confidence interval, 8.2–28.8) minutes per week more than the lowest socioeconomic group being vigorously active. By 2015, this gap had steadily increased to 41.4 (95% confidence interval, 27.6–55.1) minutes per week. Inequity between groups was also found for duration of moderate activity but not for time spent walking. Conclusions: Low participation in vigorous activity in the lowest socioeconomic group is likely driving increasing inequities in physical activity and widening participation gaps over time. Barriers preventing the most disadvantaged people in New South Wales from engaging in vigorous activity should be addressed urgently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]