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Background:Obesity is considered to impact physical fitness in children. There is scarce data on indices of physical fitness in Indian children with simple obesity We aimed to determine the effects of weight status on indices of physical fitness in North Indian children with simple obesity. Methods: Vital parameters such as blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and rate of perceived exertionwere measured before and after the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in obese children (BMI =95th percentile) (Group 2, n=70) aged 5-15 years and were compared to non-obese children (BMI 25th to 75th percentile) (Group 1, n=70). President's Challenge Fitness test was used to measure the physical fitness of each subject. Results: The mean age, weight and BMI of children in Group 1 and Group 2 were 9.07±2.88 and 8.93±3.13, 27.42±12.08 and 48.87±17.89 and 16.54±4.26 and 27.30±5.2, respectively. The mean blood pressure recorded before 6MWT was similar in the two groups but pulse rate, respiratory rate, and BORG scale values were higher in Group 2. Children in Group 2 also showed significant elevation of vital parameters compared to Group 1 after the 6MWT. Additionally, children in Group 2 performed poorly in all the physical fitness parameters compared to those in Group 1 following the President's Challenge Fitness test. Conclusions: Children with obesity showed several alterations in vital parameters and indices of physical fitness. Further studies are required to access the effect of interventions aimed at improving the physical fitness in children with obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Venezuelan Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth is the first assessment of information related to physical activity in Venezuela. It provides a compilation of existing information throughout the country and assesses how well it is doing at promoting opportunities for children and youth. The aim of this article is to summarize the information available. Methods: Thirteen physical activity indicators were graded by a committee of experts using letters A to F (A, the highest, to F, the lowest) based on national surveys, peer review studies, and policy documents. Results: Some indicators report incomplete information or a lack of data. Overweight and Obesity were classified as A; Body Composition and Nongovernmental Organization Policies as B; Municipal Level Policies as C; and Overall Physical Activity Levels and National Level Policies as D. Conclusions: 63% of children and youth have low physical activity levels. Venezuela needs to undergo a process of articulation between the several existing initiatives, and for said purposes, political will and a methodological effort is required. Investments, infrastructure, and opportunities will be more equal for all children and youth if more cooperation between institutions is developed and communication strategies are applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To verify whether percentage of body fat, physical fitness, physical activity and calorie intake mediates the multicomponent intervention effect on cardiometabolic risk factors in overweight/obese children, and present the relative contribution of each mediator. Methods: This is an intervention study, developed with 35 overweight/obese school-aged children (control group = 17 and intervention group = 18), aged between 7 and 13 years (9.05 ± 1.90). A 12-week multicomponent intervention was performed, consisting of physical exercise, nutritional education sessions and parental support. The following variables were evaluated at baseline and post-intervention: anthropometric measures and percentage of body fat, physical fitness, physical activity assessed by accelerometer, total calorie intake and biochemical assays. For statistical analysis, generalized linear models were used. Results: The intervention effect on glucose was mediated by percentage of body fat (24%), muscular fitness (22%) and total calorie intake (40%). The same was observed for alanine aminotransferase (ALT), with a mediation proportion of 26, 31 and 35%, respectively, as well as for HDL-C (percentage of body fat − 30%, muscular fitness − 30% and total calorie intake − 33%); while vigorous physical activity mediated the intervention effect on glucose (40%), HDL-C (39%) LDL-C (43%) and total cholesterol (37%). Conclusion: Interventions strategies should focus on reducing percentage of body fat and calorie intake, and enhancing muscular fitness and vigorous physical activity to achieve effective changes on cardiometabolic risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Levels of physical activity decline throughout childhood. Children's physical self-perceptions have been found to relate to their physical activity. Understanding the relationships among physical self-perceptions, obesity, and physical activity could have important implications for interventions in children. Methods: The current study investigated the moderating effect of cardiovascular fitness (CVF, heart rate recovery from a 3-minute step test) on the relationship between obesity (BMI, waist circumference) and physical self-perceptions (athletic competence, physical appearance) in 104 fourth- and fifth-grade children from a small rural community. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that CVF moderated the relations between BMI and waist circumference on athletic competence. For children with lower fitness, higher waist circumference was associated with lower athletic competence, while for children with higher fitness levels, higher BMI was associated with higher athletic competence. Results also indicated that both BMI and waist circumference were negatively related to physical appearance. CVF moderated these relations such that only children with lower fitness, greater BMI and waist circumference was associated with poorer physical appearance scores. Conclusions: Implications include the need for support of fitness programs to promote psychological well-being and to investigate the relationship between obesity and physical self-perceptions within the context of fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between peak aerobic fitness (peakVO2) and plasma leptin was assessed in 25 normal (BMI < 85th %tile) and 25 overweight (BMI > 85th %tile) youth, ages 7-17 years. In the overall analysis peakVO2 was related to leptin when expressed in mL/kg/min (R² = .516, p < .0001), or as ml/kgFFM/min (R² = .127, p = .01). The relationships between peakVO2 and leptin were no longer significant when percent bodyfat was added to the models. In subanalyses by weight groups, peakVO2: leptin relationships were not evident for normal weight, but remained for overweight youth. In conclusion the relationship between aerobic fitness and leptin in youth is dependent upon weight status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was twofold (1), to examine the prospective relationship of baseline TV viewing with BMI and CRF both at baseline and over a 2-year period, and (2) to examine the prospective relationship of baseline TV viewing and changes (Δ) on BMI and CRF over a 2-year period. Data were collected in a sample of 135 (64 girls) rural children ages 7 yr-old from elementary schools in Fundão, Portugal. Obesity status was obtained by the age-sex specific BMI cut points and CRF by a 9 min run test. TV viewing was also analyzed and children were assigned as one of two groups: the low TV watching (LTV), and high TV watching (HTV), users based upon them reported to spend less or more than 2 h/day watching TV, respectively. Logistic regression showed that those who were assigned to HTV group were 2.4 times (OR= 2.48; p = .04) more likely to be classified as unfit at time 1. Further the data showed that the LTV were more likely (OR= 0.36; p = .02) to be classified in high ΔCRF change over time. The findings of this study suggest that there was a significant inverse association between times spent watching TV and CRF but not BMI over a 2-yr period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Declining levels of children's physical activity may contribute to Australia's increasing childhood obesity epidemic. School recess is an underutilized opportunity to increase children's physical activity. Methods: Thirteen regional Australian public primary schools participated in the study (2946 children). The Children's Activity Scanning Tool 2 (CAST2) collected observational playground physical activity data. The research also addressed: length of break, socioeconomic status (SES), gender, number of scanning days, and instrument calibration. Results: The proportions of Moderate or Vigorous Physically Activity (MVPA) children at the observed schools ranged from 0.4 to 0.7. The odds ratio of boys being MVPA relative to girls ranged from 0.8581 to 2.137. There were significant differences between the mean proportions of 3 days of activity (range P = .001 to P = .015) and no association between SES school groupings (deviance ratio: 0.48; P = .503). Interrater reliability for instrument calibration using Spearman correlations coefficients ranged from r = .71 to r = .99. Conclusions: There were significant differences between proportions of MVPA children at the 13 schools and between male and female populations. There was no association between playground physical activity and SES. The monitoring period for CAST2 should be at least 3 days. Interrater reliability indicates that correlations between observers were consistently high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Independent associations between personal- and demographic characteristics and physical activity in 3-6 year old children attending preschool were identified in this study. Boys spent a larger proportion of the time on moderate-and-vigorous physical activity (MVPA; p < .001) and had a higher total physical activity level compared with girls (p < .001). The 3-4 year old children spent less time on MVPA and had a lower total physical activity level compared with both 4-5 (p < .01) and 5-6 year old children (p < .001). The individual preschool, gender and age of preschool children were strong predictors of physical activity (R2-total model=(0.36-0.39)) during preschool attendance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined correlates of objectively measured physical activity (PA) in a diverse sample of preschool children (age 3-5 years; n = 331). Accelerometer min·hr-1 of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and nonsedentary activity (NSA) were the outcome measures. Correlations among potential correlates and PA ranged from r= -0.12-0.26. Correlates in the final MVPA model were age, race, sex, BMI Z score, and parent perception of athletic competence, explaining 37% of the variance. The NSA model included the latter two variables, explaining 35% of the variance. Demographic factors were correlates of PA; parent perceptions of children's competence may be important regarding preschoolers' PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A number of scholars have noted the increased social currency that a risk vocabulary has come to assume in late modernity. This vocabulary has been deployed in discourses o physical inactivity and obesity, wherein children have increasingly been identified as an at-risk population leading a sedentary lifestyle, which is culturally represented as a primary risk factor for obesity and ultimately ill health. This article explores the usefulness of Foucault's governmental perspective in problematizing the function served and effects produced by a risk vocabulary within discourses and practices directed at intervening in the childhood inactivity and obesity epidemics with a specific focus on the Canadian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most significant concern within the US educational community is the academic achievement gap. Investigation of the achievement gap reveals that minority students across all levels of education are not meeting the same academic measures as their non-Hispanic White peers. In addition, a disproportionate number of minority children are identified as overweight. Physical activity has been identified as an influence on the reduction and prevention of overweight and obesity. In addition, physical activity has been recognized as beneficial to cognitive performance in children. The current review provides a stimulus to recognize the links between overweight and academic achievement in minority youth and the importance of physical activity in addressing these issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between aerobic fitness (AF), fatness, and coronary-heart-disease (CHD) risk factors in 12- to 13-year-olds. The data were obtained from 208 schoolchildren (100 boys; 108 girls) ages 12.9 ± 0.3 years. Measurements included AF, indices of obesity, blood pressure, blood lipids and lipoproteins, fibrinogen, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein. An inverse relationship was found between AF and fatness (p = .05). Fatness was related to a greater number of CHD risk factors than fitness was (p = .05). Further analysis revealed fatness to be an independent predictor of triglyceride and blood-pressure levels (p = .05). Our findings indicate that, for young people, fatness rather than fitness is independently related to CHD risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Background: obesity and lower physical fitness levels in children are related to the development of cardiometabolic risk factors. Objective: to determine the relationship between health-related physical fitness and physical activity levels, blood pressure, and anthropometric parameters for different weight statuses of Chilean schoolchildren. Material and methods: the participants were 272 girls and 333 boys having a mean age of 12.00 ± 1.23 years. Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), standing long jump test (SLJ), handgrip strength, physical activity (PA) levels, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and body fat (BF) were measured. To establish the relationship between the variables, partial correlations adjusted by sex were carried out and the Chi-square test was applied to compare the proportions between groups. Results: VO2max (p < 0.001) was higher in schoolchildren of normal weight. SBP and DBP were higher in obese schoolchildren (p < 0.001). Physical fitness was inversely related to SBP: VO2max (r = -0.26, p < 0.001), SLJ (r = -0.11, p = 0.007) and handgrip strength (r = -0.10, p = 0.021), and had a positive relationship with PA: VO2max (r = 0.31, p < 0.001), SLJ (r = 0.18, p < 0.001), and handgrip strength (r = 0.26, p < 0.001). Moreover, VO2max and SLJ were inversely related to BMI and WC (p < 0.05). The group of obese schoolchildren contained the highest percentage of individuals with hypertension (p < 0.001). Conclusion: the results obtained in this study show that physical fi tness has an inverse relationship with SBP and a positive relationship with PA levels. Besides, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and SLJ are inversely associated with the predictors of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Finally, obese children presented lower physical fitness and included a higher proportion of individuals with hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between physical activity and physical fitness and adiposity in a sample of 77 girls, aged 10-11years. Physical activity was assessed by 7-day physical activity recall by which children reported how much time they spent on low and moderate-to-vigorous physical activities. Physical fitness was measured by EUROFIT test battery. Adiposity was estimated by sum of five skinfolds. The main finding of the study was that moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and adiposity were significant predictors (with 16-34% accounted variance) of physical fitness tests where the body mass affects performance. Indicators of physical activity and adiposity were not significantly related with fitness items requiring muscular strength, balance, flexibility, and speed of limb movement. Furthermore, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and aerobic fitness predicted 22% of variance in adiposity in girls [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts from the annual meeting of the North American Society for Pediatric Exercise Medicine held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on August 11-14, 1994. R. Peter Schnorr and Paul E. Nowacki researched the relationship of body composition to physical fitness and cardiovascular response of children. L. Ambrosetti and W. A. Saltarelli examined the physiological response of obese versus nonobese children playing action pad video games. Other studies looked at metabolic responses in male children and adults during exercise and impaired neutrophil function following exercise in gymnasts.

The article presents abstracts of studies from various sports medicine and pediatric journals. J. F. Sallis and colleagues researched the validity of children's self-reports of their physical activity. T. N. Robinson and colleagues examined the association between obesity, television viewing, and physical activity. Other studies looked at the Wingate anaerobic test, the ventilatory threshold, the atherosclerotic process, a nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of exercising muscles, and hormonal changes in runners with menstrual dysfunction.

The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, persistence of obesity over time, and health risks associated with it place childhood obesity among the highest national health concerns. The extent to which excess caloric intake or insufficient energy expenditure contribute to childhood obesity has not yet been clearly delineated. This report examines the components of the energy balance equation, focusing on the major components of energy expenditure (rest, thermic effect of food, and physical activity) whereby differences may affect energy balance and promote or perpetuate obesity among children. Some implications of differences in energy expenditure to childhood obesity and areas of needed research are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assessment of body composition in children has taken on greater significance because of the need to study the prevalence of obesity in children and youth, the need to better document the tracking and genetics of body fatness, the need to relate fat patterning in childhood and fat patterning in adults, and the need to assess changes in the prevalence in obesity over time in a given population. This paper reviews methods of estimating body composition in children and youth. The use of body mass index, anthropometry, body density, and bioelectric impedance methodologies is emphasized, as well as the need to use multicomponent models for validation studies of new methods. Also explored in this article is the relationship between body composition and health related fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Criterion-referenced cut-points for field-based cardiorespiratory fitness for children (CRF) are lacking. This study determined: (a) the association between CRF and obesity, (b) the optimal cut-points for low CRF associated with obesity in children, and (c) the association between obesity and peak oxygen uptake () estimated from the 20-m shuttle run test using two different prediction equations. Methods: A total of 8,740 children aged 10.1±1.2 were recruited from 11 sites across Canada. CRF was assessed using 20mSRT reported as running speed at the last completed stage, number of completed laps and predicted , which was estimated at the age by sex level using the Léger et al. and FitnessGram equations. Body mass index and waist circumference z-scores were used to identify obesity. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and logistic regression determined the discriminatory ability of CRF for predicting obesity. Results: 20mSRT had satisfactory predictive ability to detect obesity estimated by BMI, WC, and BMI and WC combined (area under the curve [AUC]>0.65). The FitnessGram equation (AUC>0.71) presented somewhat higher discriminatory power for obesity than the equation of Léger et al. (AUC>0.67) at most ages. Sensitivity was strong (>70%) for all age- and sex-specific cut-points, with optimal cut-points in 8- to 12-year-olds for obesity identified as 39 mL•kg-1•min-1 (laps: 15; speed: 9.0 km/h) and 41 mL•kg-1•min-1 (laps: 15–17; speed: 9.0 km/h) for girls and boys, respectively. Conclusions: 20mSRT performance is negatively associated with obesity and CRF cut-points from ROC analyses have good discriminatory power for obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Brasileira de Medicina do Esporte is the property of Redprint Editora Ltda. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The purpose of this study was to determine if participants in a summer camp met physical activity guidelines and to examine whether physical activity levels differed by gender, race, socio-economic status, or weight status. Height, weight, demographic information, and accelerometer-measured physical activity were obtained from 132 participants aged 6-12 years at 6 day camps. Participants engaged in an average of 57.7 min ( SD = 26.54) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during the 8 hr of camp. Almost 40% (39.8%) of the campers met the physical activity guidelines of at least 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during the camp day, but there were gender and weight status differences. Results of an ANOVA analysis indicated that boys were more active than girls and normal weight children were more active than obese children. Summer day camp attendance appears to provide many children with an opportunity to attain recommended levels of physical activity, but differs by gender and weight status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children are exposed to a great deal of food and beverage promotion. This is particularly concerning given that the prevalence of childhood obesity, a critical public health challenge, may be partially due to the increased consumption of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverages. However, there are lingering questions about the complex relationships between fast food and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, physical activity levels, and childhood obesity. To address these complex relationships, this research examines the interaction of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, along with the frequency of physical activity, in leading to the likelihood of a child being overweight or obese. A primary concern is the compensatory role of physical activity in offsetting the direct and indirect effects of fast food and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption on childhood obesity. For a sample of more than 4000 children between five and eleven years of age, results show that physical activity can partially counter the direct relationship between (1) fast food consumption and obesity and (2) sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and obesity. However, this intervening role of physical activity indicates that activity level is unable to compensate for the combined effect of high fast food and high sugarsweetened drink consumption on obesity likelihood. Conclusions for the public health community and possible implications for policy makers interested in the combined roles of fast food and sugar-sweetened drink consumption on childhood health and obesity are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Childhood overweight and obesity is unacceptably high in industrialised nations. School-based interventions have largely been atheoretical and ineffective. This study aimed to test a new theory-based protocol for its effects on measures of fitness and body mass index (BMI), and its proposed psychosocial mediators, during elementary after-school (out-of-school hours) care.Methods: Nine- to 12-year-old participants of YMCA-based after-school care in the southeastern Unites States were randomised into either the experimental Youth Fit 4 Life (YF4L) treatment group (n = 86) or a typical care group (n = 55) for 45 min/day. YF4L is based on social cognitive theory, emphasising mastery over physical activities and the development of self-management/self-regulatory skills to support healthy behaviours. Physiological and psychosocial variables were assessed over a 9-month elementary school year.Results: Of the overall sample, 28% were overweight or obese at baseline. YF4L was associated with significantly greater improvements in BMI, and measures of self-regulation, mood, self-efficacy, cardiovascular endurance and strength over both 3 and 9 months. Changes in self-regulation, mood and self-efficacy significantly mediated the treatment type-BMI relationship over both 3 months (R 2 = 0.12, P = 0.002) and 9 months (R 2 = 0.13, P = 0.001), with change in self-regulation being a significant independent mediator. Changes in BMI and self-regulation reciprocally reinforced one another. Gender was not a significant moderator of those relationships.Conclusions: The YF4L treatment mitigated rise in BMI in 9- to 12-year-old enrollees of after-school care. The treatment's basis in social cognitive theory was supported. Because of its positive effects and ability to utilise existing staff, large-scale application is warranted after sufficient replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to the increasing prevalence of obesity among children, Shuttle Run Test (SRT) has been used as primary outcome for assessment of both physical performance and responses to different physical training programs. Thus, this study aimed to compare the performance on SRT between obese and non-obese children and the reproducibility of two SRTs carried out on different days.Methods: A cross-sectional study in which 40 children, aged from 8 to 10, were recruited from a public school. This study consisted of three visits in each school. On the first visit, we carried out a medical screening for recruited children. On the second visit, we applied the first SRT (SRT1), which was repeated on the third visit (SRT2, 24 hours apart).Results: There was a significant difference in the distance traveled by non-obese in comparison with obese children (mean difference: 88 meters and 95% of confidence interval: 21 meters to 156 meters). Time and distance traveled of 27 children were higher in the SRT1, whereas nine children traveled a greater distance and presented higher testing time on the SRT2, with only four children showing the same distance traveled in both tests. Although both groups presented with reduction from the SRT1 to SRT2, this reduction was not significant (non-obese: 342 ± 97 meters to 319 ± 106 meters, respectively; obese: 269 ± 91 meters to 246 ± 90 meters, respectively). In obese children, the distance traveled in the best SRT had correlation with weight (r = -0.495, p = 0.043) and BMI (r = - 0.602, p = 0.011). No correlation was observed in the non-obese children.Conclusions: Overweight children had lower performance in SRT. Although reproducible, the best performance was in the first test, which leads us to suggest applying only one test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mark, Set Go! is a school-based intervention addressing pediatric obesity in an urban, underserved community. This study evaluates its impact on participants' knowledge, attitudes and behavior related to nutrition, physical activity and screen time. METHOD: Participants, 954 fifth- and sixth-grade public school students, received a 9-week classroom-based intervention led by high school peer educators. A matched design analyzed paired data from pre/post intervention knowledge, attitude and behavior surveys, heights, weights and 24 hour pedometer recordings. RESULTS: 787 students (82.4%) completed both a preand post-test. Participants demonstrated improvement in knowledge, self-reported screen time, daily exercise and sweetened beverage consumption. Changes were greater for girls. A statistically significant decrease in BMI was noted overall, for boys and for overweight students, among the 443 participants (46%) with paired BMI data. CONCLUSIONS: This school-based peer educator led intervention was effective in improving participant knowledge and healthy behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts of pediatric exercise studies from various sports medicine and pediatric journals. A study by C. Maffeis and colleagues looked at the energy expenditure and intake in obese children. A study by J. C. Ozmun and colleagues studied neuromuscular responses to strength training. Other studies researched how health behaviors of parents affect their children's health behaviors, home exercise training in cystic fibrosis patients, and aerobic and anaerobic characteristics of prepubertal swimmers.

Walking to/from school could promote children's physical activity and help combat childhood obesity. Parental attitudes have been identified as one of the important predictors. But it is unclear what factors shape parental attitudes, and how those in turn influence children's school travel. This study addresses this gap of knowledge by examining the mediating effect of parental attitudes for the relationships between personal, social, and built environmental factors and children's walking-to/from-school behaviors. Survey data (N=2597) were collected from 20 public elementary schools in Austin, Texas, measuring students' typical school travel mode; personal, social, and built environmental factors related to walking-to/from-school; and relevant parental attitudes. The analysis was conducted in M-plus 6.11 to test the proposed conceptual framework using a structural equation model (SEM). Parental attitudes showed significant mediating effects on walking-to/from-school behaviors. Older child, positive peer influence, walkable home-to-school distance, and favorable walking environments were associated with more enjoyment and lower attitudinal barriers, and in turn increased likelihood of walking to/from school. Being Hispanic, increased car ownership, and stronger traffic safety concerns reduced enjoyment and increased attitudinal barriers, and thus decreased likelihood of walking to/from school. This study highlighted the importance of using multilevel interventions to reduce attitudinal barriers and increase enjoyment of walking to/from school. Collaborations among different stakeholders are needed to address environmental issues (e.g., safety concerns) and social factors (e.g., peer influence), while being sensitive to personal factors (e.g., age, ethnicity, and car ownership). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Jornal de Pediatria is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: Cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal system disorders which may affect the functional exercise capacity are common in obese patients. We aimed to investigate the functional exercise capacity and its relationship with functional pulmonary capacity in obese children. Methods: A total of 74 obese and 36 healthy children as a control group were enrolled in the study. Pulmonary functions and functional exercise capacity were measured by spirometry and six-minute walk test (6 MWT), respectively. Results: The distances covered during the 6 MWT in obese and control groups were 570.9±67.5 and 607.8±72.5 meters, respectively (p=0.010). In spirometric pulmonary function tests (PFTs), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) and forced mid-expiratory flows (25-75) were lower in the obese group (p=0.048 and p=0.047, respectively), whereas forced vital capacity (FVC), the FEV1/FVC ratio and peak expiratory flow were not statistically different between the obese and control groups. Multiple regression analysis revealed that among all parameters of anthropometric measures and PFTs, only body mass index standard deviation score (BMI-SDS) was the independent factor influencing 6 MWT. Conclusion: Functional exercise and lung capacities of obese children were diminished as compared to those of non-obese children. The most important factor influencing functional exercise capacity was BMI-SDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A virtual pet was developed based on the framework of the youth physical activity promotion model and tested as a vehicle for promoting physical activity in children. Children in the treatment group interacted with the virtual pet for three days, setting physical activity goals and teaching tricks to the virtual pet when their goals were met. The virtual pet became more fit and learned more sophisticated tricks as the children achieved activity goals. Children in the control group interacted with a computer system presenting equivalent features but without the virtual pet. Physical activity and goal attainment were evaluated using activity monitors. Results indicated that children in the treatment group engaged in 1.09 more hours of daily physical activity (156% more) than did those in the control group. Physical activity self-efficacy and beliefs served as mediators driving this increase in activity. Children that interacted with the virtual pet also expressed higher intentions than children in the control group to continue physical activity in the future. Theoretical and practical potentials of using a virtual pet to systematically promote physical activity in children are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: interventions aiming to develop healthy lifestyle behaviours at early age could be an effective way of reducing childhood obesity. Aims: to evaluate the effect of a dietary and physical activity intervention on reducing childhood obesity. Methods: 312 students took part on this 5 month intervention study. The intervention included dietary talk delivered to children and their parents in addition to 45 minutes of daily physical activity modules. Nutritional status was assessed using the Obesity Task Force criteria. Changes in dietary behaviours and physical activity were assessed using questionnaires administrated to the parents. Results: body mass index decreased significantly post intervention (-0.2 kg.m2), however, this reduction was driven by boys (-0.3 kg.m2). Similarly, waist circumference shows a significant reduction in boys (-0.4 cm) but not girls. Children with overweight or obesity shows greater reductions in obesity-related traits, which were related to changes in dietary and physical activity post interventions. Conclusions: multidisciplinary interventions applied to children between 5 and 7 years old are effective on reducing body mass index and improving dietary and physical activity behaviours in overweight and obese children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As our schools and children struggle to meet ever-changing and mandated academic standards, challenges in the time spent on physical activity continue to arise. On the other hand, however, we continue to face a global climate mired in the midst of an obesity epidemic. It is widely accepted that the health benefits of exercise are wide-ranging and powerful. It appears that cognitive function and academic achievement are additional realms beyond the physical where exercise is beneficial. The school setting presents a unique public health opportunity to enact change on a variety of levels. As sports medicine and exercise specialists, we need to support efforts that increase access to quality physical fitness across the board for all children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current concerns about a childhood obesity crisis and children's physical activity levels have combined to justify fitness lessons as a physical education practice in New Zealand primary (elementary) schools. Researchers focused on children's understandings of fitness lessons argue that they construct fitness as a quest for an ‘ideal’ (skinny or muscular) body. The conflation of fitness with thinness, however, is complex and problematic. In this paper, we draw from research conducted with a class of primary school children in New Zealand. Drawing on the theoretical tools of Foucault and utilizing a visual methods approach, we examine how children experience school fitness lessons and construct notions of fitness, health and body. The children's responses illustrated that obesity discourses and body pedagogies ‘collided’ in a way that shaped understandings of fitness lessons in ways inextricably connected with the avoidance of being fat. The children assumed that fitness lessons increased fitness and that being fit was demonstrated by a ‘correct’ corporeal appearance. We argue that body pedagogies inside and outside the school gates shape children's ideas about the body in ways which exclude other understandings of bodies, health, and physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Pre-school age is important for developing healthy attitudes towards physical activity (PA). However, research on pre-schoolers' pedometer-determined PA is limited. Aim: To describe pre-schoolers' ambulatory activity; investigate step count differences in respect to Body Mass Index (BMI) categories and examine the prevalence of obesity. Subjects and methods: Pre-school aged children ( n = 250; 5.5 ± 0.4 years) from Komotini (Greece) wore Omron HJ-720IT-E2 pedometers for 10 consecutive days. Height and weight were measured and BMI was calculated. Results: Three-way repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that children performed more steps on weekdays than during weekends ( p < 0.001) and during leisure time than school ( p < 0.001). Significant differences appeared between normal and obese children's counts on weekdays ( p < 0.001), weekend days ( p < 0.05), during school ( p < 0.001), after school ( p < 0.005) and in weekly steps ( p < 0.005). No gender differences were detected. Moreover, according to a sample t-test analysis, children's daily steps were significantly different from the 10 000 steps/day guideline, while obesity prevalence was 15.6%. Conclusion: School-based ambulatory activity is lower than after school ambulatory activity, independent of BMI-category and gender, although obese children demonstrated fewer steps. Taking into account the high rate of both the obesity prevalence and children not meeting the 10 000 steps/day guideline, the need for preventive policies becomes obvious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-sectional associations between objectively-measured sleep duration, sleep efficiency and sleep timing with adiposity and physical activity were examined in a cohort of 567 children from Ottawa, Canada. Five-hundred and fifteen children (58.8% female; age: 10.0 ± 0.4 years) had valid sleep measurements and were included in the present analyses. Physical activity, sedentary time and sleep parameters were assessed over 7 days (actigraphy). Height, weight and waist circumference were measured according to standardized procedures. Percentage body fat was assessed using bioelectric impedance analysis. Light physical activity and sedentary time were greater in children with the shortest sleep durations ( P < 0.0001), whereas children with the highest sleep efficiencies had lower light physical activity and more sedentary time across tertiles ( P < 0.0001). In multivariable linear regression analyses, and after adjusting for a number of covariates, sleep efficiency was inversely related to all adiposity indices ( P < 0.05). However, sleep duration and sleep timing were not associated with adiposity indices after controlling for covariates. Inverse associations were noted between sleep duration and light physical activity and sedentary time ( P < 0.0001). Sleep efficiency ( P < 0.0001), wake time and sleep timing midpoint ( P < 0.05) were negatively associated with light physical activity, but positively associated with sedentary time. In conclusion, only sleep efficiency was independently correlated with adiposity in this sample of children. Participants with the shortest sleep durations or highest sleep efficiencies had greater sedentary time. More research is needed to develop better sleep recommendations in children that are based on objective measures of sleep duration, sleep efficiency and sleep timing alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess the test-retest reliability and concurrent-validity of the Speed and Agility Motor Screen (SAMS) as a motor-performance-related fitness measure for children and determine if the SAMS could better predict poor motor-proficiency in overweight/obese children compared to the general paediatric population. The final aim was to establish if a SAMS cut-off time could be determined to identify children who may benefit from further investigation of their gross-motor skills. A concurrent validity and test-retest reliability study design was implemented with a convenience sample of 233 school-aged children (n=M-120;F-113), aged 5-17 years (Mean±SD:11.44 ± 2.18yrs), from public, Catholic and Independent schools. Completed measures included: Bruininks-Oseretsky-Test-of-Motor-Proficiency-2nd Edition (BOT2) and the SAMS. A representative sample (n=77) also completed Body-Mass-Index (BMI) measurements (Mean ±SD: BMI percentile = 50.27±30.86). Results indicate a strong test-retest reliability of the SAMS (ICC=0.87, 95% CI: 0.710, 0.816). The motor components of balance (15.8%), bilateral-coordination (2.8%), strength (18.7%), running-speed and agility (22.9%) were all significant contributors to the SAMS completion time. The SAMS had low-to-moderate predictive-validity for determining gross-motor ability in the general population of children (r²=0.214, p=0.00) but a strong predictive-validity with overweight/obese children (r²=0.641, p=0.001). Children who took ≥5.43s to complete the SAMS had significantly lower motor proficiency than children who took <5.43s. The authors conclude that the SAMS is a valid and reliable screening measure that can be used to predict poor gross-motor proficiency in overweight/obese children. The SAMS is designed to be used in conjunction with health-related fitness measures, by those who work with children (e.g. Coaches, Health-Physical-Education Teachers, Health-Professionals) when concerns exist regarding motor-proficiency as a possible contributor to poor health and fitness and to guide referral decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Regular physical activity has long been regarded as an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Despite this evidence and the public's apparent awareness of the importance of physical activity, millions of children and adolescents remain sedentary leading to the development of numerous diseases of lifestyle, such as obesity. Clinical management and public health strategies to combat the problem of childhood obesity have been overtaken by the speed and scale of the epidemic. However, there is a mismatch between the scale of the problem and comparatively weak and belated strategies for dealing with childhood obesity. As such, the increasing prevalence and serious consequences of childhood obesity has prompted calls for broad public health solutions that reach beyond clinical settings. In this regard, the present study identified the determinants of child and adolescent participation in physical activity. A systematic review of the literature was undertaken based primarily on the PubMed/CINAHL/PsycINFO/ProQuest databases. Previously, a typology for understanding the multitude of factors which may influence child and adolescent physical activity patterns has been proposed that considers determinants at four levels, namely; physiological, psychological, socio-cultural and ecological. Although more studies investigating the determinants of child and adolescent participation in physical activity are needed, current evidence suggests that within each of these four determinants, numerous factors such as physical maturation and age, gender differences, ethnicity, self-efficacy, family factors, peer factors, socio-economic status and the school setting can and do act as barriers to child and adolescent participation in physical activity possibly explaining the increasing prevalence of childhood obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screen-related behaviours are highly prevalent in schoolchildren. Considering the adverse health effects and the relation of obesity and screen time in childhood, efforts to affect screen use in children are warranted. Parents have been identified as an important influence on children's screen time and therefore should be involved in prevention programmes. The aim was to examine the mediating role of family-related factors on the effects of the school-based family-focused UP4FUN intervention aimed at screen time in 10- to 12-year-old European children (n child-parent dyads = 1940). Methods: A randomised controlled trial was conducted to test the six-week UP4FUN intervention in 10- to 12-year-old children and one of their parents in five European countries in 2011 (n child-parent dyads = 1940). Self-reported data of children were used to assess their TV and computer/game console time per day, and parents reported their physical activity, screen time and family-related factors associated with screen behaviours (availability, permissiveness, monitoring, negotiation, rules, avoiding negative role modeling, and frequency of physically active family excursions). Mediation analyses were performed using multi-level regression analyses (child-school-country). Results: Almost all TV-specific and half of the computer-specific family-related factors were associated with children's screen time. However, the measured family-related factors did not mediate intervention effects on children's TV and computer/game console use, because the intervention was not successful in changing these family-related factors. Conclusion: Future screen-related interventions should aim to effectively target the home environment and parents' practices related to children's use of TV and computers to decrease children's screen time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The overnutrition is a constant on developing countries; Chile is not an exception because it has a marked tendency to overweight and obesity in schoolchildren. The muscular strength has been associated with cardiovascular and metabolic health status in scholars. Effective interventions using games are needed to improve the nutritional status and physical fitness in school children. Objective: To assess the intervention effectiveness based on games played at school time to improve the nutritional status and physical fitness in schoolchildren. Method: 156 students aged between 7 to 15 years, attending to two public schools with full school day, to which a pilot program was applied. This pilot program was based on dynamic recreational games during 45 minutes from monday to friday for 3 months in the largest playtime of the school day. Results: At the end of the intervention, we observed a significant modification on children nutritional status, which highlights an increase in the number of children that reached the normal nutritional status (p < 0.001). We also observed a significant number of obese children who reached overweight nutritional status (p < 0.001). We also observed a decrease of leg muscular strength at the end of the study. Conclusions: We found a positive effect of a program based on dynamic recreational games in the largest school playtime, improving nutritional status. However, we didn't observed modifications in the muscular strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The prevalence of obesity increased while certain measures of physical fitness deteriorated in preschool children in China over the past decade. This study tested the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention that integrated childcare center, families, and community to promote healthy growth and physical fitness in preschool Chinese children. Methods This 12-month study was conducted using a quasi-experimental pretest/posttest design with comparison group. The participants were 357 children (mean age = 4.5 year) enrolled in three grade levels in two childcare centers in Beijing, China. The intervention included: 1) childcare center intervention (physical activity policy changes, teacher training, physical education curriculum and food services training), 2) family intervention (parent education, internet website for support, and family events), and 3) community intervention (playground renovation and community health promotion events). The study outcome measures included body composition (percent body fat, fat mass, and muscle mass), Body Mass Index (BMI) and BMI z-score and physical fitness scores in 20-meter agility run (20M-AR), broad jump for distance (BJ), timed 10-jumps, tennis ball throwing (TBT), sit and reach (SR), balance beam walk (BBW), 20-meter crawl (20M-C)), 30-meter sprint (30M-S)) from a norm referenced test. Measures of process evaluation included monitoring of children's physical activity (activity time and intensity) and food preparation records, and fidelity of intervention protocol implementation. Results Children in the intervention center significantly lowered their body fat percent (-1.2%, p < 0.0001), fat mass (-0.55 kg, p <0.0001), and body weight (0.36 kg, p <0.02) and increased muscle mass (0.48 kg, p <0.0001), compared to children in the control center. They also improved all measures of physical fitness except timed 10-jumps (20M-AR: -0.74 seconds, p < 0.0001; BJ: 8.09 cm, p < 0.0001; TBT: 0.52 meters, p < 0.006; SR: 0.88 cm, p < 0.03; BBW: -2.02 seconds, p <0.0001; 30M-S: -0.45 seconds, p < 0.02; 20M-C: -3.36 seconds, p < 0.0001). Process evaluation data showed that the intervention protocol was implemented with high fidelity. Conclusions The study demonstrated that a policy-driven multi-faceted intervention can improve preschool children's body composition and physical fitness. Program efficacy should be tested in a randomized trial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many school-based physical activity (PA) interventions have been developed, but only a few have assessed their long-term effects. A PA intervention taking place In the first four years of some Slovenian primary schools entails an enhanced physical education (PE) curriculum, Including two extra lessons of PE per week, a wider selection of PE content, and additional outdoor education delivered by both a speclallst PE teacher and a general teacher. The effects of the intervention on children's physical fitness (motor tasks and anthropometry) were evaluated within a quasi-experimental study. In total, 324 children from nine Slovenian primary schools either received the enhanced curriculum (Intervention (n=160)) or standard PE (control (n=164)), and were followed for a four-year intervention period and seven years post intervention. Data from the SLOFIT database were used to compare differences In the physical fitness of children each year. Linear Mixed Models were used to test the Influence of the PA Intervention. Over an 11-year period, the PA intervention group significantly differed in all motor tasks, but not In anthropometric measures or body mass Index, after controlling for year of measurement and sex. Differences between the control and Intervention groups decreased with time. This study highlights the importance of tracking the long term effects of PA Interventions. PA Intervention In the first four years of Slovenian primary school offers the possibility of Improving physical performance In children; initiatives aiming to Increase their performance (physical fitness, physical activity) and health outcomes are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This study evaluated the rate of Hispanic children who have grandparents involved in caretaking and whether grandparents' involvement had a negative impact on feeding practices, children's physical activity, and body mass index (BMI). One-hundred and 99 children and their parents were recruited at an elementary school. Parents completed a questionnaire regarding their children's grandparents' involvement as caretakers and the feeding and physical activity practices of that grandparent when with the child. Children's height and weight were measured and zBMI scores were calculated. Fortythree percent of parents reported that there was a grandparent involved in their child's caretaking. Grandparents served a protective role on zBMI for youth of Hispanic descent, except for the Cuban subgroup. There was no relationship between grandparent involvement and feeding and physical activity behaviors. In some cases grandparents may serve a protective function for childhood obesity. These results highlight the need for future research on grandparents and children's health, especially among Hispanic subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the relationship between physical fitness and nutritional status in a Mexican schoolchildren group. Material and methods: Seventy-one children aged 6 to 12 years participated. The nutritional status was assessed by body mass index and body fat percentage. The FITNESSGRAM battery was used to assess the physical fitness. Results: Most of the children had adequate cardio-respiratory capacity, strength and flexibility of the trunk. The children with normal BMI showed higher values in aerobic capacity, curl up and push-up tests than those with obesity, being the differences statistically significant. The body fat percentage was negatively correlated with cardio-respiratory capacity and strength of upper segment. Conclusion: Among school children the excess of body fat seems to negatively affect the cardio-respiratory capacity and strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To examine the independent relation of physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness (fitness) with measures of obesity in Mexican children. Materials and methods. Children (N=193) in 5th and 6th grade from Guadalajara participated. Body mass index (BMI), sum of skinfolds (SS) and waist circumference (WC) were measured. PA was measured over four days using pedometry and fitness was measured using the 20 meter shuttle-run test. Results. Fitness and PA were negatively related to the obesity measures in boys and girls (r=-0.57 to -0.64 and r=-0.18 to -0.23 respectively). Age adjusted significant differences in WC, BMI, and SS were observed between the lowest and highest fitness tertiles for boys and girls (p<.01). Age, gender, and PA adjusted fitness explained 23 to 34% of the variance on WC (r² =0.23, p<.01), BMI (r² =0.23, p<.01), and SS (r² =0.34, p<.01). Conclusion. Fitness is a stronger correlate and better predictor of obesity than PA in this sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: 1. to investigate whether 20 m multi-stage shuttle run performance (20mSRT), an indirect measure of aerobic fitness, could discriminate between healthy and overweight status in 9-10.9 yr old schoolchildren using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis; 2. Investigate if cardiometabolic risk differed by aerobic fitness group by applying the ROC cut point to a second, cross-sectional cohort. Design: Analysis of cross-sectional data. Participants: 16,619 9-10.9 year old participants from SportsLinx project and 300 11-13.9 year old participants from the Welsh Schools Health and Fitness Study. Outcome Measures: SportsLinx; 20mSRT, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, subscapular and superilliac skinfold thicknesses. Welsh Schools Health and Fitness Study; 20mSRT performance, waist circumference, and clustered cardiometabolic risk. Analyses: Three ROC curve analyses were completed, each using 20mSRT performance with ROC curve 1 related to BMI, curve 2 was related to waist circumference and 3 was related to skinfolds (estimated % body fat). These were repeated for both girls and boys. The mean of the three aerobic fitness thresholds was retained for analysis. The thresholds were subsequently applied to clustered cardiometabolic risk data from the Welsh Schools study to assess whether risk differed by aerobic fitness group. Results: The diagnostic accuracy of the ROC generated thresholds was higher than would be expected by chance (all models AUC >0.7). The mean thresholds were 33 and 25 shuttles for boys and girls respectively. Participants classified as 'fit' had significantly lower cardiometabolic risk scores in comparison to those classed as unfit (p<0.001). Conclusion: The use of the ROC generated cut points by health professionals, teachers and coaches may provide the opportunity to apply population level 'risk identification and stratification' processes and plan for "at-risk" children to be referred onto intervention services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate a three-year development in BMI and physical fitness of schoolchildren aged 12-16 years with extreme weight status. Taiwan Physical Fitness Test Battery, assessing aerobic fitness (1600-meter walk/run test), power (standing long jump), muscular endurance (sit-up), and flexibility (sit-and-reach) in 16,945 boys, was implemented in September from the year 2006 till 2008. Overweight and underweight were defined by the baseline BMI data values that fall within the highest and lowest 5% of their age population, whereas the BMI data values that fall within one standard deviation of the mean was considered "normal" in this study. The results showed that BMI of schoolchildren in 2006 was ~2-3 kg/m² above the national average reported in 1993. All physical fitness components in the overweight group were substantially poorer than those in the normal group. Yet, these fitness parameters were improved over the three years in all groups. BMI in the underweight group increased at a faster rate than that in the normal and overweight groups. No difference was found in the jumping distance between the underweight and normal groups. Aerobic fitness in the underweight group was superior but flexibility and muscular endurance were slightly lower than those in the normal group. BMI of Taiwan schoolchildren increased substantially from 1993 to 2006 but leveled off from 2006 to 2008. Underweight schoolchildren during the growing period should not a priori be considered as physically weaker or unfit individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which aims to compare the patterns of physical activity (PA) and the quality of life (QoL) of normal-weight and overweight boys, and examine the relationship of the PA and QoL of overweight boys. The study includes 18-age matched normal-weight boys and 18 overweight boys, whose PA and QoL were analyzed with Pearson correlations to establish its relationship. Result show that overweight boys have lower QoL and PA than boys who have normal weight.