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Scaling, to remove the effects of body size, is an important methodological approach for enabling an equitable comparison of performance differences between individuals who vary in anthropometric characteristics. Many previous studies using scaling in sport have done so based on only one or two anthropometric characteristics, with only one study to date adopting a three‐dimensional approach. To apply a three‐dimensional allometric model to rowing ergometer performance (REP) in adolescents, and to detect whether key 'scaling' parameters remain stable when scaling REP both before and after a 6‐week training intervention. Novel three‐dimensional allometric models were used, incorporating body mass, stature and waist circumference (WC) to detect the most appropriate body size dimension(s) and scaling parameters associated with REP before and after a 6‐week training intervention. Using this more flexible and sensitive three‐dimensional allometry demonstrated that, following 6‐weeks of training, there was a change in the ideal body shape associated with REP. Before training, taller, but not heavier, adolescents performed better. After 6‐weeks of training, older participants with a greater body mass but smaller WC performed better. Scaling approaches are important for evaluating performance differences between individuals of differing body size. The findings from the current study (using a novel three‐dimensional allometry approach) emphasise that relatively subtle changes in individuals' behavioural characteristics, such as changes in their training/fitness status, can result in quite dramatic changes in the body dimension characteristics and scaling parameters deemed to be key for performance in activities such as REP. Highlights: This study examined three‐dimensional allometric models of rowing ergometer performance (REP) before and after a 6‐week rowing training intervention.At baseline, stature was the most important determinant of REP.Following a 6‐week training intervention, the three‐dimensional allometric model revealed a positive effect of body mass and negative effect of waist circumference on REP.These findings highlight that allometric models are sensitive to changes over time, even in response to a relatively modest 6‐week training intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prior exertion of self‐control has previously been shown to negatively affect physical performance, yet the effects on complex sporting skill performance have not been examined. Therefore, this study examined whether prior self‐control exertion influences performance on a field hockey task, alongside measuring plasma cortisol concentration and attention as potential mechanisms to explain any effects. Following familiarization, 13 male hockey players (20 ± 1 years) participated in a randomized, order‐balanced, crossover design. For the manipulation of self‐control, participants completed an incongruent (self‐control exertion trial) or a congruent (control trial) Stroop task. Skill performance was assessed using a field hockey skills task. Capillary blood samples, for the determination of plasma cortisol concentration, were taken at baseline, post‐Stroop task, and post‐field hockey skills task. Cognitive tests of attention (RVIP and Flanker tasks) were completed following the field hockey skills task. Participants made more errors in the latter stages of the field hockey skills task following self‐control exertion (trial*time interaction, p = 0.041). Participants also made more errors on the RVIP task following self‐control exertion (p = 0.035); yet the time taken to complete the hockey skills task, performance on the flanker task, and plasma cortisol concentrations were unaffected (all p > 0.05). Overall, these findings suggest that prior self‐control exertion has detrimental effects on subsequent sporting skill performance (more errors made on the field hockey task), which may be explained by poorer sustained attention (lower accuracy on the RVIP task). This suggests that athletes should aim to avoid self‐control exertion before a competitive match to optimize performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Daily Mile is a popular physical activity initiative in primary schools, yet little is known regarding the activity patterns of children during The Daily Mile. Eighty children (10.4 ± 0.7 years) participated in The Daily Mile (20-min). Activity patterns were assessed using global positioning systems (total distance and age-specific speed zones), alongside heart rate. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using the Multi-Stage Fitness Test. Participants covered a distance of 2511 ± 550 m during The Daily Mile, and heart rate was 163 ± 27 beats.min−1. Participants travelled the furthest distance, and were most intermittent, during the first 5 min (main effect of time, both p < 0.001). Boys ran further and their activity was more intermittent compared to girls (main effect of sex, both p < 0.001). Moreover, the highest fit children ran further than less fit children (main effect of fitness, p < 0.001). This study provides novel evidence of the nature of physical activity during The Daily Mile; demonstrating that children covered, on average, 1.5-miles and exercised at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity. Furthermore, boys covered a greater distance and were more intermittent than girls; whilst higher fit children ran further than lower fit children. In summary, The Daily Mile makes a valuable contribution to in-school physical activity targets in all children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An acute bout of endurance exercise in adults stimulates a same‐day anti‐inflammatory response which may affect low‐grade chronic inflammation and insulin resistance and benefit cardio‐metabolic health. The anti‐inflammatory responses to intermittent games‐based exercise and to exercise in young people beyond 2 hours post‐exercise are unknown. Thus, the purpose of the present study is to examine the anti‐inflammatory, glycemic and insulinemic response to games‐based activity in adolescents. Following ethical approval and familiarization, 39 adolescents (12.3 ± 0.7 years) completed an exercise (E) and rested (R) trial in a counterbalanced, randomized crossover design. Following a standardized breakfast, participants completed 1‐hour games‐based activity. Capillary blood samples were taken at baseline, immediately and 1 hour post‐exercise, and 30, 60 and 120 minutes following a standardized lunch. A final blood sample was taken the next morning. Data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA. IL‐6 concentration was higher on day one of the exercise trial (E:3.4 ± 0.4, R:2.7 ± 0.4 pg/mL; P = 0.006), as was the anti‐inflammatory IL‐6:TNF‐α ratio (E:5.53 ± 0.93, R:3.75 ± 0.45; P = 0.027). Levels of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 increased on day two of the exercise trial (E:2.11 ± 0.23, R:1.66 ± 0.16 pg/mL; P = 0.032). Insulin sensitivity was enhanced on the exercise trial with a reduction in iAUC following the standardized lunch (E:2310 ± 834, R:3122 ± 1443 mU/L × 120 minutes; P < 0.001). Games‐based activity stimulated an anti‐inflammatory response up to 24 hours post‐exercise and improved insulin sensitivity in response to a standardized meal in healthy adolescents. These novel findings suggest that games‐based activity is an ecologically valid mode of exercise to elicit beneficial effects on cardio‐metabolic risk factors in young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physically active lessons have been shown to enhance academic achievement. However, the effects on cognitive function and gross motor skill development remain unknown. The present study examined how the incorporation of physical activity bouts within Mathematics lessons affects cognitive function and gross motor skill development across 2 years in primary school children. Eighty-two children (6.6 ± 0.3 y) were allocated to an intervention (n = 36; completing 8 h/wk of physically active lessons) or control (n = 46) group. A battery of cognitive function tests was completed, alongside the TGMD-3 to assess gross motor skills. Physically active Mathematics lessons led to greater improvements across all measures of cognition, when compared to the control group (digit span forwards, p < 0.001, d = 1.5; digit span backwards, p = 0.017, d = 1.0; free word recall: p < 0.001, d = 1.3; selective visual attention: p < 0.001, d = 0.3; verbal fluency: p < 0.001, d = 0.9; arithmetic: p < 0.001, d = 1.8). Furthermore, the intervention group demonstrated greater improvements in overall score on the TGMD-3 (p < 0.001, d = 1.7), as well as the locomotion (p < 0.001, d = 1.1) and object control (p < 0.001, d = 1.5) sub-scales. The physically active Mathematics lessons intervention appears to offer synergistic benefits in relation to cognitive and motor development, which are critical for optimal development in the early years. • Physically active maths lessons synergistically improved cognition and motor skills. • Arithmetic ability was enhanced, the intervention may enhance academic achievement. • Implementation of physically active lessons in the curriculum is thus recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a mid-morning bout of exercise on adolescents'' cognitive function in a randomised crossover design where each participant completed two experimental trials. Forty-five adolescents (13.3 ± 0.3 years old), undertook a bout of exercise (ten repeats of level one of the multi-stage fitness test, 30 s rest between repeats; exercise trial) or continued to rest (resting trial). A battery of cognitive function tests assessing visuo-motor speed, executive function and working memory (visual search test, Stroop test and Sternberg paradigm, respectively) was completed 30 min before and 45 min following the exercise. Average heart rate during exercise was 172 ± 17 beats min− 1. On the visual search test, there was a greater improvement in response times across the morning on the exercise trial (t = 2.6, p = 0.009). However, this improvement in response times was combined with a greater decrease in accuracy on the exercise trial (z = 2.0, p = 0.044). On the Sternberg paradigm there was a greater improvement in response times across the morning following exercise when compared to resting (t = 2.6, p = 0.010). The mid-morning bout of exercise did not affect Stroop test performance. These improvements in response times are most likely the result of a general speeding up of responses across several cognitive domains, because response times were improved similarly across two different domains and across all test complexity levels, rather than being restricted to the specific high cognitive load levels. Accordingly, exercise in school settings may help to improve cognitive function in adolescents during the school morning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: An acute bout of exercise elicits a beneficial effect on subsequent cognitive function in adolescents. The effect of games-based activity, an ecologically valid and attractive exercise model for young people, remains unknown; as does the moderating effect of fitness on the acute exercise-cognition relationship. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the effect of games-based activity on subsequent cognition in adolescents, and the moderating effect of fitness on this relationship.Methods: Following ethical approval, 39 adolescents (12.3 ± 0.7 year) completed an exercise and resting trial in a counterbalanced, randomised crossover design. During familiarisation, participants completed a multi-stage fitness test to predict VO2 peak. The exercise trial consisted of 60-min games-based activity (basketball), during which heart rate was 158 ± 11 beats∙min- 1. A battery of cognitive function tests (Stroop test, Sternberg paradigm, trail making and d2 tests) were completed 30-min before, immediately following and 45-min following the basketball.Results: Response times on the complex level of the Stroop test were enhanced both immediately (p = 0.021) and 45-min (p = 0.035) post-exercise, and response times on the five item level of the Sternberg paradigm were enhanced immediately post-exercise (p = 0.023). There were no effects on the time taken to complete the trail making test or any outcome of the d2 test. In particular, response times were enhanced in the fitter adolescents 45-min post-exercise on both levels of the Stroop test (simple, p = 0.005; complex, p = 0.040) and on the three item level of the Sternberg paradigm immediately (p = 0.017) and 45-min (p = 0.008) post-exercise.Conclusions: Games-based activity enhanced executive function and working memory scanning speed in adolescents, an effect particularly evident in fitter adolescents, whilst the high intensity intermittent nature of games-based activity may be too demanding for less fit children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Childhood obesity is a major health concern and physical activity is commonly proposed as an intervention strategy to combat the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity in young people. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of high-intensity, supervised, rowing ergometer training on maximal and submaximal rowing performance in healthy weight and centrally obese adolescents (12-13 yr). Methods: Participants were randomized to either 6 wk of supervised rowing ergometry, comprising of 2 sessions per week with each session comprising of 2 x 3-min bouts of high-intensity rowing ergometry (n = 57), or a control group who continued with their habitual activities (n = 45). At baseline and follow-up, rowing performance was assessed via a submaximal test and a 3-min maximal test. Results: Six weeks of rowing ergometer training significantly improved maximal exercise performance; total distance rowed in a 3-min maximal effort improved by 19.7 m (2.7%) (time x group, P = 0.018) and produced a significant reduction in perceived effort in response to a set submaximal load (60 W) (time x group, P = 0.040). At baseline total distance rowed during the 3-min maximal test was significantly affected by body mass (main effect of body mass, P = 0.002), whereby a higher body mass was associated with enhanced rowing performance. However, the pattern of change over time was not different between healthy weight and centrally obese adolescents (time x group x waist centile, P = 0.577). Conclusions: A 6-wk high-intensity rowing ergometry training intervention improved maximal rowing performance. This improvement was similar in healthy weight versus overweight and obese adolescents; yet overall over-weight and obese adolescents had superior rowing performance compared to their healthy weight counterparts, suggesting that rowing may be an attractive exercise modality for interventions in overweight and obese young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]