Indicators to Assess Physical Health of Children and Adolescents in Activity Research-A Scoping Review

Adolescents' health literacy is directly associated with their physical activity but indirectly with their body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness: mediation analysis of the Slovak HBSC study data

BACKGROUND

Health literacy is a core public health issue in relation to children and adolescents associated with multiple health behaviours and health outcomes. The aim of the study is to test the direct associations between health literacy, physical activity behaviour, health outcomes of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness among Slovak adolescents and possible indirect effect of health literacy on health outcomes of body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness mediated by adolescents' physical activity behaviour.

METHODS

Data from the Slovak Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted in 2022 were used. For the purposes of this study, a subsample of the adolescents (n = 508; mean age = 14.50; SD = 0.82; 54.3% boys) which provided HBSC questionnaire data on health literacy, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and vigorous physical activity and participated in body composition (InBody 230) and cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m shuttle run test) measurements. Data were analysed using linear regression analysis.

RESULTS

The findings showed that higher health literacy of the adolescents was directly associated with higher frequency of physical activity represented by moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and vigorous physical activity and only with the visceral fat area in the crude model. Furthermore, there was an indirect effect of health literacy on cardiorespiratory fitness and most of the body composition variables (except the Body Mass Index) which was mediated by physical activity of the respondents.

CONCLUSIONS

Health literacy is indirectly associated to body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness through higher frequency of physical activity. It seems that health literacy as cognitive and social competencies need behavioural components to be involved in the proposed causal pathway between health literacy and health outcomes. Our findings may contribute to the process of creating a framework for future health literacy interventions in adolescents.

Promoting Physical and Mental Health among Children and Adolescents via Gamification-A Conceptual Systematic Review

The rapid growth in digital technology usage among children and adolescents has highlighted the need for novel approaches to promote their physical and mental health. This paper investigates the viability of gamification-the application of game mechanics to non-gaming contexts-as a potent instrument for health promotion and mental health support. This conceptual systematic review seeks to examine the various published articles promoting children and adolescents' physical and mental health through gamified techniques. These interventions can provide an interactive and engaging platform for encouraging physical activity, promoting healthy nutrition, enhancing emotional regulation, and promoting mental health. The significance of this topic stems from the pervasive use of electronic games, beginning at a young age, which makes them popular educational tools. For the review to be systematic and reproducible, the PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, and Elsevier databases were searched and the PRISMA method was utilized for the analysis. After analyzing the research data, empirical studies assessing the use of gamification in promoting adolescents' physical and mental health are discussed. In conclusion, gamification has demonstrated promise for promoting children's and adolescents' physical and mental health. It improves motivation, commitment, and adherence to healthy behaviors. However, additional research is required to evaluate gamification interventions' long-term effectiveness and sustainability in promoting health behaviors among this population.

Importance of training volume through the use of step trackers apps promoted from the subject of physical education to change body composition, physical fitness and physical activity in adolescents and the influence of gender✰,✰✰

The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in physical activity level (PA), kinanthropometric and derived variables, and physical fitness in adolescents, as a result of an out-of-school intervention with mobile step tracker apps promoted from the field of physical education, according to the volume of training completed and gender. A randomized controlled trial was carried out with 400 adolescents (210 males and 190 females) aged 12 to 16 years old (mean age: 13.96 ± 1.21 years-old). Adolescents were divided into experimental group (EG) (n = 240) and control group (CG) (n = 160). Two measurements were carried out, separated by a 10-week intervention, and PA, kinanthropometric variables and physical condition were measured. During the intervention, EG must use Strava (n = 74); Pokémon Go (n = 59); Pacer (n = 60); and MapMyWalk (n = 47) a minimum of 3 times per week, covering an incremental distance from 7,000 steps per day (week 1) to 12,500 steps per day (week 10). After that, EG were divided in quartile according to the volume of training completed. The results obtained showed a significant increase between pre-and post in PA (p = 0.009-0.044) and curl-up (p < 0.001-0.040) in EG regardless the quartile of compliance, and a reduction in fat variables (p < 0.001) and an increase in CMJ in 75-100 % compliance group (p = 0.005). The introduction of the covariate gender did not introduce changes in the intra-group evolution. On inter-group differences, differences were only found for the post-test values between 0-25 % Vs 25-50 % and between 50-75 % Vs 75-100 % with the group that completed a longer distance being the one that showed the lowest values in the post-test in both cases. When including the covariate gender, no significant differences were found for either the pre-test or the post-test on either variable. To conclude, a higher training volume with mobile apps seems to be relevant in the increase PA and strength and decrease of fat mass. The gender factor is not influential in the intra-group changes, but it is influential in the inter-group differences.

Increasing Physical Activity at School Improves Physical Fitness of Early Adolescents

(1) Introduction: Regular physical activity (PA) is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for children and adolescents. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of an increase in organized PA at school on the physical fitness (PF) of early adolescent boys and girls. (2) Methods: A total of 294 children born in 2007 took part in the study. The sample was divided into two groups: of increased PA at school (n = 140, girls n = 66, boys n = 74) and standard PA (n = 154, girls G n = 70, boys n = 84). Increased and standard PA levels consisted of 10 and 4 h of physical education lessons (PE) per week, respectively. PE consisted of team games and fitness exercises. Three of the Eurofit tests, core strength, long jump, and running speed, were used to measure PF. Tests were conducted in May 2018 and 2019, at an average age of a participant of 11 and 12 years, respectively. Descriptive statistics and cluster analysis were applied for analyzing the results. (3) Results: After one year of observation PF of children was improved in both groups (p < 0.001). However, it was greater in the increased PA group than in the standard one. A higher percentage of very good scores and lower of poor and very poor were noted in the increased PA group than the standard one (20.36% vs. 12.90%, p = 0.003 and 18.58% vs. 24.85%, p = 0.022, respectively). Boys obtained better results than girls (p = 0.003). Children achieved the best results in the shuttle run test, and the worst in the core strength. Children with normal body mass obtained better results than those with excessive ones. (4) Conclusions: Increasing the number of PE at school beneficially affects the fitness performance of early adolescents. To improve the health status of adolescents it is advisable to increase the number of compulsory PE lessons in the school curriculum.

Health-Related Motor Testing of Children in Primary School: A Systematic Review of Criterion-Referenced Standards

Being physically fit in younger years prevents several diseases in the presence as well as in the life course. Therefore, monitoring physical fitness and motor competence through motor testing is essential for determining developmental status and identifying health-related risks. The main objectives of this systematic review were (1) to identify currently available health-related criterion-referenced standards and cut-off points for physical fitness and motor competence test items, (2) to frame the methodological background on setting health-related criterion-referenced standards and (3) to give implications for a health-related evaluation system for physical fitness and motor competence tests. The electronic data base search (PubMed, Web of Science and SURF) yielded 2062 records in total and identified six empirical studies reporting cut-off points of motor test items for children (7-10 years), as well as 30 methodological papers discussing determination approaches to health-related criterion-referenced standards. Data collection, selection and analyses followed the PRISMA guidelines. Health-related motor test standards need to be gender- and age-specific but should refer to an absolute cut-off point rather than to relative performance in the reference group. Due to the lack of data on health-related criterion referenced standards, receiver-operating-characteristic (ROC) curves provide a tool for the determination of cut-off points and criterion referenced standards for physical fitness and motor competence tests. A standardized approach forms the fundamental base for a globally applicable evaluation of health-related fitness tests.