"FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe in the Faroe Islands: Effects on health markers and physical fitness in 10- to 12-year-old schoolchildren

We evaluated effects of the school-based intervention "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe on health and fitness profile in 10- to 12-year-old Faroese schoolchildren. 392 fifth-grade children were randomized into a control group (CG: n = 100, 11.1 ± 0.3 years, 149.0 ± 6.7 cm, 42.4 ± 10.2 kg) and an intervention group (IG: n = 292, 11.1 ± 0.3 years, 150.6 ± 6.9 cm, 44.2 ± 9.4 kg). IG underwent an 11-week intervention in which 2 weekly sessions of 45 minutes were included in the school curriculum focusing on health aspects, football skills, and 3v3 small-sided games. CG continued with their regular activities. Body composition, blood pressure, and resting heart rate, as well as Yo-Yo intermittent recovery children's test (YYIR1C) performance, horizontal jumping ability and postural balance were assessed pre and post intervention. Systolic blood pressure decreased more (-2.8 ± 9.9 vs 2.9 ± 8.4 mm Hg, P < .05) in IG than in CG. Lean body mass (1.0 ± 1.7 vs 0.7 ± 1.6 kg), postural balance (0.3 ± 3.9 vs -1.2 ± 5.9 seconds) and horizontal jump performance (5 ± 9 vs -5 ± 10 cm) increased more (P < .05) in IG than in CG. YYIR1C performance improved in CG (17%, 625 ± 423 to 730 ± 565 m) and IG (18%, 689 ± 412 vs 813 ± 391 m), but without between-group differences. A within-group decrease from 23.1 ± 8.4 to 22.5 ± 8.3% (P < .05) was observed in body fat percentage in IG only. In conclusion, the "FIFA 11 for Health" for Europe program had beneficial effects on SBP, body composition, jump performance and postural balance in 10- to 12-year-old Faroese schoolchildren, supporting the notion that school-based football interventions can facilitate health of children in a small-scale society and serve as an early step in the prevention of non-communicable diseases.

Football training improves metabolic and cardiovascular health status in 55- to 70-year-old women and men with prediabetes

We examined the effects of 16 weeks of football training and dietary advice on blood glucose control and health status in 55- to 70-year-old women and men with prediabetes. Fifty participants with prediabetes (age; 61 ± 6 years, BMI; 29.6 ± 4.7; VO_2max 22.3 ± 5.7 mL·min^-1 ·kg^-1 ) were randomized into a football and dietary advice group (F+D; n = 27) and a dietary advice group (D; n = 23). F+D performed football training (twice weekly 30- to 60-minutes sessions) and received dietary advice, while D only received dietary advice. An oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was completed pre and post the 16-week period. Body composition, blood pressure, and maximal oxygen uptake (VO_2max ) were additionally measured. Both groups demonstrated a decrement (P < .05) in fasting blood glucose (-0.4 ± 0.5 mmol·L^-1 ) and lowered blood glucose throughout OGTT. F+D displayed lower values than D (P < .05) after 60 minutes (9.0 ± 2.7 vs 10.6 ± 2.9 mmol·L^-1 ) and 120 minutes (5.7 ± 1.6 vs 7.5 ± 2.4 mmol·L^-1 ). VO_2max increased by 14% in F+D, with a higher (P < .05) change score than in D (2%). Mean arterial pressure declined more (P < .05) in F+D than in D (-8 ± 9 vs -4 ± 11 mm Hg). Fat loss was greater (P < .05) in F+D than in D (-3.4 ± 2.8 vs -1.2 ± 2.0 kg), and the increase in lean body mass was also greater (P < .05) in F+D than in D (0.7 ± 1.5 vs -0.3 ± 1.6 kg). In conclusion, football training combined with dietary advice has broad-spectrum effects on metabolic and cardiovascular health profile with greater overall effects than professional dietary advice per se for 55- to 70-year-old women and men with prediabetes.

Broad-spectrum health improvements with one year of soccer training in inactive mildly hypertensive middle-aged women

The study tested the hypothesis that long-term soccer training has positive impact on cardiovascular profile, body composition, bone health, and physical capacity in inactive, pre-menopausal women with mild hypertension. The study applied a randomized controlled design in which physically inactive middle-aged women were separated into a soccer training group (n=19; SOC) and a control group (n=12; CON). SOC performed 128±29 (±SD) one-h small-sided soccer training sessions over one year. Blood pressure, body composition, blood lipid profile, and fitness level were determined pre- and post-intervention. Over one year, mean arterial pressure decreased more in SOC than in CON (-5±7 vs +4±5 mmHg; P<.05). Total-body fat mass decreased more (P<.05) in SOC than in CON (-2.5±2.5 vs +0.6±3.2 kg; P<.05), while the change scores for lean body mass were not significantly different in SOC (2.6±2.7 kg) compared to CON (1.1±1.9 kg, P=.09). Over one year, change scores in whole-body bone mineral density (0.004±0.032 vs -0.019±0.026 g·cm² ) as well as bone mineral content (30±70 vs -39±113 g) were positive in SOC compared to CON (P<.05). Post-intervention plasma triglycerides decreased more (-0.1±0.7 vs +0.2±0.2 mmol·L^-1 ) and HDL cholesterol increased more (0.2±0.7 vs -0.2±0.2 mmol·L^-1 ) in SOC than in CON (P<.05). Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 1 (122±105 vs 2±21%) and 20-m sprint performance (6±6 vs -1±2%) increased more (P<.05) in SOC than in CON. In conclusion, long-term soccer training resulted in broad-spectrum improvements in the health profile of untrained, pre-menopausal women with mild hypertension, including cardiovascular, metabolic, and musculo-skeletal benefits.