DE-PASS best evidence statement (BESt): determinants of adolescents' device-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour in settings: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although physical activity (PA) is associated with significant health benefits, only a small percentage of adolescents meet recommended PA levels. This systematic review with meta-analysis explored the modifiable determinants of adolescents' device-based PA and/or sedentary behaviour (SB), evaluated in previous interventions and examined the associations between PA/SB and these determinants in settings. METHODS: A search was conducted on five electronic databases, including papers published from January 2010 to July 2023. Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) or Controlled Trials (CTs) measuring adolescents' device-based PA/SB and their modifiable determinants at least at two time points: pre- and post-intervention were considered eligible. PA/SB and determinants were the main outcomes. Modifiable determinants were classified after data extraction adopting the social-ecological perspective. Robust Bayesian meta-analyses (RoBMA) were performed per each study setting. Outcomes identified in only one study were presented narratively. The risk of bias for each study and the certainty of the evidence for each meta-analysis were evaluated. The publication bias was also checked. PROSPERO ID: CRD42021282874. RESULTS: Fourteen RCTs (eight in school, three in school and family, and one in the family setting) and one CT (in the school setting) were included. Fifty-four modifiable determinants were identified and were combined into 33 broader determinants (21 individual-psychological, four individual-behavioural, seven interpersonal, and one institutional). RoBMAs revealed none or negligible pooled intervention effects on PA/SB or determinants in all settings. The certainty of the evidence of the impact of interventions on outcomes ranged from very low to low. Narratively, intervention effects in favour of the experimental group were detected in school setting for the determinants: knowledge of the environment for practicing PA, d = 1.84, 95%CI (1.48, 2.20), behaviour change techniques, d = 0.90, 95%CI (0.09, 1.70), choice provided, d = 0.70, 95%CI (0.36, 1.03), but no corresponding effects on PA or SB were found. CONCLUSIONS: Weak to minimal evidence regarding the associations between the identified modifiable determinants and adolescents' device-based PA/SB in settings were found, probably due to intervention ineffectiveness. Well-designed and well-implemented multicomponent interventions should further explore the variety of modifiable determinants of adolescents' PA/SB, including policy and environmental variables.

Exploring correlates of physical activity behaviour in UK children and their inter-relationships using a multidisciplinary approach: A concept mapping study.

It is still unknown which correlates of physical activity behaviour (PAB) may be effective and how they may influence PAB in UK children. The objective of the current study was to generate a conceptual analysis of the correlates of PAB in UK children (5-12 years) using the input of researchers in the field of physical activity (PA experts; PAE) and other fields (non-PA experts; non-PAE). A concept mapping approach was used to identify potential (new) correlates of PAB in children, assess their importance based on rating of potential modifiability and effect, and generate a concept map depicting the associations between them. In the first (brainstorming) stage (n = 32 experts) yielded 93 correlates, including 14 new correlates not identified in previous reviews. In the second (rating and sorting) stage (n = 26 experts), 32 correlates were rated as important and a four-cluster concept map was generated including themes related to Society/community, Home/social setting, Personal/social setting and Psychological/emotional correlates. Two additional concept maps were generated for PAE and non-PAE. From expert opinion, we identified new correlates of PAB that warrant further research and we highlight the need to consider the interaction between intrapersonal and external correlates when designing interventions to promote PA in UK children.

Parents about parenting dual career athletes: A systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVES: To establish the scientific literature on the parents' view as supporters of dual career (DC) athletes, and to highlight practical implications for the development of education programmes to empower parents in this role. METHOD: ology: The systematic literature review included four electronic databases, from which 438 articles published in English between 1999 and 2019 were retrieved. RESULTS: A total of 14 studies achieved the eligibility criteria (i.e., focus on DC, involving parents as participants) for inclusion. Results show that the 14 studies included in the review were characterised by sample sizes <15 to >50 parents of individual and/or team sports athletes, involving data collection based on interviews, semi-structured interviews focus groups, questionnaires and a survey. A thematic synthesis highlighted a two primary constructs: the individual level and the inter-individual level, respectively. The individual level comprised two main themes: Approach to both Sport and Education, and Stressors and Coping, which included five aspects of parenting. The inter-individual level presented three themes: Relationship with the Athlete; Relationship with the Sport Environment and Relationship with the Academic Environment. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlighted a relevant parental role in supporting DC athletes and partial information on parental support strategies. In conclusions, the limited sample size and typology of sports, and the partial representativeness of countries have impacted the global application of the main findings. Furthermore, the need of an educational programme for parents and the need of regular parents-athlete-teacher/coach engagement were considered crucial to facilitate successful parental interventions at academic and/or sports levels and to limit the potential negative effects of DC parenting.

Associations of self-reported physical activity and anxiety symptoms and status among 7,874 Irish adults across harmonised datasets: a DEDIPAC-study.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is an adaptive response to an objective or perceived threat; however, when symptoms become severe and chronic it that can become a maladaptive anxiety disorder. Limited evidence suggests that physical activity may be associated with prevention against anxiety. This study uses data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and The Mitchelstown Cohort Study to investigate cross-sectional associations between physical activity and anxiety symptoms and status among Irish adults. METHODS: Both datasets were harmonized (n = 7874). The short form International Physical Activity Questionnaire measured physical activity. Participants were classified as meeting World Health Organization physical activity guidelines (≥150 min weekly of moderate intensity physical activity, ≥75 min weekly of vigorous intensity physical activity, or ≥ 600 MET-minutes) or not. They were also divided into three groups based on weekly MET-minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (Low: 0-599; Moderate: 600-1199; High: ≥1200), and three groups based on weekly minutes of walking (Low: 0-209; Moderate: 210-419; High: 420+). Anxiety symptoms were measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale with a score of ≥8 indicating anxiety. Binomial logistic regression, adjusted for relevant confounders examined physical activity-anxiety associations. RESULTS: Females had higher rates of anxiety than males (28.0% vs 20.0%; p < 0.001). Following adjustment for relevant covariates, meeting physical activity guidelines was associated with 13.5% (95% CI: 2.0-23.7; p = 0.023) lower odds of anxiety. Moderate and High physical activity were associated with 13.5% (- 11.0-32.6; p = 0.254) and 13.6% (1.4-4.2; p = 0.030) lower odds of anxiety compared to Low physical activity, respectively. Moderate and High walking were associated with 2.1% (- 14.5-16.3; p = 0.789) and 5.1% (- 9.3-17.6; p = 0.467) lower odds of anxiety compared to Low walking, respectively. CONCLUSION: Meeting physical activity guidelines is associated with lower odds of anxiety, but the strength of associations did not increase considerably with increased physical activity levels.

Dynamic Balance Evaluation: Reliability and Validity of a Computerized Wobble Board.

Fusco, A, Giancotti, GF, Fuchs, PX, Wagner, H, Varalda, C, Capranica, L, and Cortis, C. Dynamic balance evaluation: reliability and validity of a computerized wobble board. J Strength Cond Res 34(6): 1709-1715, 2020-Computerized wobble boards (WBs) are inexpensive, transportable, and user-friendly devices to objectively quantify the dynamic balance performances out of laboratory settings, although it has not been established if they are reliable and valid tools. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of a computerized WB. Thirty-nine (18 females and 21 males) young adults (age: 23.3 ± 2.1 years; body mass: 65.9 ± 1.8 kg; height: 168.2 ± 8.8 cm; leg length: 78.8 ± 5.7 cm; and body mass index: 23.2 ± 2.1 kg·m) participated in the study. Subjects were assessed during 3 separate sessions on different days with a 48-hour rest in between. A total number of 2 WB single limb tests and 1 Y Balance Test (YBT) were performed. The WB performance was registered using the proprietary software and represented by the time spent in the target zone, which represented the 0° tilt angle measured by the triaxial accelerometer in the WB. YBT normalized reach distances were recorded for the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions. Intraclass correlation coefficient, 95% confidence interval, SEM, minimal detectable change, and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate intrasession and intersession reliability, whereas Pearson product moment correlation was used to determine concurrent validity. Reliability ranged from fair to excellent, showing acceptable levels of error and low minimal detectable change. However, all correlation coefficients between WB and YBT outcomes were poor. Despite the 2 methods addressing different aspects of balance performance, WB seems to validly serve its purpose and showed good reliability. Therefore, computerized WBs have the potential to become essential devices for dynamic balance assessment.

Effects of a Judo Training on Functional Fitness, Anthropometric, and Psychological Variables in Old Novice Practitioners.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 4-month judo training (1 hr session, biweekly) on physical and mental health of older adults (69.7 ± 4.2 years). Participants (N = 30) were assigned to a judo novice practitioners group (n = 16) or a control group (n = 14), which did not receive any training. Before and after the program, they underwent anthropometric (body mass index and waist and hip circumferences); functional fitness (upper and lower body flexibility and strength, coordination); and psychological assessments (perceived physical and mental health, body image, and fear of falling). The judo group showed reductions of waist circumference (Δ = -1%, d = 0.2) and improvements for lower and upper body flexibility (Δ = +69%, d = 0.4 and Δ = +126%, d = 0.5, respectively) and strength (Δ = +12%, d = 0.6 and Δ = +31%, d = 1.6, respectively). The control group showed a decline in lower body strength (Δ = -12%, d = 0.8). Psychological variables did not reveal statistically significant effects. Judo seems beneficial for improving anthropometric and functional fitness variables, relevant aspects of successful aging.

Effects of Judo Training on Bones: A Systematic Literature Review.

Ciaccioni, S, Condello, G, Guidotti, F, and Capranica, L. Effects of judo training on bones: a systematic literature review. J Strength Cond Res 33(10): 2882-2896, 2019-The aim of this study was to provide a systematic literature review on the osteogenic effects of judo (PROSPERO: CRD42016041803). The online search was conducted according to the inclusion criteria: observational studies and clinical/interventional trials in English from inception to June 2016; bone health, bone mineral density (BMD), diameters, impact force, and bone turnover marker (BTM) outcomes. Thirty-four studies were included and graded for their methodological quality ("fair" quality: 79.4%). The most used assessment method (44.1%) was X-ray absorptiometry. A positive association between judo and bone health/status emerged. Findings support site-specific BMD accrual in children, adolescents, adult athletes, and in premenopausal and postmenopausal female practitioners. Bone turnover markers revealed a hypermetabolic status in high-level judo athletes. The osteogenic stimuli of judo seem to protect athletes from alterations in bone metabolic balance due to weight loss cycling. Sexual dimorphism was found between judoka in bone diameters and mass, and significant differences in bone breadths emerged between elite and nonelite judokas. The fall techniques reduced bone impact force and velocity with respect to "natural" fall. Further longitudinal, cross-sectional, and interventional researches are required. This article provides useful information on bone for health sport scientists, coaches, and practitioners, stimulating future research lines on judo. In particular, coaches and physical trainers should consider introducing judo fall techniques in their training plans to prevent fall-related injuries, especially relevant in the older population. Conversely, coaches are urged to carefully control weight cycling dietary habits of their athletes, which can produce serious metabolic responses on bones.

Associations of self-reported physical activity and depression in 10,000 Irish adults across harmonised datasets: a DEDIPAC-study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a prevalent, debilitating, and often recurrent mood disorder for which successful first-line treatments remains limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the cross-sectional associations between self-reported physical activity (PA) and depressive symptoms and status among Irish adults, using two existing datasets, The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) and The Mitchelstown Cohort Study. METHODS: The two selected databases were pooled (n = 10,122), and relevant variables were harmonized. PA was measured using the short form International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) questionnaire. Participants were classified as meeting World Health Organization moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) guidelines or not, and divided into tertiles based on weekly minutes of MVPA. A CES-D score of ≥16 indicated elevated depressive symptoms. Data collection were conducted in 2010-2011. RESULTS: Significantly higher depressive symptoms were reported by females (7.11 ± 7.87) than males (5.74 ± 6.86; p < 0.001). Following adjustment for age, sex, BMI, and dataset, meeting the PA guidelines was associated with 44.7% (95%CI: 35.0 to 52.9; p < 0.001) lower odds of elevated depressive symptoms. Compared to the low PA tertile, the middle and high PA tertiles were associated with 25.2% (95%CI: 8.7 to 38.6; p < 0.01) and 50.8% (95%CI: 40.7 to 59.2; p < 0.001) lower odds of elevated depressive symptoms, respectively. CONCLUSION: Meeting the PA guidelines is associated with lower odds of elevated depressive symptoms, and increased volumes of MVPA are associated with lower odds of elevated depressive symptoms.

Policy determinants of physical activity across the life course: a 'DEDIPAC' umbrella systematic literature review.

Background: Despite the large number of studies and reviews available, the evidence regarding the policy determinants of physical activity (PA) is inconclusive. This umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) summarizes the current evidence on the policy determinants of PA across the life course, by pooling the results of the available SLRs and meta-analyses (MAs). Methods: A systematic online search was conducted on MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Scopus and SPORTDiscus databases up to April 2016. SLRs and MAs of observational studies investigating the association between policy determinants of PA and having PA as outcome were considered eligible. The extracted data were assessed based on the importance of the determinants, the strength of evidence and the methodological quality. Results: Fourteen reviews on 27 policy determinants of PA were eligible for this umbrella SLR. The majority of the reviews were of moderate quality. Among children, a clear association between time spent outdoors and PA emerged. Among adults, working hours were negatively associated with PA, though evidence was limited. At the population level, community- and street-scale urban design and land use policies were found to positively support PA levels, but levels of evidences were low. Conclusions: With this umbrella SLR the policy determinants of PA at individual-level and population-level have been summarized and assessed. None of the investigated policy determinants had a convincing level of evidence, and very few had a probable level of evidence. Further research is needed, preferably by using prospective study designs, standardized definitions of PA and objective measurement of PA.

Biomechanical Analysis of Suspension Training Push-Up.

Giancotti, GF, Fusco, A, Varalda, C, Capranica, L, and Cortis, C. Biomechanical analysis of suspension training push-up. J Strength Cond Res 32(3): 602-609, 2018-The aims of this study were to evaluate the load distribution between upper and lower extremities during suspension training (ST) push-up at different lengths of ST device and to predict useful equations to estimate the training load. After giving informed consent for participation, 25 subjects (17 men and 8 women; age = 28.1 ± 5.2 years; body mass = 69.4 ± 14.3 kg; height = 171.6 ± 11.3 cm; body mass index (BMI) = 23.4 ± 3.3 kg·m) were involved in the study. Each subject performed 14 static push-ups at 7 different lengths of ST device in 2 different elbow positions. The load distribution between upper and lower extremities was evaluated through a load cell and a force platform, respectively. To evaluate body inclination, all tests were recorded and analyzed through motion analysis software. To estimate the training load, a multilevel model regression (p ≤ 0.05) was used. Results showed that when the length of the ST device increased, the body inclination decreased, whereas the ground reaction force decreased and the load on the ST device increased. Moreover, when subjects moved from extended to flexed elbow, the ground reaction force decreased and the load on the ST device increased. In the created regression model (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.24), the reaction force was the dependent variable, whereas the length of the ST device, BMI, and elbow position were the independent variables. The main findings were that the load distribution between upper and lower extremities changes both when modifying the body inclination and the length of the straps. The use of predicted equations could help practitioners to personalize the workouts according to different specific aims by modifying the length of the ST device to guarantee load progression.

Race Profiles of Rowers During the 2014 Youth Olympic Games.

Cerasola, D, Cataldo, A, Bellafiore, M, Traina, M, Palma, A, Bianco, A, and Capranica, L. Race profiles of rowers during the 2014 Youth Olympic Games. J Strength Cond Res 32(7): 2055-2060, 2018-Among the different factors affecting the outcome of elite rowing competitions, pacing strategy plays a relevant role. The purpose of this study was to analyze the race profiles of youth athletes competing at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games over a distance of 1,000 m. According to the competition outcome of sculling and sweep events, 96 youth (17-18 years) rowers (48 male and 48 female) were divided into winner (W), not winner (NW), qualified (Q), and not-qualified (NQ) athletes. The time during the 1,000-m race distance was considered at 0-500 m (T1) and 500-1000 m (T2). The average speed of T1 and T2 were normalized in relation to the average speed of the whole race. In both sexes, W rowers showed higher (p > 0.05) T2 values (100.8 ± 0.9%) with respect to T1 (99.2 ± 0.9%) ones. Female athletes showed a higher (p ≤ 0.05) T1 with respect to T2 in NW, Q, and NQ, whereas male athletes exhibited a higher T1 (p ≤ 0.05) than T2 speed only in NQ. While to be admitted to the final phase of the competition, the rowers tended to favor a positive race strategy (88%); during the final phase, a difference (p = 0.43) emerged for outcome, with the majority of medalists (67%) adopting a negative race strategy. These results suggest that winners have applied a different race strategy compared with the other groups in consequence to a higher efficiency of anaerobic metabolism.

Validity and Reliability of a New Test of Planned Agility in Elite Taekwondo Athletes.

Chaabene, H, Negra, Y, Capranica, L, Bouguezzi, R, Hachana, Y, Rouahi, MA, and Mkaouer, B. Validity and reliability of a new test of planned agility in elite taekwondo athletes. J Strength Cond Res 32(9): 2542-2547, 2018-This study aimed to examine the validity, reliability, and sensitivity of a new test of planned agility in elite taekwondo athletes and to establish its relationship with sprint-time, jumping ability, and dynamic balance. Twenty-seven (20 males and 7 females) taekwondo athletes participated in this study. They performed taekwondo-specific agility test (TSAT) in 2 occasions (i.e., test-retest). In addition, they performed jumping ability (i.e., squat jump, countermovement jump, standing long jump, and 3-hop jump), sprint-time (5- and 20-m dash), and dynamic balance (i.e., Y-test) tests along with a planned agility test (i.e., T-test). To establish TSAT's construct validity, 2 subgroups were identified based on their international and national taekwondo results: top elite (9 males and 2 females) and elite (11 males and 2 females). Taekwondo-specific agility test showed high relative and absolute reliability as well as a good ability to detect small and meaningful performance change. Top-elite athletes showed greater (p < 0.001) TSAT performances (4.5 ± 0.4 seconds) compared with their elite (5.3 ± 0.4 seconds) counterparts. Receiving operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that TSAT was able to discriminate athletes of different competitive level as revealed by an area under the ROC curve of 0.94 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.99). Taekwondo-specific agility test demonstrated significant association with the T-test (r = 0.71; shared variance = 50%), which is considered as a gold-standard planned agility test. In addition, results showed moderate-to-large associations between TSAT and jumping ability, sprint-time, and dynamic balance tests. The TSAT might be considered as a valid and reliable test to evaluate specific agility of taekwondo athletes.

Developing a systems-based framework of the factors influencing dietary and physical activity behaviours in ethnic minority populations living in Europe - a DEDIPAC study.

BACKGROUND: Some ethnic minority populations have a higher risk of non-communicable diseases than the majority European population. Diet and physical activity behaviours contribute to this risk, shaped by a system of inter-related factors. This study mapped a systems-based framework of the factors influencing dietary and physical activity behaviours in ethnic minority populations living in Europe, to inform research prioritisation and intervention development. METHODS: A concept mapping approach guided by systems thinking was used: i. Preparation (protocol and terminology); ii. Generating a list of factors influencing dietary and physical activity behaviours in ethnic minority populations living in Europe from evidence (systematic mapping reviews) and 'eminence' (89 participants from 24 academic disciplines via brainstorming, an international symposium and expert review) and; iii. Seeking consensus on structuring, rating and clustering factors, based on how they relate to each other; and iv. Interpreting/utilising the framework for research and interventions. Similar steps were undertaken for frameworks developed for the majority European population. RESULTS: Seven distinct clusters emerged for dietary behaviour (containing 85 factors) and 8 for physical activity behaviours (containing 183 factors). Four clusters were similar across behaviours: Social and cultural environment; Social and material resources; Psychosocial; and Migration context. Similar clusters of factors emerged in the frameworks for diet and physical activity behaviours of the majority European population, except for 'migration context'. The importance of factors across all clusters was acknowledged, but their relative importance differed for ethnic minority populations compared with the majority population. CONCLUSIONS: This systems-based framework integrates evidence from both expert opinion and published literature, to map the factors influencing dietary and physical activity behaviours in ethnic minority groups. Our findings illustrate that innovative research and complex interventions need to be developed that are sensitive to the needs of ethnic minority populations. A systems approach that encompasses the complexity of the inter-related factors that drive behaviours may inform a more holistic public health paradigm to more effectively reach ethnic minorities living in Europe, as well as the majority host population.

Determinants of diet and physical activity (DEDIPAC): a summary of findings.

The establishment of the Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity (DEDIPAC) Knowledge Hub, 2013-2016, was the first action taken by the 'Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life' European Joint Programming Initiative. DEDIPAC aimed to provide better insight into the determinants of diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour across the life course, i.e. insight into the causes of the causes of important, non-communicable diseases across Europe and beyond. DEDIPAC was launched in late 2013, and delivered its final report in late 2016. In this paper we give an overview of what was achieved in terms of furthering measurement and monitoring, providing overviews of the state-of-the-art in the field, and building toolboxes for further research and practice. Additionally, we propose some of the next steps that are now required to move forward in this field, arguing in favour of 1) sustaining the Knowledge Hub and developing it into a European virtual research institute and knowledge centre for determinants of behavioural nutrition and physical activity with close links to other parts of the world; 2) establishing a cohort study of families across all regions of Europe focusing specifically on the individual and contextual determinants of major, non-communicable disease; and 3) furthering DEDIPAC's work on nutrition, physical activity, and sedentary behaviour policy evaluation and benchmarking across Europe by aligning with other international initiatives and by supporting harmonisation of pan-European surveillance.

Behavioral determinants of physical activity across the life course: a "DEterminants of DIet and Physical ACtivity" (DEDIPAC) umbrella systematic literature review.

BACKGROUND: Low levels of physical activity (PA) are a global concern and increasing PA engagement is becoming a priority in current public health policies. Despite the large number of studies and reviews available, the evidence regarding the behavioral determinants of PA is still inconclusive. Thus, the aim of this umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) was to summarize the evidence on the behavioral determinants of PA across the life course. METHODS: A systematic online search was conducted on MEDLINE, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases. The search was limited to studies published in English from January, 2004 to April, 2016. SLRs and meta-analyses (MAs) of observational studies that investigated the behavioral determinants of PA were considered eligible. The extracted data were assessed based on the importance of the determinants, the strength of evidence, and the methodological quality. The full protocol is available from PROSPERO (PROSPERO 2014:CRD42015010616). RESULTS: Seventeen reviews on 35 behavioral determinants of PA were eligible for this umbrella SLR. Regardless of age, the most investigated determinants were those related with 'screen use' and 'smoking'. For youth, probable positive evidence emerged for 'previous PA' and 'independent mobility and active transport' among children and adolescents. For the adult population, 'transition to university' and 'pregnancy/having a child' showed probable negative associations. CONCLUSIONS: Although the majority of the evidence was limited and most of the determinants were not associated with PA, this umbrella SLR provided a comprehensive overview of the associations between behavioral determinants and PA. Youth should be physically active in the early years and increase active transportation to/from school, independent mobility, and 'free-range activities' without adult supervision, whilst adult PA behaviors are mostly influenced by the life events. Finally, more research is needed that incorporates prospective study designs, standardized definitions of PA, objective measurement methods of PA assessment, and the use of interactionist and mediational approaches for the evaluation of different behavioral determinants influencing PA behaviors.

Socio-cultural determinants of physical activity across the life course: a 'Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity' (DEDIPAC) umbrella systematic literature review.

OBJECTIVE: Regular physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of disease and premature death. Knowing factors associated with PA might help reducing the disease and economic burden caused by low activity. Studies suggest that socio-cultural factors may affect PA, but systematic overviews of findings across the life course are scarce. This umbrella systematic literature review (SLR) summarizes and evaluates available evidence on socio-cultural determinants of PA in children, adolescents, and adults. METHODS: This manuscript was drafted following the recommendations of the 'Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses' (PRISMA) checklist. The MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus databases were searched for SLRs and meta-analyses (MAs) on observational studies published in English that assessed PA determinants between January 2004 and April 2016. The methodological quality was assessed and relevant information on socio-cultural determinants and any associations with PA was extracted. The available evidence was evaluated based on the importance of potential determinants and the strength of the evidence. RESULTS: Twenty SLRs and three MAs encompassing 657 eligible primary studies investigated potential socio-cultural PA determinants, with predominantly moderate methodological quality. Twenty-nine potential PA determinants were identified that were primarily assessed in children and adolescents and investigated the micro-environmental home/household level. We found probable evidence that receiving encouragement from significant others and having a companion for PA were associated with higher PA in children and adolescents, and that parental marital status (living with partner) and experiencing parental modeling were not associated with PA in children. Evidence for the other potential determinants was limited, suggestive, or non-conclusive. In adults, quantitative and conclusive data were scarce. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of SLRs and MAs investigating potential socio-cultural determinants of PA were identified. Our data suggest that receiving social support from significant others may increase PA levels in children and adolescents, whereas parental marital status is not a determinant in children. Evidence for other potential determinants was limited. This was mainly due to inconsistencies in results on potential socio-cultural determinants of PA across reviews and studies. TRIAL REGISTRATIONS: This umbrella SLR was recorded on PROSPERO (Record ID: CRD42015010616 ).

Relationship between blood lactate and cortical excitability between taekwondo athletes and non-athletes after hand-grip exercise.

OBJECTIVES: In taekwondo competitions, fatigue has a large influence on performance. Recent studies have reported that the excitability in the primary hand motor cortex, investigated with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), is enhanced at the end of a maximal exercise and that this improvement correlates with blood lactate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between blood lactate and cortical excitability in taekwondo athletes and non-athletes. METHODS: The excitability of the primary motor cortex was measured before and after fatiguing hand-grip exercise by TMS. Capillary blood lactate was measured at rest (pre-test), at the end (0 min), and at 3 and 10 min after the exercise by using a "Lactate Pro" portable lactate analyzer. RESULTS: Significant differences in cortical excitability between the two groups were found after the exercise (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we found a significant relationship between cortical excitability and blood lactate (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The present findings showed changes in the excitability in the athletes group and also in the non-athletes group. However, blood lactate seems to have the greater effect in trained subjects compared to untrained subjects. In fact, it appears that, during extremely intensive exercise in taekwondo athletes, lactate may delay the onset of fatigue not only by maintaining the excitability of muscle, but also by increasing the excitability of the primary motor cortex more than in non-athletes.

Differences in corticospinal system activity and reaction response between karate athletes and non-athletes.

The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) parameters over the hand region of the motor cortex, such as resting motor threshold (rMT) and motor evoked potential (MEP) latency, predict the behavioural performance of karate athletes in the response time (RT) test. Twenty-five male karate athletes (24.9 ± 4.9 years) and 25 matched non-athletes (26.2 ± 4.5 years) were recruited. Using TMS, we investigated cortico-spinal system excitability. Compared with controls, the athletes showed faster RT (p < 0.001), lower rMT (p < 0.01), shorter MEP latency (p < 0.01), and higher MEP amplitude (p < 0.01); moreover, there was a significant positive linear correlation between RT and rMT (p < 0.001), between RT and MEP latency (p < 0.0001), and a negative correlation between RT and MEP amplitude (p < 0.001). The practice of competitive sports affects both the central and peripheral nervous system. Subjects that showed higher cortical excitability showed also higher velocity, at which the neural signal is propagated from the motor cortex to the muscle and consequently better RT. The lower rMT and the shorter MEP latency observed in athletes support the effects of training in determining specific brain organizations to meet specific sport challenges.

Using concept mapping in the development of the EU-PAD framework (EUropean-Physical Activity Determinants across the life course): a DEDIPAC-study.

BACKGROUND: A large proportion of European children, adults and older adults do not engage in sufficient physical activity (PA). Understanding individual and contextual factors associated with PA behaviours is essential for the identification and implementation of effective preventative environments, policies, and programmes that can promote an active lifestyle across life course and can potentially improve health. The current paper intends to provide 1) a multi-disciplinary, Pan-European and life course view of key determinants of PA behaviours and 2) a proposal of how these factors may cluster. METHODS: After gathering a list of 183 potential PA behaviours-associated factors and a consensus meeting to unify/consolidate terminology, a concept mapping software was used to collate European experts' views of 106 identified factors for youth (<19 years), adults (19-64 years), and older adults (≥65 years). The analysis evaluated common trends in the clustering of factors and the ratings of the distinct factors' expected modifiability and population-level impact on PA behaviours across the life course. Priority for research was also assessed for each cluster. RESULTS: The concept mapping resulted in six distinct clusters, broadly merged in two themes: 1) the 'Person', which included clusters 'Intra-Personal Context and Wellbeing' and 'Family and Social Economic Status' (42 % of all factors) and 2) the 'Society', which included the remaining four clusters 'Policy and Provision', 'Cultural Context and Media', 'Social Support and Modelling', and 'Supportive Environment' (58 % of all factors). Overall, 25 factors were rated as the most impactful on PA behaviours across the life course and being the most modifiable. They were mostly situated in the 'Intra-Personal Context and Wellbeing' cluster. Furthermore, 16 of them were rated as top priority for research. CONCLUSIONS: The current framework provides a preliminary overview of factors which may account for PA behaviour across the life course and are most relevant to the European community. These insights could potentially be a foundation for future Pan-European research on how these factors might interact with each other, and assist policy makers to identify appropriate interventions to maximize PA behaviours and thus the health of European citizens.

Corporate responsibility for childhood physical activity promotion in the UK.

The alarming epidemic of obesity and physical inactivity at paediatric age urges societies to rise to the challenge of ensuring an active lifestyle. As one response to this, business enterprises are increasingly engaged in promoting sport and physical activity (PA) initiatives within the frame of corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, comparative analyses among industry sectors of CSR strategies for PA promotion with a particular focus on children are still lacking. This study aimed to explore (i) what are the CSR strategies for PA promotion adopted in different industry sectors and (ii) whether corporate engagement in promoting PA for children is supportive of children's rights to play and be physically active. Corporate pledges pertaining to CSR initiatives to promote PA were analysed. The hypothesis was that companies from different sectors employ different CSR strategies and that companies with a higher profile as regard to public health concerns for children tend to legitimate their action by adopting a compensatory strategy. Results show that the issue of PA promotion is largely represented within CSR commitments. CSR strategies for PA promotion vary across industry sectors and the adoption of a compensatory strategy for rising childhood obesity allows only a limited exploitation of the potential of CSR commitments for the provision of children's rights to play and be physically active. Actors within the fields of public health ethics, human rights and CSR should be considered complementary to develop mainstreaming strategies and improve monitoring systems of PA promotion in children.