(Low) Energy Availability and Its Association with Injury Occurrence in Competitive Dance: Cross-Sectional Analysis in Female Dancers.

Background and objectives: The risk of low energy availability is related to various health problems in sports. This cross-sectional study aimed to identify a possible association between various dance factors, anthropometrics/body build, and energy availability with injury occurrence in contemporary dancers. Materials and Methods: The participants were 50 female competitive dancers (19.8 ± 4.1 years of age). The independent variables included age, dance factors (amount of training and competitions per week-exposure time, experience in dance), anthropometrics/body composition (body height, mass, BMI, body fat percentage (BF%), and fat-free mass (FFM)), and energy availability score (EAS; evaluated by accelerometer-based measurement of energy expenditure and Dance Energy Availability Questionnaires). The dependent variables were the occurrence of (i) soft-tissue injuries and (ii) bone injuries. The measurements were obtained by experienced technicians during the pre-competition period for each specific dance discipline. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were calculated to identify the associations between independent variables and injury prevalence. Results: The results showed that EAS (OR = 0.81, 95% CI:0.65-0.91), age (OR = 1.65, 95% CI: 1.1-2.46), higher BF% (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.04-1.46) and BMI (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.05-2.47) were correlated with soft-tissue injuries. Dancers who suffered from bone injuries reported higher exposure time (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05-1.37) and had lower values of FFM (OR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.56-0.98). Multivariate regression analyses evidenced a higher likelihood of soft-tissue injuries in older dancers (OR = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.21-2.95) and the ones who had lower EAS (OR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.71-0.95) while the exposure time was associated with a higher likelihood of bone injuries (OR = 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05-1.39). Conclusions: In order to decrease the injury prevalence among dancers, special attention should be paid to maintaining adequate nutrition that will provide optimal available energy for the demands of training and performing. Additionally, the control of training volume should be considered in order to reduce traumatic bone injuries.

Exploring Factors Associated with Physical Activity in the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively influenced individuals' physical activity levels (PALs) and particularly the PAL of the elderly. However, few studies have examined the correlates of PALs in this population during the pandemic. This study aimed to evaluate the residence-specific correlates of PALs in elderly people from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants were 211 persons older than 65 years (101 females), of whom 111 were community-dwelling residents, and 110 were nursing home residents (71.11 ± 3.11 and 72.22 ± 4.01 years of age, respectively; t-test = 0.91, p < 0.05). The variables included health status, residential status sociodemographic factors, anthropometrics (body mass, height, and body mass index), and PAL. PAL was evaluated using a translated version of the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), and was validated in this study. PASE showed good test-retest reliability (51% of the common variance) and validity (57% of the common variance, with the step count measured using pedometers). Apart from participants' health status and age, PAL was positively correlated with (i) community-dwelling residence (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.60-2.23), and (ii) a lower BMI (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.71-0.98). The pre-pandemic physical activity was positively correlated with the PAL of the nursing home residents (OR = 1.2, 95% CI: 1.02-1.45). A higher education level was positively correlated with the PAL of community-dwelling residents (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.04-1.66). This study evidenced the residence-specific correlates of PALs, and enabled the identification of specific groups that are at risk of having low PALs during the pandemic. Future studies examining this problem during a non-pandemic period are warranted.

The Impact of Scholastic Factors on Physical Activity Levels during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Prospective Study on Adolescents from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Scholastic factors (academic achievement) are hypothesized to be important determinants of health-related behaviors in adolescents, but there is a lack of knowledge on their influence on physical activity levels (PAL), especially considering the COVID-19 pandemic and the imposed lockdown. This study aimed to investigate the associations between scholastic factors and PAL before and during the pandemic lockdown. The participants were adolescents form Bosnia and Herzegovina (n = 525, 46% females), who were observed prospectively at the baseline (before the pandemic lockdown) and during the lockdown in 2020 (follow-up). The scholastic factors (grade point average, behavioral grade, school absences, unexcused absences) were evidenced at the baseline (predictors). The outcome (PAL) was evaluated using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents at the baseline and the follow-up. Gender, age, parental/familial conflict, and sport participation were observed as confounders. No significant influence of the predictors on PAL were evidenced at the baseline or at the follow-up. The scholastic variables were significantly associated with the changes of PAL which occurred due to pandemic lockdown, with a lower risk for negative changes in PAL among adolescents who were better in school (OR = 0.56, 95%CI: 0.34-0.81, and OR = 0.66, 95%CI: 0.34-0.97, for the grade point average and behavioral grade, respectively). Students who do well in school are probably more aware of the health benefits of proper PAL, and therefore are devoted to the maintenance of their PAL even during the home-confinement of lockdown. Public health authorities should focus more on helping adolescents to understand the importance and benefits of proper PAL throughout the school system.