Longitudinal effects of biopsychosocial variables on physical activity after menarche.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the current study is to analyze the longitudinal effects of certain biopsychosocial variables (socioeconomic status, Body Mass Index (BMI), body image and well-being (QL)), measured at three different menarche stages (S1: before menarche, S2: soon after menarche, and S3: one year after S2), on physical activity and inactivity levels in early adolescence. METHODS: The sample comprised 136 Brazilian teenagers (10-13 years old), showing BMI 18.98 kg/m2 at the initial assessment, who voluntarily participated in the study. Data concerning the following variables were collected in 2010 (S1), 2011 (S2) and 2012 (S3): family income (FI) (socioeconomic anamnesis), BMI (body mass and height), well-being (Autoquestionnaire Qualité de Vie Enfant Imagé) and body image (Body Shape Questionnaire). The physical activity and inactivity levels were measured in S3, only, through the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The Pearson's correlation and the longitudinal path analysis technique were used to statistically analyze the data. RESULTS: The main results indicated that only family income and BMI, measured soon after menarche (S2), showed significant effect on physical activity and inactivity levels. More specifically, family income has positively influenced (ß=0.25) physical inactivity levels and negatively influenced (ß=-0.14) moderate physical activity levels, whereas BMI has positively influenced (ß=0.15) walking levels and negatively influenced (ß=-0.13) vigorous physical activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the body image and well-being perceived by the teenagers at different menarche stages are not determining factors of their physical activity levels in early adolescence. On the other hand, the effects of socioeconomic status and BMI on early adolescent girls' physical activity and inactivity levels depend on the assessment period.

Order effects of combined strength and endurance training on testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, and IGF-1 binding protein 3 in concurrently trained men.

Concurrent training (CT) has been widely used in fitness centers to simultaneously optimize cardiovascular and neuromuscular fitness, and induce a high-energy expenditure. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the acute effects of 2 different orders of CT on hormonal responses in concurrently trained men. Fourteen men (mean ± SD: 24.7 ± 5.1 years) were randomly divided into 2 groups: endurance training followed by strength (ES, n = 7) and strength training followed by endurance (SE, n = 7). Serum concentrations of testosterone, cortisol, growth hormone, and IGF-1 binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) were measured before and after both training orders. A significant interaction between exercise order and time was only found in the IGFBP-3 levels (p = 0.022). The testosterone and IGFBP-3 concentrations significantly increased in the ES group after the exercise trainings (57.7 ± 35.1%, p = 0.013 and 17.0 ± 15.5%, p = 0.032, respectively) but did not change significantly in the SE group (15.5 ± 36.6%, p = 0.527 and -4.2 ± 13.9%, p = 0.421, respectively). Conversely, cortisol and growth hormone concentrations significantly increased in both ES (169.2 ± 191.0%, p = 0.021 and 13,296.8 ± 13,009.5%, p = 0.013, respectively) and SE (92.2 ± 81.5%, p = 0.017 and 12,346.2 ± 9714.1%, p = 0.001, respectively) groups compared with baseline values. No significant correlations were found between the changes in the hormonal concentrations. In conclusion, these results suggest that immediately postexercise testosterone and IGFPB-3 responses are significantly increased only after the ES order. Therefore, an ES training order should be prescribed if the main focus of the training intervention is to induce an acute postexercise anabolic environment.

Effects of pre-exhausting the biceps brachii muscle on the performance of the front lat pull-down exercise using different handgrip positions.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of pre-exhaustion (PE) of the biceps brachii muscle (BB) on the number of repetitions and the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) in the front lat pull-down (FLPD) using different handgrip positions. Additionally, the effect of sex and its interaction with performance and the RPE were also examined. The participants were 19 healthy subjects: 8 men (age: 27.13±2.85 years; body height: 180.63±6.65 cm; body mass: 82.05±8.92 kg; and body fat: 14.67±6.09%); and 11 women (age: 28.81±3.68 years; body height: 162.91±6.51 cm; body mass 59.63±6.47 kg; and body fat: 24.11±4.33%). The number of repetitions and the RPE in the FLPD exercise with different handgrip positions, with and without PE of the BB, was documented. The following main significant effects were seen: i) PE of the BB decreased the number of repetitions (p<0.001) and increased the RPE (p<0.001); ii) the narrow handgrip width elicited a higher RPE (p<0.001) and iii) women performed fewer repetitions than men in all FLPD exercise variations (p=0.023). Significant interactions were also observed between: i) PE or sex and the RPE (p=0.024); and ii) PE or handgrip width and the number of repetitions (p<0.001). In conclusion, PE of the BB promotes a decreased performance in the FLPD exercise along with a greater RPE, especially when using a narrow handgrip position.

Body dissatisfaction and self-esteem in female students aged 9-15: the effects of age, family income, body mass index levels and dance practice.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of age, family income, body mass index and dance practice on levels of body dissatisfaction and self-esteem in female students. The sample consisted of 283 female subjects attending a public school with a mean age of 11.51±1.60 years and a mean body mass index of 18.72 kg/m2 (SD=3.32). The instruments used were the Body Dissatisfaction Scale for Adolescents and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, both of which showed good internal consistency (0.77 and 0.81, respectively). The tests were applied (two-factor ANOVA) to compare the students practicing and those not practicing dance; the differences in the levels of body dissatisfaction (p=0.104) and self-esteem (p=0.09) were considered significant. The results demonstrated that age negatively correlated with body dissatisfaction (r=-0.19; p<0.01) and that higher body mass index levels were associated with greater body dissatisfaction (r=0.15, p=0.016) and lower levels of self-esteem (r=-0.17, p<0.01) only in non-practitioners. The practice of dance had a significant effect on levels of body dissatisfaction (F=4.79; p=0.030; η(2)=0.02), but there was no significant difference in self-esteem (F=1.88; p=0.172; η(2)=0.02). It can be concluded that female children and adolescents practicing dance have higher self-esteem, and are more satisfied with their body weight and their appearance. Moreover, results showed that self-esteem and body dissatisfaction were influenced by the body mass index levels only in the non-practitioners group.

Effects of resistance exercise order on the number of repetitions performed to failure and perceived exertion in untrained young males.

Exercise order is an essential variable of resistance training (RT) programs which is usually related to repetition performance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effect of different resistance exercise order on the number of repetitions performed to failure and related ratings of perceived exertion (RPE). Thirteen male adolescents (age: 14.46 ± 1.39 years, body height: 165.31 ± 12.75 cm, body mass: 58.73 ± 12.27 kg, estimated body fat: 21.32 ± 2.84%), without previous experience in RT, performed four resistance exercises: incline leg press (ILP), dumbbell lunge (DL), bench press (BP) and lying barbell triceps extension (TE) in two sequences - Sequence A (SEQA): ILP, DL, BP and TE; sequence B (SEQB): ILP, BP, DL and TE. The exercise sequences were performed in a randomized crossover design with a rest interval of 72h between sessions. Within-subjects analysis showed significant differences in the number of repetitions performed to failure in both sequences, but not in the RPE. Post-hoc tests revealed significant decrements in the number of repetitions from the first to the remaining exercises in both sequences. However, pairwise comparisons did not indicate significant differences between the same exercises performed in different sequences. In conclusion, the results of the current study in adolescents suggest that the main exercises should be performed at the beginning of the RT session.

Effects of a Process-Oriented Goal Setting Model on Swimmer's Performance.

The aim of this work was to study the impact of the implementation of a mental training program on swimmers' chronometric performance, with national and international Portuguese swimmers, based on the goal setting model proposed by Vasconcelos-Raposo (2001). This longitudinal study comprised a sample of nine swimmers (four male and five female) aged between fourteen and twenty, with five to eleven years of competitive experience. All swimmers were submitted to an evaluation system during two years. The first season involved the implementation of the goal setting model, and the second season was only evaluation, totaling seven assessments over the two years. The main results showed a significant improvement in chronometric performance during psychological intervention, followed by a reduction in swimmers' performance in the second season, when there was no interference from the investigators (follow-up).

[Association amongst physical activity, aging and dementia]. / Associação entre a actividade física, envelhecimento e demência.

The human possibility of becoming old - the so called Nestor Effect -, as an evolutionary adaptation, is beneficial only if there is some preservation of a certain cognitive character. Differing neuropathological conditions, such as neurodegenerative diseases, due to an abnormal aggregation of certain proteins, may induce chronic inflammatory processes. As so, physical activity increases aerobic fitness and the brain's blood flow capacity, contributing to the decrease of the central nervous system's chronic inflammation, promoting neuroplasticity, and neural circuitry's reorganisation.

Análise factorial confirmatória do TEOSQp / Confirmatory factorial analysis of TEOSQp

O propósito do presente estudo foi avaliar a confiabilidade, a validade factorial e a invariância (por sexo) da versão portuguesa do TEOSQ (Fonseca & Biddle, 2001). Integraram a amostra 1010 estudantes com uma média de idade de 15,42 anos. A análise factorial e da invariância foi avaliada através da análise factorial confirmatória. Os resultados corroboram a proposta de uma estrutura de duas subescalas (tarefa e ego). Com base nos índices de modificação e justificação teórica, o TEOSQ p foi reduzido a 12-itens, com melhores índices de adequação para o modelo oblíquo. Os resultados relativos à invariância por sexo não apresentaram apoio empírico total para a assumpção de equivalência multi-grupo, sugerindo que o TEOSQ p não parece avaliar as orientações cognitivas do mesmo modo, para os indivíduos do sexo masculino (modelo ortogonal) e feminino (modelo oblíquo). Face aos resultados obtidos, foram discutidas as implicações conceptuais, empíricas, assim como os aspectos de carácter aplicado.(AU)

The present research assessed the reliability, factorial validity and measurement invariance (by gender) of the Portuguese version of TEOSQ -Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (Fonseca & Biddle, 2001). Data were collected from 1010 physical education students with a mean age of 15.42 ( SD=1.91). Factorial and invariance measurements were tested via confirmatory factorial analysis. Results supported internal consistency for the two proposed subscales (task and ego). Based on modification indices and theoretical justification the TEOSQ p was reduced to 12 items with better goodness-of-fit indices for the oblique model. The results of gender invariance did not provide full empirical support to the multi-group equivalence assumption, being suggested that TEOSQ p does not measure in the same way goal orientations for boys (orthogonal model) and girls (oblique model). In light of these results, conceptual, empirical and practical issues were discussed.(AU)

Análise factorial confirmatória do TEOSQp / Confirmatory factorial analysis of TEOSQp

O propósito do presente estudo foi avaliar a confiabilidade, a validade factorial e a invariância (por sexo) da versão portuguesa do TEOSQ (Fonseca & Biddle, 2001). Integraram a amostra 1010 estudantes com uma média de idade de 15,42 anos. A análise factorial e da invariância foi avaliada através da análise factorial confirmatória. Os resultados corroboram a proposta de uma estrutura de duas subescalas (tarefa e ego). Com base nos índices de modificação e justificação teórica, o TEOSQ p foi reduzido a 12-itens, com melhores índices de adequação para o modelo oblíquo. Os resultados relativos à invariância por sexo não apresentaram apoio empírico total para a assumpção de equivalência multi-grupo, sugerindo que o TEOSQ p não parece avaliar as orientações cognitivas do mesmo modo, para os indivíduos do sexo masculino (modelo ortogonal) e feminino (modelo oblíquo). Face aos resultados obtidos, foram discutidas as implicações conceptuais, empíricas, assim como os aspectos de carácter aplicado.

The present research assessed the reliability, factorial validity and measurement invariance (by gender) of the Portuguese version of TEOSQ -Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (Fonseca & Biddle, 2001). Data were collected from 1010 physical education students with a mean age of 15.42 ( SD=1.91). Factorial and invariance measurements were tested via confirmatory factorial analysis. Results supported internal consistency for the two proposed subscales (task and ego). Based on modification indices and theoretical justification the TEOSQ p was reduced to 12 items with better goodness-of-fit indices for the oblique model. The results of gender invariance did not provide full empirical support to the multi-group equivalence assumption, being suggested that TEOSQ p does not measure in the same way goal orientations for boys (orthogonal model) and girls (oblique model). In light of these results, conceptual, empirical and practical issues were discussed.