Physical Fitness, Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior, or Diet-What Are the Correlates of Obesity in Polish School Children?

There is substantial evidence of rising prevalence of overweight and obesity and its co-morbidities among children in western-high income developed countries. In the European Union, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is increasing fastest among Polish children. Yet, there is paucity of evidence on the relationship of behavioral factors with body weight status of children in Poland. This study examined the association of obesity with physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and diet among Polish children. A total of 641 children (10-15 years) recruited from the Lower Silesia region of Poland participated in this cross-sectional study. Participants' anthropometrics, physical fitness, physical activity, sedentary behavior and dietary intake were assessed. Outcome variables were weight categories (according to body mass index [BMI], waist-to-hip ratio [WHR], and percentage body fat [% BF]). The strongest negative correlation was found between VO2max and %BF (r = -0.39, p <0.05). Significant negative correlation was also found between VO2max and weight categories (r = -0.15). Results of the multinomial logit analysis showed that VO2max increased in groups of overweight, normal weight and underweight children by 13%, 26% and 19%, respectively as compared to the group of obese children. VO2max and weight and obesity indices were strongly correlated in both gender and age groups. Education and intervention programs to increase physical fitness (VO2max) through aerobic training are recommended for Physical Education teachers, parents and children in order to reduce the rate of overweight and obesity among children in the Lower Silesia region of Poland.

Aerobic training modulates the effects of exercise-induced oxidative stress on PON1 activity: a preliminary study.

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of maximal exercise (ME) on paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) activity depending on lifestyle in respect to physical activity. The study was performed on 46 young men divided into two groups: sedentary (S) and physically active (PA). All participants performed ME on a treadmill. PON1 activities, FRAP, uric acid, bilirubin, TBARS, and lipid profile were determined in their blood before, at the bout of, and after ME. No significant differences in PON1 activities were found between S and PA subjects at baseline. Nearly all biochemicals increased at ME in both groups. Both PON and ARE activity increased at the bout of ME in PA subjects and only ARE activity in S subjects. ARE/HDL-C ratio increased at the bout of ME in PA and S subjects. The difference in PON1 activity response to ME between study groups may be a result of adaptation of PA subjects to regular physical activity. We suggest that PON1 activity may be a marker of antioxidant protection at ME and an indicator of adaptation to exercise.

Increased H2O2 level in exhaled breath condensate in primary breast cancer patients.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to assess exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), blood serum antioxidant capacity, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) in primary breast cancer (PBC). METHODS: The study included 34 consecutive, non-smoking PBC patients (aged 62.5 +/- 13.5 at surgery) prior to the treatments, qualified for modified radical mastectomy and not undergoing any adjuvant systemic therapy, and 33 healthy controls. The post surgery pathological assessment included tissue expression of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors, and epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 (HER-2/neu). Exhaled H(2)O(2) was determined fluorometrically in the exhaled breath condensate (EBC). Blood serum antioxidant capacity and TNFalpha levels were assessed with ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) and ELISA immunoassay, respectively. RESULTS: In PBC patients, 10 ER, 11 PR, and 9 HER-2/neu positive tumors were identified and HER-2/neu score was 2+ in 20% of all tumors. Median (Me) H(2)O(2) was increased up to 0.44 microM (interquartile range IR: 0.20-1.25 microM) compared with healthy control of 0.36 microM (IR: 0.12-0.48 microM; p < 0.05). The H(2)O(2) concentration in EBC was significantly correlated (tau = 0.27; p = 0.03) and increased in cases with nodal metastases (n = 12; p = 0.04). Serum TNFalpha was increased up to 51.7 +/- 21.0 pg/ml compared with controls 17.2 +/- 3.65 pg/ml (p < 0.05). FRAP was increased to 1.41 +/- 0.37 mM Fe(2+) compared with control 1.19 +/- 0.17 mM Fe(2+); (p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate increased H(2)O(2) in exhaled breath condensate in patients with localized breast malignancy and its relation with clinical severity.

[Third year University' School of Physical Education in Wroclaw student's opinion about their arrangement to health teacher role]. / Studenci iii roku studiów akademii wychowania fizycznego we wroclawiu o swoim przygotowaniu do pelnienia roli nauczyciela zdrowia.

In 1999 in Poland we witnessed a change in the concept of physical education (from biotechnological to pedagogic). The change like this obliges the teacher to perform various roles (health teacher, recreation teacher, sports teacher and mobile behaviours esthetics teacher). However, in practice, the reform of the education system was not preceded by previous alterations in the students' education--the education of future teachers. The aim of our research was to collect students' opinions with regard to the evaluation of the particular courses (subjects) which are realised in the course of studies taking into account their usefulness for the future role of a health teacher. The research was conducted in May 2005 and it comprised the students of The University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw who graduated from the first degree studies (100 women and 100 men - 81,6% of III year students). In order to gather the material we employed the technique of a survey questionnaire with the use of a tool composed by ourselves. It turned out that the examined students declared that the three year long studies equipped them, in the first place, with the necessary information and skills which are useful for their roles of sports teachers and recreation teachers. Their theoretic preparation for the role of health teachers was assessed as only satisfactory, whereas their practical preparation was assessed as unsatisfactory (insufficient). This proves that without introducing changes in the programme of education of the future teachers it will not be possible to make any real changes of aims and tasks of physical education assumptions in the Polish schools.

[Knowledge concerning significance of physical aktivity to health represented by parents of pre-school children]. / Wiedza rodziców dzieci w wieku przedszkolnym na temat znaczenia aktywnosci fizycznej dla zdrowia.

The main objective of which was: to determine the level of knowledge concerning the significance of physical activeness to human health represented by parents of pre-school age children. A method of a diagnostic survey was employed to gather data for the purposes of the present work. In the present paper, parents of children attending the kindergartens took part in the study. The technique used in this work was a questionnaire. The collected research material after having been analysed thoroughly allowed to come to conclusions of which the most important one is that physical activeness is for more parents of pre-school age children very important in life.

Computerized tomography in evaluation and treatment planning of calcaneal fractures.

Background. The tarsal bones and their articular surfaces have been difficult to show on standard roentgenograms including supplementary projections. Authors present different radiologic methods and classification systems of the fractures of the calcaneus.
Material and methods. Computerized tomography was used to evaluate 20 fractures of the calcaneus which was treated at the Orthopedic and Traumatology Department in Wejherowo from July to October 2001. To treatment planning a classification systems based on CT scans was developed.
Results. TC scans showed intraarticular fractures in 17 cases. There were four type 1 (not displaced), ten type 2 (displaced), three typ 3 (comminuted).
Conclusions. Computerized tomography should be a technique of choice in the calcaneal fracture evaluation and treatment planning.