Are more physical education classes related to less time in leisure-time sedentary behavior? An analysis including adolescents from 73 countries.

This study aimed to verify the association between the weekly frequency of physical education (PE) classes and leisure sitting time among adolescents. We analyzed data from 73 countries using the Global School-based Student Health Survey (283,233 adolescents between 11 and 18 years of age). Leisure sitting time and weekly frequency of PE classes were self-reported. Sex, age, and food insecurity were used as covariates and the analyses were stratified by world regions and country income level. Poisson regression models (random-effects meta-analysis) were used for the main analyses. In comparison with 1 PE class per week (reference group), those with no PE classes presented a lower prevalence of ≥ 3 h/d of leisure sitting time (PR [95%CI] = 0.94 [0.91; 0.98]). On the other hand, adolescents with 2 days (PR [95%CI] = 1.06 [1.02; 1.26]), 3-4 days (PR [95%CI] = 1.17 [1.12; 1.22]), and 5 days (PR [95%CI] = 1.08 [1.04; 1.11]) of PE classes presented a higher likelihood of ≥ 3 h/d of leisure sitting time. No clear differences were observed for the different world regions and country income levels. We conclude that a higher weekly frequency of PE classes is associated with increased leisure sitting time among adolescents worldwide.

Visual-motor attention in children with ADHD: The role of automatic and controlled processes.

BACKGROUND: there are evidence that children with ADHD exhibit a deficit both in automatic and controlled processes. AIMS: the present study aimed to examine the visual-motor attention and the influence of cognitive load through a dual task paradigm in children with ADHD compared with typical developing children (TD). METHODS AND PROCEDURES: 113 children with ADHD: 40 with subtype inattentive (ADHD- I group), 16 with subtype hyperactive (ADHD-H group), 57 with subtype combined (ADHD-C group), and 113 TD children (TD group) were recruited. We used a dual-task paradigm in which the primary task was a figure-tracing test whereas the second task was a digit span test. A figure-tracing test was used to evaluate visual motor attention. Based on the length and intersection of the lines, the figures of the primary task were categorized into simple and complex. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: the ADHD groups compared to the TD group showed a worse accuracy of performance in both condition with and without cognitive load. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The findings were discussed in light of the relationship between automatic and controlled processes involved in the visual-motor attention.