Relation Between Body Mass Index and Body Image in Spanish and Mexican Adolescents.

This article aims to study the relation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and body image in adolescents from two different social environments in Spain and Mexico, and to compare the construction of an appropriate body scheme in youth from these two countries. The majority of participants were found to be in the normal weight category of BMI. No significant differences were found in BMI or body image comparing Mexican and Spanish adolescents. Regardless of the country of origin, youth belonging to the weight deficit category of BMI overestimated their body shape, whereas those pertaining to overweight and obesity categories underestimated it. Both over- and underestimating own body shape imply higher risk to suffer from behavioral and psychological distresses, such as eating disorders. Further research is recommended in order to analyze the social, educational, and emotional patterns related to this occurrence and to improve their quality of life.

Validity, reliability, and invariance across sex of a German version of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire.

Objective: Since there is no scientifically validated German version of the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ-3), the aim of this study was to assess its psychometric parameters and invariance across sex in a sample of German-speaking young adults. The BREQ-3 is an instrument measuring the social and internal influences of motivation toward exercising. This tool is widespread within the scientific community and has been validated in several languages. Methods: A total of 271 participants (45% women; mean age = 20.67 ± 2.17 years; effect size ≥ 0.5) filled in the BREQ-3 at one time point, with a small sub-sample (n = 37) responding it a second time after 15 days. Confirmatory Factorial Analysis, Structural Modeling, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient were used to examine the German version of the questionnaire. Results: Results highlighted a good fit of the six-dimensional model after the removal of two items (CFI = 0.912; SRMR = 0.0594; RMSEA = 0.064), as well as full invariance across sex (pχ2 = 0.218; ΔCFI < 0.01). Internal consistency and reliability were moderate to good. Conclusions: The 22-item German BREQ-3 is a scientifically valid instrument that can be used in cross-national studies dealing with social aspects of exercise behaviors.

Effect of a Game-Based Physical Education Program on Physical Fitness and Mental Health in Elementary School Children.

Promotion of healthy active behaviors should start from early ages, as behaviors learned in youth are more likely to endure. A fundamental body of research in this field focuses on the implementation of programs within physical education (PE), thanks to its favorable characteristics. However, traditional PE based on exercise training and controlling styles seems to have weaker association with students' health benefits. For this reason, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of a game-based PE program on physical fitness and psychological health in schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 years old. A total of 252 students were distributed in experimental (EG, games-centered activities) and control (CG, traditional exercise training activities) groups. The program lasted 6 months. Health-related physical fitness components, psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, stress, and anxiety were assessed before and after the treatment. Both groups increased physical fitness at post-test; however, cardiorespiratory fitness did not improve. No differences were found between the groups at post-test. Our results show that games may be as effective as traditional training methods; yet, they suggest that PE alone may be insufficient for obtaining substantive benefits in cardiorespiratory fitness, regardless of the type of task presented.

Does A Multiple-Sport Intervention Based on the TGfU Pedagogical Model for Physical Education Increase Physical Fitness in Primary School Children?

Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) is one of the pedagogical models used for increasing health through physical education (PE), being associated with several psychological benefits. However, only few studies have studied the effect of TGfU on physical fitness. This study aims at assessing the changes in students' physical fitness after a six-month TGfU-based program with primary school children. A total of eight schools from the state of Sonora (Mexico) were randomly distributed into experimental (EG) and control group (CG). The final sample consisted of 188 pupils (100 boys, 88 girls; age = 10.22 ± 0.76 years) from the 5th and 6th grade. Employing a quasi-experimental design, physical fitness was assessed by means of the Eurofit test battery. At post-test, EG obtained significantly higher scores than CG in flexibility, abdominals, speed (p < 0.001), handgrip (p = 0.002), low-limb power (p = 0.032), and cardiorespiratory fitness (p = 0.048). Our findings suggest that TGfU can be a valid alternative to traditional methodologies not only when the aim of a PE unit is to stimulate the cognitive domain, but also for the development of physical fitness attributes that may help pupils develop in a comprehensive manner.