Finnish late adolescents' physical activity during COVID-19 spring 2020 lockdown.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) is recognised as one of the leading and effective strategies to prevent non-communicable diseases that boosts the immune system to fight against diseases. Closures of schools, sport clubs and facilities because of COVID-19 reduced the opportunities to participate in PA. We aimed to examine physical activity levels of late adolescents, the contexts to be physical active and its changes during the spring 2020 lockdown. METHODS: A national representative sample of late adolescents in general upper secondary school (n = 2408, females = 64%, mean age = 17.2y, SD = 0.63) completed self-report online surveys on PA behaviours between March and June 2020. Multinominal logistic regression analyses were performed to identify correlates with PA, and decision tree analyses to ascertain the perceived changes on PA during lockdown based on sport club aspirations and levels of PA. RESULTS: Among the late adolescents, the distribution of PA frequency was 23% (0-2 days/week), 35% (3-4 days/week), 30% (5-6 days/week) and 12% (7 days/week), and differences between males and females were not statistically significant. Participation in both indoor and outdoor PA were 50 times more likely to report daily PA (OR = 54.28, CI = 15.16-194.37) than non-participation. A quarter of late adolescents were not part of a sports club, yet their PA levels increased. Although sports club members generally perceived they did less PA during lockdown, over a third of sport club members with competitive aspirations reported daily PA. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, most late adolescents reported their PA levels decreased during lockdown. Findings from this study continue to demonstrate factors associated with PA in the context of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Objectively assessed vigorous physical activity and motor coordination are associated in 11-year old children.

This cross-sectional study examined the associations between gender, sports club (SC) participation, physical activity (PA), motor coordination (MQ) and object control skill (TC). 11 year-old children (n = 477) wore accelerometers during seven consecutive days for the analysis of moderate PA (MPA) and vigorous PA (VPA). To detect motor competence (MC), children's motor coordination was measured using the KTK (MQ), and object control skill with throw-and-catch task (TC). Sports club (SC) status was obtained by a questionnaire. Boys had higher levels of MPA (F = 50.45, P<0.001) and VPA (F = 11.13, P = 0.001), and were better in TC (F = 39.83, P < 0.001) than girls. SC participants outperformed non-participants in MPA (F = 5.45, P = 0.020) and VPA (F = 11.71, P = 0.001), MQ (F = 31.56, P < 0.001), and TC (F = 15.60, P < 0.001). Moreover, better TC was associated with higher MPA (ß = 0.88, t = 2.16, P = 0.031), and higher MQ was associated with higher VPA (ß = 0.21, t = 3.87, P < 0.001). The association between PA and MC was found showing that different intensities of PA were associated with different aspects of MC. SC participation may be one important factor promoting PA and MC in children. Therefore, all children, especially girls, should be encouraged to participate in various practices to ensure the development of adequate level of motor competence to be physically active.

Does sports club participation contribute to physical activity among children and adolescents? A comparison across six European countries.

Aims: Insufficient physical activity (PA) is one of the largest public health challenges of our time and requires a multisectoral public-health response. PA recommendations state that all children and adolescents should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) daily and carry out vigorous PA (VPA) three times weekly. While participation in sports club activities is known to enhance the probability of reaching the recommended overall PA level, less is known about the contribution of sports club participation to VPA, and few cross-national comparisons have been carried out. The purpose of this paper is to study whether participation in sports club activities is associated with meeting the overall PA and VPA recommendations among children and adolescents across six European countries, namely Belgium (Flanders), Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ireland and Sweden. Methods: Analyses were carried out on existing self-reported national data sets using descriptive statistics and logistic regression. Results: Results indicate that approximately two-thirds of children and adolescents take part in sports club activities in the given countries. Sports club participants were more likely to meet the overall PA recommendations (OR 2.4-6.4) and VPA recommendation (OR 2.8-5.0) than non-participants. Conclusions: The extent to which overall PA and/or VPA is gained through sports club participation versus other settings needs to be further studied. Nonetheless, it can be argued that sports clubs have an important position in PA promotion for younger populations.

Individual- and environmental-related correlates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old Finnish children.

The objective of this study was to analyze the associations of various individual- and environmental-related factors with subgroups of daily, frequent, moderate and low moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among children and adolescents. Data were obtained from the Finnish School-age Physical Activity (FSPA) study 2016 from 4677 national representative 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old children and adolescents. MVPA and individual- and environmental-related factors were assessed by a questionnaire and analyzed by two-level logistic regression. Seventeen of the twenty-one variables were statistically significantly associated with MVPA. However, only three variables were statistically significant in all MVPA subgroups, whereby self-directed PA at least twice a week, fewer perceived barriers, and higher peer support increased the odds of participating in more MVPA. The results from this study showed essential differences among the MVPA subgroups, also supporting previous findings, whereby various individual- and environmental-based factors are associated with children and adolescents' levels of MVPA. Challenges to designing and implementing effective interventions are based on the need to account for individual differences within the population, as well as the varied connections between PA with different social and physical environments where children and adolescents' PA takes place. PA interventions with various actions at multiple levels are warranted.

Relation of Elite Rifle Shooters' Technique-Test Measures to Competition Performance.

PURPOSE: To describe the long-term changes in shooting technique in relation to competition performances in elite air-rifle shooters. METHODS: Seventeen elite shooters completed simulated air-rifle shooting-competition series in 3 consecutive seasons, participating on 15 ± 7 testing occasions. Shooting score and aiming-point-trajectory variables were obtained with an optoelectronic shooting device, and postural-balance variables were measured with force platform. Shooters' competition results were collected from all international and national competitions during the 3-y period. RESULTS: Mean test score, stability of hold, aiming accuracy, cleanness of triggering, and postural balance improved during the 3-y period (ANOVA, time, P < .05-.01). Seasonal mean test results in stability of hold (R = -.70, P = .000) and cleanness of triggering (R = -.75, P = .000) were related to competition performances. Changes in stability of hold (R = -.61, P = .000) and cleanness of triggering (R = -.39, P = .022) were also related to the changes in competition performances. Postural balance in shooting direction was more related to cleanness of triggering (R = .57, P = .000), whereas balance in cross-shooting direction was more related to stability of hold (R = .70, P = .000). CONCLUSIONS: The shooting-technique testing used in the current study seems to be a valid and useful tool for long-term performance assessment. Stability of hold, cleanness of triggering, and postural balance can be further developed even at the elite level, resulting in improved competition performances.

Results From Finland's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth.

BACKGROUND: Finland's 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth gathers and translates research results and assesses the status and promotion of physical activity (PA) among Finnish children and youth less than 18 years of age. This article summarizes the results and provides grades for 9 indicators. METHODS: The working group evaluated the evidence and assigned grades of A (highest, 81% to 100%), B, C, D, or F (lowest, 0% to 20%) for 9 PA indicators using the Active Healthy Kids Canada Report Card development process. RESULTS: The grades varied in Finland as follows: 1) Overall PA/fulfillment of recommendations = D, 2) Organized Sport Participation = C, 3) Active Play = C, 4) Active Transportation = B, 5) Sedentary Behaviors = D, 6) Family and Peers = C, 7) School = B, 8) Community and the Built Environment = B, 9) Government = B. CONCLUSIONS: Despite good policies and programs to promote PA in Finland, children and youth overall PA levels are low, whereas their time spent sedentary is high. More effective interventions, operation models, concrete tools as well as environmental solutions are needed to support the work toward more physically active childhood and youth.

The effects of augmented kinematic feedback on motor skill learning in rifle shooting.

In this study, we examined the effects of augmented kinematic knowledge of performance (KP) on shooting performance and learning. Knowledge of performance described the aiming trajectory of the rifle barrel. The effects of knowledge of performance were evaluated in terms of shooting accuracy (shooting score), variability of the shooting score (root mean square error) and rifle stability (x- and y-deviation of rifle movement). The participants (n = 40) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: no-KP, 50% KP, 100% KP and a control group. The three experimental groups performed 480 shots during a 4 week acquisition phase in which feedback was provided. No-feedback retention tests were administered at 2 and 10 days after acquisition. There were no differences between groups during acquisition. In the 2 day retention test, the mean shooting score of the group receiving 100% knowledge of performance was significantly higher than that of the other groups. Furthermore, variability in shooting score for the 100% KP group was lower than that for the 50% KP and control groups. No significant differences were found in rifle stability between the experimental groups. In summary, a high frequency of kinematic knowledge of performance improved shooting accuracy, but the effect appeared to be temporal, disappearing in the 10 day retention test. Given that a parallel effect was not found in rifle stability, future research should focus on examining the reasons for this improvement in shooting score.