Translation, Cultural Adaptation and Validation of Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument-Spanish Version (PPLI-Sp) for Adults.

To translate and culturally adapt the Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument (PPLI) questionnaire, as well as to evaluate the factor structure. A single-measure cross-sectional study was conducted. For the first phase of the study, a translation and cultural adaptation of the PPLI questionnaire was carried out, as well as an interview, with the aim of assessing the understanding of the instrument. In the second part of the study, exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) factorial analyses were conducted. A total of 213 Spanish adults with a mean age of 27.40 (10.58) participated. EFA was performed because of the good results offered by the sampling adequacy indices (Bartlett test = 1081.848; df = 153; p < 0.001; and KMO test = 0.825). The factor solution comprised three correlated factors:1) physical competence, 2) motivation and confidence, and 3) knowledge and understanding. After the EFA, items 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 17 were excluded. Therefore, through CFA, a factor structure of 9 items grouped into three dimensions was extracted. The PPLI-Sp version for adults, obtained from the back-translation process as well as after individual interviews, proved to be valid and reliable after the EFA and CFA analyses, obtaining an instrument of nine items, divided into three dimensions. This instrument can be used to determine the perception of physical literacy among different Spanish adult populations.

Muscle Activity, Leg Stiffness, and Kinematics During Unresisted and Resisted Sprinting Conditions.

ABSTRACT: Zabaloy, S, Carlos-Vivas, J, Freitas, TT, Pareja-Blanco, F, Loturco, I, Comyns, T, Gálvez-González, J, and Alcaraz, PE. Muscle activity, leg stiffness and kinematics during unresisted and resisted sprinting conditions. J Strength Cond Res 36(7): 1839-1846, 2022-This study aimed to compare muscle activity, leg stiffness, and kinematics (contact and flight time [FT], stride length and frequency, and trunk angle [TA]) of unloaded sprinting to resisted sprint (RST) using different loads. Twelve male rugby players (age: 23.5 ± 5.1 years; height: 1.79 ± 0.04 m; body mass 82.5 ± 13.1 kg) performed 30-m sprints using different loading conditions (0, 10, 30 and 50% of velocity loss-Vloss-from the maximum velocity reached under unloaded condition). Muscle activity from 4 muscles (biceps femoris long head, rectus femoris [RF], gluteus medius and gastrocnemius), leg stiffness (Kleg), and kinematics were measured during the acceleration and maximum velocity (Vmax) phases of each sprint. Heavier loads led to significantly lower biceps femoris long head activation and higher rectus femoris activity (p < 0.01-0.05). Significant reductions in Kleg were observed as loading increased (p < 0.001-0.05). Kinematic variables showed substantial changes with higher loads during the acceleration and Vmax phase. In conclusion, the heavier the sled load, the higher the disruptions in muscle activity, Kleg, and kinematics. When coaches and practitioners intend to conduct resisted sprint training sessions without provoking great disruptions in sprint technique, very-heavy sled loads (greater than 30% Vloss) should be avoided. However, heavy sled loads may allow athletes to keep specific positions of the early acceleration phase for longer time intervals (i.e., first 2-3 strides during unresisted sprints).

Genetic polymorphisms in the cag pathogenicity island of Helicobacter pylori and risk of stomach cancer and high-grade premalignant gastric lesions.

Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infects the stomach of about half of the human population and is strongly associated with the risk of gastric cancer (GC) and its premalignant precursors. The cag pathogenicity island (cagPAI) is a region of the Hp genome encoding for key molecular machinery involved in the infection process. Following a sequencing study, we selected 50 genetic polymorphisms located in seven cagPAI genes and tested their associations with the risk of advanced gastric premalignant lesions and GC in 1220 subjects from various Latin American populations showing the whole spectrum of phenotypes from gastritis to GC. We found that three polymorphisms of cagA are associated with the risk of advanced gastric premalignant lesions (incomplete intestinal metaplasia [ie, Type 2 and 3] or dysplasia), and that six polymorphisms located in cagA, cagL and cagI were associated with risk of GC. When corrected for multiple testing none of the associations were statistically significant. However, scores built by integrating the individual polymorphisms were significantly associated with the risk of advanced gastric premalignant lesions and GC. These results have the potential of establishing markers for risk stratification in the general population, in view of targeting Hp eradication to high-risk population groups.

Core features: measures and characterization for different languages.

According to the feature-based view of semantic representation, concepts can be represented as distributed networks of semantic features, which contribute with different weights to determine the overall meaning of a concept. The study of semantic features, typically collected in property generation tasks, is enriched with measures indicating the informativeness and distinctiveness of a given feature for the related concepts. However, while these measures have been provided in several languages (e.g. Italian, Spanish and English), they have hardly been applied comparatively across languages. The purpose of this paper is to investigate language-related differences and similarities emerging from the semantic representation of aggregated core features. Features with higher salience for a set of concrete concepts are identified and described in terms of their feature type. Then, comparisons are made between domains (natural vs. artefacts) and languages (Italian, Spanish and English) and descriptive statistics are provided. These results show that the characterization of concrete concepts is overall fairly stable across languages, although interesting cross-linguistic differences emerged. We will discuss the implications of our findings in relation to the theoretical paradigm of semantic feature norms, as well as in relation to speakers' mutual understanding in multilingual settings.

Influence of Body Composition on Physical Fitness in Adolescents.

Background and objectives: Childhood obesity is one of the main public health issues facing advanced societies. The Spanish population presents 28.6% overweight or obese adolescents, and Extremadura, 22.3%. Physical fitness is considered one of the most important health markers and a common predictor of morbidity and mortality caused by cardiovascular diseases. Thus, fitness tests are needed for health monitoring, especially in overweight and obese adolescents. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the relationship between body composition and physical fitness in adolescents and to analyse if there are differences in physical condition and body composition between the sexes, as well as to compare the different body mass index (BMI) categories to each other. This project also tried to find regression equations to predict the physical fitness test results. Materials and Methods: A total of 225 adolescents were recruited. Weight status was classified according to WHO 2007 standards. Body composition variables (i.e., BMI, fat mass (FM), FM percentage (FM%), and fat-free mass (FFM)) and physical fitness (standing long jump (SLJ), speed-agility (SA), cardiorespiratory fitness (CF), and handgrip strength (HS)) were assessed. Results: Significant differences were found between the sexes in body composition (FM%, FM, and FFM) and physical fitness (SLJ, SA, CF, and HS) (p < 0.001) in favour of males. Significant differences were also found in speed (p = 0.002), CF (p < 0.001), and SLJ (p = 0.004) in favour of normal-weight adolescents compared to overweight and obese adolescents. Contrarily, the outcomes revealed a significantly greater HS (p = 0.014) in favour of overweight and obese participants compared to normal-weight adolescents. Moreover, the results showed that CF and SLJ correlated inversely with BMI, FM%, and total FM. There was also a direct relationship between SA and FM percentage, as well as between HS and FFM. Finally, four fitness test predictive models are proposed based on body composition, age, sex, and BMI. Conclusions: Overweight and obese adolescents have lower levels of physical fitness than their normal-weight peers, regardless of their sex. Normal-ranged body composition values are related to a greater physical fitness in adolescents. Furthermore, this study presents several equations that can help to predict the performance of different fitness tests in adolescents.

Short-term optimal load training vs a modified complex training in semi-professional basketball players.

This study investigated the effects on neuromuscular performance of a 6-week Optimal Load Training (OLT) and a novel modified Complex Training (MCT) (complex pairs: the same exercise using a moderate and an OL) in basketball players, in-season. Eighteen male athletes were randomly assigned to one of the protocols. Anthropometric measurements were taken to evaluate body composition. Lower- and upper-body maximum dynamic strength, countermovement jump (CMJ), standing long jump (SLJ), 10-m sprint and change of direction (COD) were also assessed. Moderate-to-large strength gains (presented as percentage change ± 90% confidence limits) were obtained for half-squat (OLT: 10.8 ± 5.3%; MCT: 17.2 ± 11.6%) and hip thrust (OLT: 23.5 ± 17.7%; MCT: 28.2 ± 19.0%). OLT athletes achieved likely small improvements in sprint (1.6 ± 1.6%) and COD (3.0 ± 3.2%). Players in the MCT attained likely moderate improvements in COD (3.0 ± 2.0%) and possibly small in SLJ (2.5 ± 4.6%). No protocol relevantly affected CMJ or body composition. An ANCOVA test revealed unclear between-group differences. In conclusion, both protocols increased basketball players' strength without the use of heavy loads (> 85% 1RM) and without impairing sprint, CMJ and SLJ performance. These findings suggest that basketball strength and conditioning professionals may use either method to counteract strength losses during the season.

New Tool to Control and Monitor Weighted Vest Training Load for Sprinting and Jumping in Soccer.

Carlos-Vivas, J, Freitas, TT, Cuesta, M, Perez-Gomez, J, De Hoyo, M, and Alcaraz, PE. New tool to control and monitor weighted vest training load for sprinting and jumping in soccer. J Strength Cond Res 33(11): 3030-3038, 2019-The purpose of this study was to develop 2 regression equations that accurately describe the relationship between weighted vest loads and performance indicators in sprinting (i.e., maximum velocity, Vmax) and jumping (i.e., maximum height, Hmax). Also, this study aimed to investigate the effects of increasing the load on spatio-temporal variables and power development in soccer players and to determine the "optimal load" for sprinting and jumping. Twenty-five semiprofessional soccer players performed the sprint test, whereas a total of 46 completed the vertical jump test. Two different regression equations were developed for calculating the load for each exercise. The following equations were obtained: % body mass (BM) = -2.0762·%Vmax + 207.99 for the sprint and % BM = -0.7156·%Hmax + 71.588 for the vertical jump. For both sprinting and jumping, when the load increased, Vmax and Hmax decreased. The "optimal load" for resisted training using weighted vest was unclear for sprinting and close to BM for vertical jump. This study presents a new tool to individualize the training load for resisted sprinting and jumping using weighted vest in soccer players and to develop the whole force-velocity spectrum according to the objectives of the different periods of the season.

Core Semantic Links or Lexical Associations: Assessing the Nature of Responses in Word Association Tasks.

The processes tapped by the widely-used word association (WA) paradigm remain a matter of debate: while some authors consider them as driven by lexical co-occurrences, others emphasize the role of meaning-based connections. To test these contrastive hypotheses, we analyzed responses in a WA task in terms of their normative defining features (those describing the object denoted by the cue word). Results indicate that 72.5% of the responses had medium-to-high coincidence with such defining semantic features. Moreover, 75.51% of responses had medium-to-high values of Relevance (a measure of the importance of the feature for construing a given concept). Furthermore, most responses (62.7%) referred to elements of the situation in which the concept usually appears, followed by sensory properties (e.g., color) of the denoted object (27.86%). These results suggest that the processes behind WA tasks involve a reactivation of the cue item's semantic properties, particularly those most relevant to its core meaning.

Health Benefits of Indoor Cycling: A Systematic Review.

Background and Objectives: Indoor cycling is one of the most practiced activities in fitness centers for most people regardless of their physical conditioning level. Several studies have analyzed the effect of indoor cycling on several parameters related to health, such as maximal oxygen consumption, blood pressure, body composition, as well as biochemical markers such as HDL or LDL. However, no study has synthesized all health benefits associated with the indoor cycling practice in the form of a systematic review and established guidelines or recommendations. Therefore, the aim of this manuscript was to conduct a systematic review of published studies about the benefits of indoor cycling training and to establish recommendations for coaches, researchers, and practitioners. Materials and Methods: The PRISMA guidelines were followed to conduct the current systematic review. A systematic search was performed to retrieve relevant published articles until January 2019 using the following keywords: 'indoor cycling', 'indoor bicycle', and 'spinning exercise'. Information about participants, intervention, comparisons, outcomes, and study design (PICOS) was extracted. Results: A total of 300 studies were initially identified. After the revision process, 13 of them were included. The total sample size of the studies was 372 (306 women). Results revealed that indoor cycling may improve aerobic capacity, blood pressure, lipid profile, and body composition. These enhancements may be achieved as standalone intervention or combined with other physical exercises or diet. Conclusions: The combination of indoor cycling and diet is recommended to improve the lipid profile, lose weight, and reduce blood pressure. Furthermore, indoor cycling alone may also enhance aerobic capacity. Given the lack of randomized controlled trials, these conclusions should be taken with caution.

Spanish semantic feature production norms for 400 concrete concepts.

Semantic feature production norms provide many quantitative measures of different feature and concept variables that are necessary to solve some debates surrounding the nature of the organization, both normal and pathological, of semantic memory. Despite the current existence of norms for different languages, there are still no published norms in Spanish. This article presents a new set of norms collected from 810 participants for 400 living and nonliving concepts among Spanish speakers. These norms consist of empirical collections of features that participants used to describe the concepts. Four files were elaborated: a concept-feature file, a concept-concept matrix, a feature-feature matrix, and a significantly correlated features file. We expect that these norms will be useful for researchers in the fields of experimental psychology, neuropsychology, and psycholinguistics.

Role of Satisfaction with Life, Sex and Body Mass Index in Physical Literacy of Spanish Children.

Physical activity (PL) is essential to achieve good health, prevent cardiovascular diseases, obesity and overweight, as well as to achieve a better quality of life. Therefore, PL could become the tool to increase the practice of physical activity among young people, thus increasing life satisfaction (LS) given its positive relationship with physical activity. A single-measure cross-sectional correlational study was carried out, involving 135 children aged 8-12 years from Extremadura. They were administered the SWLS questionnaire and the Canadian assessment of physical literacy (CAPL-2). Significantly higher levels of PL (p = 0.010) were found in normal-weight children compared to overweight and obese children, due to the physical competence domain score (p < 0.001). PL was directly related to SWLS (p < 0.001), but inversely related to BMI (p = 0.018). The daily physical activity behaviour domain was explained by SWLS (p < 0.001) and sex (p < 0.001). Physical competence was described by SWLS (p < 0.001) and BMI (p = 0.045). Finally, the motivation and confidence domain were only significantly associated with SWLS (p < 0.001). It was concluded that boys and girls of normal weight achieved higher levels of PL and LS than those with overweight and obesity, establishing a negative relationship of PL with BMI and positive with LS.

Greater physical activity levels are associated with lower prevalence of tumors and risk of cancer in Spanish population: A cross-sectional study.

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and insufficient physical activity is a significant risk factor. This study analyzed the tumor prevalence based on sex, age, smoking, BMI, and physical activity level (PAL) in the Spanish people. Data from the Spanish National Health Survey (ENSE) was used, comprising a sample of 17,704 people diagnosed with malignant tumors. The findings revealed compelling associations (P < 0.001) between all variables examined and the prevalence of malignant tumors. Notably, women exhibited a higher prevalence than men (P < 0.05). Furthermore, individuals classified as obese displayed a greater prevalence of tumors than those within the normal weight range (P < 0.05). The analysis also showed that the inactive group had a higher prevalence of malignant tumors than the active group (P < 0.05). This study identified significant dependency relationships (P < 0.001) between PAL and the various population groups examined. Additionally, the general population analyzed in the ENSE2017 study demonstrated a reduced risk of developing malignant tumors among the active (P < 0.05) and very active groups (P < 0.05) compared to the inactive group. This risk reduction was consistently observed across different subgroups, including men, women, specific age groups, smoking, and BMI categories (P < 0.05). This study highlighted the importance of regular physical activity in reducing the risk and prevalence of malignant tumors in the Spanish population. These findings underscore the critical role of engaging in physical activity as a protective measure against cancer. Encouraging individuals to adopt an active lifestyle could significantly contribute to cancer prevention efforts and promote overall well-being.

8 weeks of 2S-hesperidin prevents a decrease in pO2 at submaximal intensity in amateur cyclists in off-season: randomized controlled trial.

Although chronic supplementation with 2S-hesperidin has been shown to improve performance, to date, the possible mechanisms underlying this effect have not been explored. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess whether changes in gasometry may be associated with improved performance after the intake of 2S-hesperidin (500 mg d-1, 8 weeks). Forty amateur cyclists (n = 20 2S-hesperidin, n = 20 placebo) performed a rectangular test, during which capillary blood samples were taken at the baseline, FatMax1, ventilatory threshold 1 and 2 (VT1 and VT2), power maximum (PMAX), FatMax2 and excess post-exercise O2 consumption (EPOC) to measure gasometry parameters. Significantly increased CO2 and tCO2 was found at FatMax1, VT1, FatMax2 and EPOC (p = <0.05) after 8 weeks of 2S-hesperidin ingestion. Conversely, the placebo group had a significant decrease in pO2 at VT2 (p = 0.04) during the rectangular test, with no changes in the 2S-hesperidin group. Therefore, chronic supplementation with 2S-hesperidin prevents decreases in pO2 at submaximal intensities in amateur cyclists in an off-season period.

Weekly variations of accelerometer variables and workload of professional soccer players from different positions throughout a season.

The current study aimed to analyze, using accelerometer-based activity, acute workload, chronic workload, acutechronic workloads ratio, training-monotony and training-strain throughout a competitive soccer-season and to compare these variables between players from different playing positions. Twenty-one professional soccer-players were monitored during the 48 weeks of the season. Players were grouped according to their position. Four lateral-defenders and four winger-players formed LDW group, four central-defenders and four forwards formed CDF group, and six midfielder-players formed MDF group. Accelerometer-based variables were collected during training and match contexts and were used to generate indicators of weekly acute and chronic workload, training monotony, training strain and metabolic power. A one-way ANOVA compared all dependent variables between groups, and effect sizes for pairwise comparisons were calculated. Results revealed variations in the weekly load throughout the season, which demands caution from coaches to avoid injuries. There were no differences in weekly-loads for all dependent variables (P > 0.05, small-to-moderate effects). We conclude that the weekly-load is not constant during a competitive season and players from different positions have similar weekly-loads. Therefore, previously reported in the literature, possible match-related positional differences might be compensated by differences in training-related loads, leading to a similar profile when considering the whole week.

The effects of whole-body muscle stimulation on body composition and strength parameters: A PRISMA systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This systematic review and meta-analysis set out to determine the efficacy of whole-body muscle electrostimulation on body composition, strength, and muscle power in active and non-active adults (aged ≥18 years). METHOD: This review was reported in accordance with the Protocol Statement of Preferred Reporting Element Guidelines for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis included controlled trials; whole-body electromyostimulation trials with at least 1 exercise and control group; participants >18 years old. Outcome measures were defined as standardized mean differences for muscle mass, body fat mass, strength, and power. Studies were searched in the following electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and EMBASE for all articles published up to July 30, 2021. The risk of bias was assessed by 2 independent researchers using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations approach. Analyses were performed using the metafor package of the statistical software R (version 4.0.3; R Core Team, 2020). Random effects models, forest, and funnel plots to quantify the asymmetry associated with publication bias were fitted using the metafor library in R. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using I2 statistics. RESULTS: In total, 26 studies representing 1183 participants were included (WB-electromyostimulation: n = 586 and control group: n = 597). The mean age of the participants ranged from a minimum of 20.4 to a maximum of 77.4 years old. Interventions lasted a minimum of 4 and a maximum of 54 weeks. Standardized mean difference was 0.36 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.16-0.57) for muscle mass, -0.38 (95% CI: -0.62-0.15) for body fat, 0.54 (95% CI: 0.35-0.72) for strength, and 0.36 (95% CI: 0.02-0.71) for power with significant differences between groups (all P < .04). I2 revealed low heterogeneity of muscle mass (15%) and power (0%) between trials and medium heterogeneity of body fat (45%) and strength (55%). CONCLUSION: We concluded that WB-electromyostimulation has significant positive effects on muscle mass, body fat, strength, and power.

Effects of a 4-Week After-School Physical Literacy Program on Health-Related Quality of Life and Symptomatology in Schoolchildren with ADHD: A Study Protocol.

Research has shown that physical activity programs led to improvements in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, no study evaluating the impact of a physical literacy (PL) program has been conducted. This study aims to examine PL and the effects of an after-school PL program on Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and ADHD symptomatology including quality and sustained attention. A parallel-group randomised controlled trial will be conducted assessing PL, HRQoL and ADHD symptomatology, both at the beginning and the end of the PL after-school program implementation. The program will last 4 weeks, including two sessions per week lasting 55 min. Sessions will be divided into several parts: greeting (5 min), block I (20 min), block II (20 min) and relaxation and feedback (10 min). Block I will focus on the acquisition of content that contributes to the development of the domains of knowledge and understanding and daily activity; and block II, in addition to favouring physical competence, will seek to improve motivation. If this program proves its effectiveness, it could be an alternative to be included in educational systems, representing a scientific breakthrough regarding physical activity adherence and inactivity-related disease prevention, HRQoL and management of ADHD-associated symptomatology.

Fibromyalgia, Pain, and Physical Activity: A Bibliometric Analysis.

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a rheumatic disease characterized by pain, fatigue, low-quality sleep, depression, anxiety, stiffness, fall risk, mood disturbance, cognitive impairment, poor physical condition, and other symptoms leading to a worse quality of life. Physical activity (PA) and exercise are effective methods to reduce FM symptoms, including pain. This study presents the first bibliometric study on FM, pain, and PA. An advanced search of the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database performed on this topic using was carried out traditional bibliometric laws. A total of 737 documents were found. Annual publications presented an exponentially growing trend (R2 = 85.3%). Rheumatology International, Kaisa Mannerkorpi, and the USA were the journal, co-author, and country most productive, respectively. The exponential growth of annual publications on FM, PA, and pain shows the high interest of researchers and publishers in this topic. The document "Fibromyalgia A Clinical Review" was the most cited. Moreover, Kaisa Mannerkorpi was the most prolific co-author, Rheumatology International was the most prolific journal, "Fibromyalgia: a clinical review" was the most highly cited document, and Daniel Clauw was the most cited co-author.

Portuguese translation and validation of the questionnaires from the Canadian Physical Literacy Assessment-2: a pilot study.

Background/objective: Physical literacy assessment is considered a vital resource to decrease the prevalence of sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity in children and adolescents worldwide. In Portugal, there is no physical literacy assessment tool for children under 15 years old. The main objective of this study was to carry out a translation and cultural adaptation of the Canadian Physical Literacy Assessment 2 (CAPL-2) into Portuguese, as well as to test its psychometric properties, in children between 8 and 12 years of age. Methods: The questionnaires included in the CAPL-2 were translated using the translation-back-translation method and adapted to their context. The test-retest reliability, internal consistency, and confirmatory factor analysis of the CAPL-2 Portuguese version were analyzed in a sample of 69 and 138 students, respectively, from a school in the Alentejo region (Portugal). Results: The Portuguese version of the CAPL-2 questionnaires demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.713-0.979) and test-retest reliability ranging from moderate to nearly perfect in the motivation and confidence domain and knowledge and comprehension domain (ICC = 0.549-0.932). The results showed a good fit after adjusting for covariation paths (CMIN/DF = 1.382, p = 0.105, RMSEA = 0.053, CFI = 0.971, TLI = 0.955, NFI = 0.907). Conclusion: The CAPL-2 version of the questionnaires, translated and adapted to the Portuguese context, demonstrated validity and reliability, making them suitable for assessing physical literacy in children aged 8-12 years.

Association between GHQ-12, Duke-UNC-11, Physical Activity, and Self-Perceived Health in Spanish Adults with Cancerous Tumours: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: In Spain, people who have overcome some type of cancer have significantly worse self-perceived health (SPH) and higher rates of depression than people who have never suffered any type of cancer. Objective: to explore the relationships among physical activity levels (PAL), perceived social support (PSS), and SPH in terms of mental health and its dimensions in Spanish adults with cancerous tumours. Methods: A correlational study rooted in the National Health Survey 2017 for adults was carried out, including 627 Spanish residents who reported having malignant tumours. Results: A dependent association was found between PAL and SPH (p < 0.001). The mental health mean score decreased as PAL increased for the total sample and for both sexes, separately (p < 0.001). Low reverse associations were also observed between PAL and mental health (rho: −0.274; p < 0.001), successful coping (rho: −0.239; p < 0.001) and self-confidence (rho: −0.264; p <0.001). Moreover, PSS weakly and inversely correlates with mental health (r: −0.225; p < 0.001), successful coping (r: −0.218; p < 0.001) and self-confidence (r: −0.231; p < 0.001). A binary logistic model showed that active and very active people presented less threat of poor SPH, as did people with higher PSS (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Greater levels of physical activity are associated with larger mean scores in the three dimensions of mental health, perceived social support and self-perceived health in people with cancerous tumours.

Three verbal fluency tasks: Normative data and convergent validity in Argentines over 50 years.

Verbal fluency tasks are frequently used in neuropsychological assessment, standing out for their easy application and good sensitivity to early cognitive impairment. However, in Argentina, the availability of updated norms is limited, especially for the action fluency variant. There is also little evidence of validity. Objectives: The aim of this study was to obtain Argentine norms for three verbal fluency tasks and to analyze their convergent validity. Methods: Using a nonprobability sampling method, 303 Argentines from a nonclinical population (age mean=66.8, 50-91 years) were recruited to participate in this study. Those with medical conditions that could compromise neuropsychological performance were excluded. Three verbal fluency tasks (i.e., phonological, semantic, and action), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, and the Digit Span-WAIS III test were administered. Correlations and multiple regressions were subsequently performed. Results: Education and age significantly explained 11.8% of the variance in phonological fluency, 15.8% of the variance in semantic fluency, and 20.2% of the variance in action fluency. Hence, the normative data varied according to educational level and age group, with normal performance limit values between 9 and 14 for phonological fluency, 11 and 18 for semantic fluency, and 8 and 17 for action fluency. Positive correlations were obtained between all verbal fluency tasks, as well as between the MoCA test and the Digit Span test. Conclusions: This study supports the applicability of three verbal fluency tasks in an Argentine context by providing age- and education-corrected norms and acceptable evidence of convergent validity.

As tarefas de fluência verbal são frequentemente utilizadas na avaliação neuropsicológica, destacando-se pela facilidade de aplicação e boa sensibilidade ao comprometimento cognitivo incipiente. No entanto, na Argentina, a disponibilidade de padrões atualizados é limitada, especialmente pela variante de fluência de ações. Assim sendo, a evidência de validade é escassa. Objetivos: Obter normas argentinas para três tarefas de fluência verbal e analisar sua validade convergente. Métodos: Usando um método de amostragem não probabilística, 303 argentinos de uma população não clínica (idade M=66,8, 50­91 anos) foram recrutados para participar deste estudo. Foram excluídos aqueles com condições médicas que pudessem comprometer o desempenho neuropsicológico. Três tarefas de fluência verbal (ou seja, fonológica, semântica e ações), o teste Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) e o teste Digit Span-WAIS III foram administrados. Correlações e regressão múltipla foram realizadas posteriormente. Resultados: A escolaridade e a idade explicaram significativamente 11,8% da variância da fluência fonológica, 15,8% da variância da fluência semântica e 20,2% da variância da fluência de ações. Assim, os dados normativos variaram de acordo com a escolaridade e a faixa etária, com limite de desempenho normal entre 9 e 14 para fluência fonológica, 11 e 18 para fluência semântica e 8 e 17 para fluência de ações. Foram obtidas correlações positivas entre todas as tarefas de fluência verbal, bem como entre estas, o teste MoCA e o Digit Span. Conclusões: Este estudo apoia a aplicabilidade de três tarefas de fluência verbal no contexto argentino, fornecendo normas corrigidas por idade e educação e evidências aceitáveis de validade convergente.