Muscular and Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Homeschool versus Public School Children

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura S. Kabiri ◽  
Katy Mitchell ◽  
Wayne Brewer ◽  
Alexis Ortiz
Keyword(s):  
Public School ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
School Children ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Muscular Fitness ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Type Method ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
And Gender

Purpose:The growth and unregulated structure of homeschooling creates an unknown population in regard to muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness. The purpose of this research was to compare muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness between elementary school aged homeschool and public school children.Method:Homeschool children ages 8–11 years old (n = 75) completed the curl-up, 90° push-up, and Progressive Aerobic Capacity Endurance Run (PACER) portions of the FitnessGram to assess abdominal and upper body strength and endurance as well as cardiorespiratory fitness. Comparisons to public school children (n = 75) were made using t tests and chi-square tests.Results:Homeschool children showed significantly lower abdominal (t(148) = -11.441, p < .001; χ2 (1) = 35.503, p < .001) and upper body (t(148) = -3.610, p < .001; χ2 (1) = 4.881, p = .027) strength and endurance. There were no significant differences in cardiorespiratory fitness by total PACER laps (t(108) = 0.879, p = .381) or estimated VO2max (t(70) = 1.187, p = .239; χ2 (1) = 1.444, p = .486).Conclusion:Homeschool children showed significantly lower levels of both abdominal and upper body muscular fitness compared with their age and gender matched public school peers but no difference in cardiorespiratory fitness.

Associations of Maternal Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain With Physical Fitness in Childhood

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 165-171
Author(s):  
Konstantinos D. Tambalis ◽  
Stamatis Mourtakos ◽  
Labros S. Sidossis
Keyword(s):  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Gestational Weight ◽  
Prepregnancy Body Mass Index ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Fitness Tests ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
Lower Body Strength

Purpose: To investigate the potential associations of maternal prepregnancy body mass index (mppBMI) and gestational weight gain (GWG) with physical fitness in children. Methods: A random sample of 5125 children and their mothers was evaluated. The mothers provided data contained in their medical booklets and pregnancy ultrasound records. The data from 5 physical fitness tests (eg, 20-m shuttle run, 30-m sprint, vertical jump, standing long jump, and small ball throw) were used to assess children’s cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, explosive power, and lower and upper body strength, respectively. Results: MppBMI was inversely associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (b = −0.02), lower body strength (b = −1.01), upper body strength (b = −0.07), and speed (b = 0.04). Also, GWG was unfavorably associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (b = −0.02), lower body strength (b = −1.12), upper body strength (b = −0.03), and speed (b = 0.03), after adjusting for sex, birth weight, and children’s BMI (all P values < .05). Children of mothers with an mppBMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and excess GWG had almost 30% and 20% increased odds for low performances in physical fitness tests than those of mothers with an mppBMI < 25 kg/m2 and adequate GWG, respectively. Conclusions: Antenatal factors such as increased mppBMI and excess GWG could play an unfavorable role in the future health of the offspring.

scholarly journals Secular trends in health-related physical fitness among 11–14-year-old Croatian children and adolescents from 1999 to 2014

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario Kasović ◽  
Lovro Štefan ◽  
Vilko Petrić
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
Lower Body Power

AbstractThe main purpose of the study was to analyze secular trends of health-related physical fitness in 7–14-year-old Croatian children and adolescents from 1999 and 2014. In this observational cross-sectional study, we recruited 5077 children and adolescents between ages 11 and 14 (50.8% girls) from five primary schools located in the capital city of Zagreb. Physical fitness performance was tested from 1999 until 2014. Physical fitness performance included: (1) body-mass index (measure of body size), (2) standing broad jump (measure of lower-body power), (3) polygon backwards (measure of general coordination and agility), (4) sit-ups in 60 s (measure of upper-body strength), (5) sit-and-reach test (measure of flexibility) and (6) 6-min run test (measure of cardiorespiratory fitness). Boys performed better in all physical fitness tests, except for sit-and-reach test (p < 0.001). In boys, between 1999 and 2014, body size, upper-body strength and coordination/agility increased, while flexibility, lower-body power and cardiorespiratory fitness decreased. During the same period, girls experienced an increase in body size, lower-body power, upper-body strength, coordination/agility and flexibility, while cardiorespiratory fitness decreased. This study shows that cardiorespiratory fitness, flexibility and coordination/agility decrease, while upper-body strength increases in both sexes. These findings should serve as an avenue for national monitoring system to screen and track biological development in children and adolescents.

Activity Behaviors and Physiological Characteristics of Women With Advanced-Stage Ovarian Cancer: A Preliminary Cross-sectional Investigation

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 604-613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christelle Schofield ◽  
Robert U. Newton ◽  
Paul A. Cohen ◽  
Daniel A. Galvão ◽  
Joanne A. McVeigh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Vigorous Physical Activity ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
Sedentary Bouts ◽  
Muscle Cross Sectional Area

ObjectivesOvarian cancer (OC) survivors experience many disease and treatment adverse effects. However, the impact of OC and its treatment on objective activity behaviors and physiological status have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to compare objectively measured activity behaviors and physiological characteristics of advanced-stage OC survivors to age-matched controls.MethodsTwenty stage III–IV OC survivors and 20 controls completed assessments of activity behaviors (7-day accelerometry), physical function (400-meter walk as indicator of cardiorespiratory fitness, repeated chair rise, 6-meter walking tests), muscle strength (1-repetition maximum and handgrip), body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), and musculoskeletal morphology (peripheral quantitative computed tomography).ResultsCompared with controls, OC survivors spent more time/day in prolonged sedentary bouts (P = 0.039, r = 0.32), had lower cardiorespiratory fitness (P = 0.041, r = 0.33) and upper body strength (P = 0.023, r = 0.37), had higher areal bone mineral content (P = 0.047, r = 0.33) and volumetric trabecular density (P = 0.048, r = 0.31), but were not different in other measures of body composition nor in muscle morphology (P > 0.050). Only 20% (n = 4) of OC survivors accrued 150 minutes/week or greater moderate and vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time in 10-minute bouts or greater. Moderate and vigorous physical activity time/day in 10-minute bouts or greater was strongly associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (P = 0.001, ρ = −0.702) and lower extremity function (P = 0.019, ρ = −0.519) and moderately associated with muscle cross-sectional area (P = 0.035, ρ = 0.473).ConclusionsPosttreatment OC survivors spent more time in prolonged sedentary bouts and had lower cardiorespiratory fitness and upper body strength compared with controls. Moderate and vigorous physical activity was associated with physical function and muscle cross-sectional area. Future studies should test the efficacy of exercise interventions to increase MVPA, reduce sedentary behavior, and increase cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength in OC survivors.

Birth Weight was Favorably Associated With Physical Fitness in Childhood After Adjustment for Several Perinatal Factors

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Konstantinos D. Tambalis ◽  
Stamatis Mourtakos ◽  
Labros S. Sidossis
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Low Birth Weight ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽  
Infant Growth ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Perinatal Factors ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Upper Body Strength

Background: The purpose was to examine the potential associations of birth weight and infant growth with physical fitness (PF) components in childhood. Method: A random sample of 5125 dyads of children aged 8–9 years and their mothers were evaluated. Telephone interviews were carried out with the use of a standardized questionnaire for the collection of maternal lifestyle factors. Mothers were asked to provide information contained in their medical booklets and pregnancy ultrasound records. Data from 5 PF tests were used to assess cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, and body strength. Linear regression analysis was applied to assess the associations between birth weight and infant growth with PF test performances and logistic regression analysis to evaluate the associations of normal weight versus low birth weight and normal versus accelerated infant growth with PF tests performance categories (low vs high/average). Results: Birth weight was favorably associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (b = 0.12 stage increase per SD increase in birth weight, P = .047), lower body strength (b = 1.07, P = .037), upper body strength (b = 0.10, P = .038), and speed (b = −0.04, P = .001), and infant growth was associated with upper body strength (b = 0.21 cm increase per SD increase in infant weight gain, P < .001) after adjusting for children’s body mass index and several perinatal factors. Low birth weight children had 35% increased odds for low performances in PF tests compared with their normal birth weight counterparts. Conclusion: Low birth weight negatively affects childhood PF, and hence, it could play an unfavorable role in the future health of the offspring.

Relationships among Selected Attributes and Three Measures of Upper Body Strength and Endurance in Elementary School Children

1992 ◽  
Vol 75 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1115-1123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sherry L. Folsom-Meek ◽  
James Herauf ◽  
Nicholas A. Adams
Keyword(s):  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Elementary School ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
School Children ◽  
Elementary School Children ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Percent Body Fat ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Upper Body Strength

The purpose of this investigation was to assess (a) proportions of children unable to perform each of three measures of upper body strength and endurance—pull-up, flexed-arm hang, and modified pull-up; (b) relationships among selected attribute variables of age, weight, percent body fat, and body mass index, and the three measures of upper body strength and endurance; and (c) the attribute variables which best predict scores for the three measures of upper body strength and endurance. Subjects were 104 elementary school children in Grades 1 through 6. Percentages of children obtaining zero scores were computed. Intercorrelations among the attribute and upper body strength and endurance variables were examined for significance and effect size. For each of the three measures of upper body strength and endurance, a max R2 forward stepwise, multiple regression analysis was performed to identify which attribute variables best predict the score of that particular measure. Analyses indicated that age and percent body fat were the best predictors of pull-up and flexed-arm hang scores, whereas age and body mass index best predicted the modified pull-up score.

scholarly journals Headache and musculoskeletal pain in school children are associated with uncorrected vision problems and need for glasses: a case–control study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne-Mari Schiøtz Thorud ◽  
Rakel Aurjord ◽  
Helle K. Falkenberg
Keyword(s):  
Musculoskeletal Pain ◽  
School Children ◽  
School Health ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Musculoskeletal Symptoms ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pain Group ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Years Lived With Disability ◽  
Near Work

AbstractMusculoskeletal pain and headache are leading causes of years lived with disability, and an escalating problem in school children. Children spend increasingly more time reading and using digital screens, and increased near tasks intensify the workload on the precise coordination of the visual and head-stabilizing systems. Even minor vision problems can provoke headache and neck- and shoulder (pericranial) pain. This study investigated the association between headaches, pericranial tenderness, vision problems, and the need for glasses in children. An eye and physical examination was performed in twenty 10–15 year old children presenting to the school health nurse with headache and pericranial pain (pain group), and twenty age-and-gender matched classmates (control group). The results showed that twice as many children in the pain group had uncorrected vision and needed glasses. Most children were hyperopic, and glasses were recommended mainly for near work. Headache and pericranial tenderness were significantly correlated to reduced binocular vision, reduced distance vision, and the need for new glasses. That uncorrected vision problems are related to upper body musculoskeletal symptoms and headache, indicate that all children with these symptoms should have a full eye examination to promote health and academic performance.

scholarly journals Influences of Differing Menarche Status on Motor Capabilities of Girls, 13 To 16 Years: A Two-Year Follow-Up Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5539
Author(s):  
Barry Gerber ◽  
Anita E. Pienaar ◽  
Ankebe Kruger
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Motor Fitness ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
The Status ◽  
Hand Eye Coordination ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
D Values

Puberty and the onset of menarche influences the motor performance of girls. However, the magnitude of these influences during varying maturity status, is not clear. This longitudinal study over two years aimed to investigate differences in motor fitness between early and late developing girls based on pre- and post-menarche status. A convenience sample (n = 58) of girls aged 13.51 ± 3.51, divided by means of the Status Quo method into pre (n = 13) and post-menarche (n = 45) groups, was used. Motor fitness was tested once annually by standardized protocols. Basic statistics, independent t-testing and a repeated measures ANOVA with a post hoc Bonferonni correction were used (p < 0.05 = statistical significance). Effect sizes were determined by Cohen’s d-values. Only explosive upper body strength differed significantly between groups during baseline, favoring post-menarche girls. Initially, post-menarche girls showed advantages in hand-eye coordination and speed (p > 0.05) with pre-menarche girls performing better in agility and explosive leg strength (p > 0.05). At 15.51 years, no significant, between-group differences were found. Pre-menarche girls surpassed post-menarche girls in hand-eye coordination and 0–40 m speed and post-menarche girls displayed higher explosive leg and upper body strength scores (p > 0.05). Our data show that the potential to excel in sport based on motor capabilities can only be accurately estimated 1–2 years after reaching menarche.

scholarly journals An Eye Tracking Examination of Men’s Attractiveness by Conceptive Risk Women

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 147470491769074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray Garza ◽  
Roberto R. Heredia ◽  
Anna B. Cieślicka
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Mexican American ◽  
Hispanic Women ◽  
Fat Distribution ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Body Hair ◽  
Body Strength ◽  
Upper Body Strength ◽  
Visual Attraction ◽  
Physical Shape

Previous research has indicated that women prefer men who exhibit an android physical appearance where fat distribution is deposited on the upper body (i.e., shoulders and arms) and abdomen. This ideal physical shape has been associated with perceived dominance, health, and immunocompetence. Although research has investigated attractability of men with these ideal characteristics, research on how women visually perceive these characteristics is limited. The current study investigated visual perception and attraction toward men in Hispanic women of Mexican American descent. Women exposed to a front-posed image, where the waist-to-chest ratio (WCR) and hair distribution were manipulated, rated men’s body image associated with upper body strength (low WCR 0.7) as more attractive. Additionally, conceptive risk did not play a strong role in attractiveness and visual attention. Hair distribution did not contribute to increased ratings of attraction but did contribute to visual attraction when measuring total time where men with both facial and body hair were viewed longer. These findings suggest that physical characteristics in men exhibiting upper body strength and dominance are strong predictors of visual attraction.

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