Comparison of physical activity of children in a state kindergarten and a forest kindergarten in the Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 120-129
Author(s):  
Dita Culková ◽  
Lucie Francová ◽  
Ivan Růžička ◽  
Dana Urbanová ◽  
Jan Suk

Introduction: This study compares physical activity of children in a state kindergarten and a forest kindergarten, particularly the number of steps taken, which can indicate the quantity of physical activity. The objective is to monitor the number of steps taken by children in selected institutions and to conduct an analysis in relation to the structure of the daily programme and movement regimen of these institutions contributing thus to the discussion concerning physical literacy formation among preschool children. Methods: The study is of a descriptive non-intervention character using mechanical pedometers. The sample consists of 73 children (36 in the state kindergarten, 37 in the forest kindergarten). The data are processed using a nonparametric Mann-Whitney test and Cohen's d. Results: At the significance level of 0.05 it was discovered that children from the forest kindergarten take significantly more steps in the observed period than children from the state kindergarten. The Z-score is -4.357 and p < 0.001. Substantive significance for the level of physical activity measured by the number of steps is high. Cohen's d = (532057–354714)/133355.005729 = 1.33. Conclusion: Physical literacy is influenced by both the quality of physical activity and the quantity, which was larger in the forest kindergarten. This may be related to the amount of spontaneous physical activity and the frequency and length of trips. However, controlled physical activities in the state kindergarten, especially morning exercise, can improve the quality and increase physical literacy as well. There is a need for a competent approach of teachers, sensitive inclusion of physical activities in the daily programme with emphasis on internal motivation, and awareness of benefits and drawback of both spontaneous physical activity and controlled activities represented by regular morning exercise.

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (11) ◽  
pp. 2130-2138
Author(s):  
Katherine S Hall ◽  
Miriam C Morey ◽  
Jean C Beckham ◽  
Hayden B Bosworth ◽  
Richard Sloane ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Military veterans living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) face significant physical and functional health disparities, which are often aggravated over time and in the context aging. Evidence has shown that physical activity can positively impact age-related health conditions, yet exercise trials in older adults with mental disorders are rare. Our study was a tailored and targeted pilot exercise intervention for older veterans with PTSD. Methods Fifty-four older veterans with PTSD (mean age = 67.4 years, 90.7% male, 85.2% non-white) were randomized to supervised exercise (n = 38) or wait-list usual care (n = 18) for 12 weeks. Physical activity (MET-min/wk) and aerobic endurance (assessed with the 6-minute walk test) were primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were physical performance (strength, mobility, balance), cardiometabolic risk factors (eg, waist circumference), and health-related quality of life. Results At 12 weeks, a large effect of the intervention on physical activity levels (Cohen’s d = 1.37) was observed compared to wait-list usual care. Aerobic endurance improved by 69 m in the exercise group compared to 10 m in wait-list group, reflecting a moderate between-group effect (Cohen’s d = 0.50). Between-group differences on 12-week changes in physical performance, cardiometabolic risk factors, and health-related quality of life ranged from small to large effects (Cohen’s d = 0.28–1.48), favoring the exercise arm. Conclusion Participation in supervised exercise improved aerobic endurance, physical performance, and health-related clinical factors in older veterans with PTSD; a medically complex population with multiple morbidity. Group exercise is a low-cost, low-stigma intervention, and implementation efforts among older veterans with PTSD warrants further consideration.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 226-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amerigo Rossi ◽  
Ciarán Friel ◽  
Leeja Carter ◽  
Carol Ewing Garber

Purpose. To determine whether theory-based physical activity (PA) interventions for overweight and obese female cancer survivors lead to increased PA and improved health. Methods. This systematic review examined randomized controlled trials analyzing the impact of theory-based PA interventions on overweight and obese female cancer survivors through December 2016. Searches of 5 electronic databases revealed 10 articles that included 1351 participants who met the inclusion criteria. Results. Participants were primarily non-Hispanic white (74%-100%) breast or endometrial cancer survivors. Intervention characteristics and PA assessment tools varied greatly. Adherence (68%-99%) and retention (79%-100%) were relatively high. Social cognitive theory was utilized as the theoretical construct in 9 of the 10 studies. Home-based interventions led to small improvements in PA (Cohen’s d range = 0.25-0.31), whereas home-based plus center-based interventions led to moderate to large improvements (Cohen’s d range = 0.45-1.02). Only three of the studies assessed psychosocial behavioral processes associated with PA, and the results were mixed. Health-related outcomes included improvements in aerobic fitness (Cohen’s d = 0.32-1.1 in 5 studies), large absolute decreases in waist circumferences (>6 cm in 3 of 5 studies; Cohen’s d = −0.31 to −1.02), and no change in inflammatory biomarkers (in 2 studies). Only one serious adverse event (pelvic stress fracture) was attributed to the interventions. Conclusions. Theory-based PA interventions are safe and feasible for overweight and obese female cancer survivors. Interventions that include a center-based component showed moderate to large effect sizes for PA. Future studies should evaluate behavioral variables and more health-related clinical outcomes.


Author(s):  
Leonice Fumiko Sato Kurebayashi ◽  
Ruth Natalia Teresa Turrini ◽  
Talita Pavarini Borges de Souza ◽  
Carolina Felicio Marques ◽  
Renata Tavares Franco Rodrigues ◽  
...  

RESUMEN Objectives: to evaluate the effectiveness of the auricular protocol (APPA) in reducing pain and anxiety and improving the quality of life of the nursing staff of a hospital. Method: randomized clinical trial with an initial sample of 180 professionals divided into 4 groups Control (G1), Seed (G2), Needle (G3) and Tape (G4). The evaluation instruments were the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Pain Visual Analog Scale and Quality of Life instrument, applied at the start and after five and 10 sessions (five weeks). Descriptive statistics, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Cohen's d Index were used in the analysis. Results: there was a statistical difference (p < 0.05) for anxiety according to the repeated measures ANOVA, with better results for the G3 in the final assessment (Cohen's d index 1.08/17% reduction). There was a reduction of pain of 36% in G3 and 24% in G2 and a 13% increase in the mental aspect of quality of life for the G3, although without statistical significance. Conclusion: the APPA protocol reduced the anxiety levels of nursing staff after 10 sessions. Further studies are, however, suggested with new populations and in different contexts so that the results can be confirmed. RBR-5pc43m.


2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
H.F. Al-Sultani ◽  
J.C. Field ◽  
J.M. Thomason ◽  
P.J. Moynihan

Introduction: Despite much research on the impact of edentulism and prosthetic rehabilitation on food and nutrient intake, there is little information on how replacing complete dentures affects social and emotional issues around eating. Objectives: To investigate, in a cohort study, how replacing conventional complete dentures affects eating-related quality of life (ERQoL). A secondary aim was to test the responsiveness of an Emotional and Social Issues Related to Eating (ESIRE) questionnaire to change in ERQoL. Methods: Participants, recruited from the Dental Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, completed the self-administrated ESIRE questionnaire before and after provision of new conventional complete dentures. Paired t test was used to determine any change between pre- and posttreatment ESIRE scores, which can range from 0 (poor) to 100 (excellent). Cohen’s d effect size was used to measure the magnitude of change in ERQoL. Standardized response mean (SRM) was used to measure the responsiveness of the ESIRE questionnaire to changes in ERQoL. Results: Fifty-five participants aged 52 to 85 y (mean, 72 y), including 21 males (42%) and 29 females (58%), completed the study. A statistically significant improvement in the total ESIRE scores was found, mean (SE) +20.3 (3.30), P < 0.001. Equally, all domains of the ESIRE questionnaire showed significant improvements: enjoyment of food/eating, +27.3 (3.63), P < 0.001; self-consciousness/embarrassment, +18.1 (3.88), P < 0.001; interruption to meals, +13.3 (5.27), P < 0.05; confidence when eating, +18.7 (4.84), P < 0.001; time for eating/preparation of meals, +18.5 (4.85), P < 0.001); and functional ability to eat, +18.2 (3.67), P < 0.001). Cohen’s d was large (0.95) for the total score and ranged from medium (0.37) to large (1.30) for all domains. Value of SRM was large (0.87) for the total score and ranged from medium (0.36) to large (1.1) for all domains. Conclusion: Denture replacement can directly improve ERQoL. The ESIRE questionnaire was responsive to clinically important changes in ERQoL. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study improve the understanding of the impact of denture replacement on eating-related quality of life (ERQoL). Clinicians are encouraged to pay more attention to the impact of wearing conventional complete dentures on social and emotional issues around eating. The findings should motivate clinicians and inspire specialists in prosthodontics and oral rehabilitation to continue providing conventional complete dentures as a suitable treatment option for edentulous patients.


Author(s):  
Sadegh Fathi ◽  
Hassan Sajadzadeh ◽  
Faezeh Mohammadi Sheshkal ◽  
Farshid Aram ◽  
Gergo Pinter ◽  
...  

Along with environmental pollution, urban planning has been connected to public health. The research indicates that the quality of built environments plays an important role in reducing mental disorders and overall health. The structure and shape of the city are considered as one of the factors influencing happiness and health in urban communities and the type of the daily activities of citizens. The aim of this study was to promote physical activity in the main structure of the city via urban design in a way that the main form and morphology of the city can encourage citizens to move around and have physical activity within the city. Functional, physical, cultural-social, and perceptual-visual features are regarded as the most important and effective criteria in increasing physical activities in urban spaces, based on literature review. The environmental quality of urban spaces and their role in the physical activities of citizens in urban spaces were assessed by using the questionnaire tool and analytical network process (ANP) of structural equation modeling. Further, the space syntax method was utilized to evaluate the role of the spatial integration of urban spaces on improving physical activities. Based on the results, consideration of functional diversity, spatial flexibility and integration, security, and the aesthetic and visual quality of urban spaces plays an important role in improving the physical health of citizens in urban spaces. Further, more physical activities, including motivation for walking and the sense of public health and happiness, were observed in the streets having higher linkage and space syntax indexes with their surrounding texture.


Retos ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 684-695
Author(s):  
Marta García-Tascón ◽  
Cristina Mendaña-Cuervo ◽  
César Sahelices-Pinto ◽  
Ana-Mª Magaz-González

En España, la declaración del estado de alarma por la pandemia Covid-19, supuso que entre el 14 de marzo y el 2 de mayo de 2020, 47 millones de habitantes estuvieran confinados y sólo pudieran salir a cubrir necesidades básicas. Ante este hecho es oportuno analizar su impacto sobre la salud, tomando en consideración cómo afectó a la práctica de la actividad física. Se administró un cuestionario ad hoc. Los participantes fueron 1046 personas (hombre 48.57% y mujer 51.43%) y con una edad media de 40 (± DT 13.35 años). Respecto a la práctica de actividad física, destaca una significativa disminución de intensidad y cantidad (p < .001), y una modificación del tipo de actividad física realizada, pasando de deportes cardiovasculares y de aptitud muscular a prácticas de gimnasias suaves y flexibilidad. Aumentó el porcentaje total de personas que no realizaron nada de actividad física. Aun disponiendo de más tiempo libre, las personas en situación de ERTE, disminuyeron significativamente su cantidad de actividad física realizada (p < .001). Estos resultados permiten concluir que el confinamiento supuso una modificación de hábitos de práctica de actividad física, una disminución de los valores recomendados como saludables, lo que conllevó implicaciones sobre la salud y la calidad de vida. Se ofrece información que ayudará a entender estos nuevos comportamientos y que facilitará a los gestores estrategias innovadoras para activar la vuelta a niveles anteriores de actividad física, su incremento y, en definitiva, la reactivación del sector deportivo.  Abstract: In Spain, the declaration of the state of alarm due to the Covid-19 pandemic, meant that between 14th of March and 2nd of May 2020, 47 million inhabitants were confined at home and could only go out to cover basic needs. This unprecedented event has led to a paradigm shift, and it is appropriate to analyze its impact on health, considering how it has affected the practice of physical activity. An ad hoc questionnaire was administered. The participants were 1046 people (48.57% male and 51.43% female) and the average age of 40 (± DT 13.35 years). Regarding the practice of physical activity, a significant decrease in intensity and quantity stands out (p < .001), and a modification of the type of physical activity performed, going from cardiovascular sports and muscular fitness to soft gymnastics and flexibility practices. The total percentage of people who did no physical activity at all, increased. In addition, although more free time was available, people in ERTE situation significantly decreased their amount of physical activity performed (p < .001). These results allow us to conclude that confinement has meant a modification of physical activity practice habits and a decrease in the recommended values ​​of healthy healthy, and therefore has had implications on health and quality of life. This information will help to understand these new behaviors in order for managers to implement innovative strategies to reactivate the return to previous levels of physical activity, its increase and, in short, the reactivation of the sports sector.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Misriandi ◽  
Yufiarti ◽  
Elindrayetti

Abstract. This paper is aimed at examining the effect of physical activity, socioeconomic, and family environment on the social skills of elementary school students of South Tangerang City. In collecting the data, survey was employed as it used quantitative technique in which it examined how independent variable influenced the dependent one partially or simultaneously. Samples taken to assert this research are 164 students coming from 2nd grade of Labschool FIP UMJ and 2nd grade of Madrasah Pembangunan of UIN Jakarta. This study brings the writers to the facts that; (1) physical activities directly affect social skills; (2) socioeconomic effects directly on social skill; (3) family environment directly affects social skills; (4) physical, socio-economic and family activities all at once influence on students’ social skills. For this reason, it is assumed that the students’ social skills can be well fostered once they have well-developed quality of physical activities, socio-economic and family environment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 104
Author(s):  
Rovena Elmazi

The study aims to assess the challenges, opportunities for development and management of physical activity in Albania compared to other countries in the region. The data collection tool included interviews, and the questionnaire used in all gyms in Albania. The result speaks of a huge gap with regard to the development of sports and the inclusion of populations in physical activities. According to the findings of the study, the number of population frequented by gyms in Albania. It is also worrying the very low number of female participants in the gym compared to the total number of women in the national level and the large difference in the number of males participating in physical activity and mainly in gymnasiums with the number of women that correctly reflected that in Albania it needs the revival and strengthening of gender mechanisms at national and local level. The result also revealed a lack of trained human resources, lack of policies and sound development strategies to increase population participation in physical activities. To this end, the National Sports and Regional Institutions, the Albanian Sports Federation and other relevant sports authorities should take all necessary measures to develop and expand the inclusion of populations into physical activities as a necessary means to increase the quality of life.


Retos ◽  
2017 ◽  
pp. 179-184
Author(s):  
Emilio J Martinez-López ◽  
Jesús Moreno-Cerceda ◽  
Sara Suarez-Manzano ◽  
Alberto Ruiz-Ariza

Sustituir el tiempo sedentario por la práctica sistemática de actividad física (AF) es uno de los grandes retos  educativos y sociales dirigidos a jóvenes con sobrepeso-obesidad. El objetivo principal fue analizar el efecto en el índice de masa corporal (IMC) de un programa de AF extraescolar que empleó el pulsómetro como mecanismo para cuantificar el volumen e intensidad del ejercicio. Participaron 69 escolares con sobrepeso-obesidad de 9 a 12 años. La muestra se aleatorizó en grupo con programa y pulsómetro (GE1, n=23), grupo con solo programa (GE2, n=23), y grupo control que no realizó programa ni empleó pulsómetro (GC, n=23). Los resultados mostraron que GE1 había disminuido el IMC respecto al GC a los dos y tres meses de intervención (-1.65 kg/m2; p=.037, d de Cohen=.786; y -2.02 kg/m2, p=.006, d de Cohen=.895, respectivamente). GE1 incrementó significativamente el tiempo diario de intensidad máxima de AF medida por el pulsómetro (p=.028). El 86.9% y el 60.8% de los alumnos del GE1 y GE2 respectivamente afirmaron estar bastante o totalmente de acuerdo con el ítem “He comprobado que realizo más actividad física diaria que antes”. La mayoría de niños y padres del GE1 consideraron la experiencia como positiva y motivante para realizar más AF. Se concluye que un programa dirigido desde la Educación Física, que combina AF extraescolar y emplea el pulsómetro como mecanismo de control, disminuye el IMC en jóvenes con sobrepeso-obesidad después de dos meses de aplicación, aumenta la motivación por la práctica físico-deportiva, e implica cambios positivos en los hábitos de salud familiares. Abstract. Replacing sedentary time with systematic practice of PA is one of the major social and health challenges of globalized world. The main aim of this research was to analyze the effect of a program based on extracurricular PA, using heart rate monitor to quantify the volume and intensity of PA, on the body mass index (BMI). 69 young students with overweight-obesity aged nine to 12 years participated in this study. The sample was randomly split in two groups: PA program and heart rate monitor (EG1, n=23), PA program without heart rate monitor (EG2, n=23), and control group, whose members did not carry out any program nor used any heart rate monitor (CG, n=23). Results showed that GE1 decreased BMI more than CG after two and three months of intervention (-1.65 kg/m2; p=.037, Cohen’s d=.786; y -2.02 kg/m2, p=.006, Cohen’s d =.895, respectively). G1 significantly increased the daily time of PA at maximum intensity measured by the heart rate monitor (p=.028). 86.9% and 60.8% of students in EG1 and EG2 respectively, were quite or totally in agreement with the item "I have verified that I carry out more physical activity daily than before". The majority of children and parents in EG1 considered the experience as positive and motivating to practice more PA. A program focused on Physical Education and combining extracurricular PA and heart rate monitor as a control mechanism, decreases BMI in overweight-obese young students after two months of application, increases motivation towards PA and sport practice, and implies positive changes in family health habits.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13(62) (2) ◽  
pp. 163-172
Author(s):  
S. BUHAȘ ◽  
P.F. DRAGOȘ ◽  
P. SZABO-ALEXI

The present paper offers a theoretical insight regarding the quality of life and health state of people with mental deficiency. Research results regarding the link between physical activity and quality of life of people with mental disorders are discussed. Literature review outlined that physical activity generates major benefits for people with mental deficiency. Conclusions point out the need to implement physical activities that can be performed by people with mental deficiency to increase their quality of life. Public and private stakeholders should cooperate in order to develop specific strategies and policies, as well as adapted programs for people with mental deficiency to maintain their health status and quality of life at a decent level.


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