Volume 34 (2024): Issue 6 (Nov 2024)
Women Movement Behaviors During Pregnancy and 2 Years After Childbirth: Physical Activity, Sedentary Time, Sleep, and Rhythm Changes in a Brazilian Birth Cohort
Andrea Wendt, Rafaela Costa Martins, Adriana Kramer Fiala Machado, Luiza I.C. Ricardo, Shana Ginar da Silva, Bruna Gonçalves Cordeiro da Silva, Gregore I. Mielke, Marlos Rodrigues Domingues, Pedro C. Hallal, and Inácio Crochemore-Silva
Objective: To describe physical activity (PA), sleep, and rhythm patterns during 24-hr cycles from the second trimester of pregnancy up to 2 years after childbirth. Methods: This longitudinal study used data from mothers of the 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort (Brazil). Women were invited to wear the accelerometer during 7 days on the nondominant wrist during the second trimester of pregnancy and 2 years after childbirth. Data collected included PA, sleep, and rhythm variables. We compared the means/medians of variables during the pregnancy and 2 years after the childbirth. We also describe the shape of acceleration across the day in the two evaluated periods and stratified this curve according to covariables. Results: This study includes data from 1,293 women with valid accelerometer data for both periods. The nonbouted moderate-to-vigorous PA average was 94 min during pregnancy and increased to 122 min 2 years after childbirth (p < .001). Sleep decreased by 11 min (388–377 min; p < .001) in the evaluated period. The pattern of acceleration across the day did not change in the evaluated period with two marked spikes of activity at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. The amount of activity, however, increased. Conclusions: These findings may be helpful to better understand changes in PA and sleep during this specific period of life and assist in planning recommendations.
24-Hour Movement Behaviors of LGBTQA+ Young People: A Systematic Review
Kathryn Fortnum, Sjaan R. Gomersall, Megan H. Ross, James Woodforde, George Thomas, Yu-Shu Wen, Francisco Perales, and Michalis Stylianou
Background: The movement behaviors of LGBTQA+ young people, who encounter specific health, and other, challenges are not well understood. This systematic review examines the 24-hour movement behaviors of LGBTQA+ young people compared with population estimates of meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines. Methods: Seven electronic databases were searched from inception to January 2024. Observational studies published in English and reporting quantitative data for physical activity, sedentary behavior, or sleep duration for LGBTQA+ individuals <24 years old were included. Data were narratively synthesized for children/adolescents (<18 years) and young adults (18–24 years), guided by the Cochrane Synthesis Without Meta-analysis guidelines. Results: Fifty-six studies were included; 46 were of “fair” quality and 37 were conducted in the United States. Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep outcomes were reported in 46, 11, and 14 studies, respectively. Ninety unique LGBTQA+ terms were identified. Based on outcomes reported in ≥1 study, and compared to population estimates, LGBTQA+ young people were less likely to meet aerobic physical activity and strength/resistance training guidelines. LGBTQA+ children/adolescents were less likely to meet the sleep guidelines. Young adults demonstrated similar adherence to sleep guidelines as population estimates. Conclusions: Overall, our results suggest that LGBTQA+ young people have suboptimal 24-hour movement behaviors; in some cases, worse than population estimates. Utilization of more robust measures of exposure and outcome variables is recommended, with a focus on sleep and sedentary behavior.
Impact of Generalized Versus Individualized Load–Velocity Equations on Velocity-Loss Magnitude in Bench-Press Exercise: Mixed-Model and Equivalence Analysis
Miguel Sánchez-Moreno, Beatriz Bachero-Mena, Juan Sánchez-Valdepeñas, Fabio Yuzo Nakamura, and Fernando Pareja-Blanco
Purpose: This study analyzed the influence of 2 velocity-based training-load prescription strategies (general vs individual load–velocity equations) on the relationship between the magnitude of velocity loss (VL) and the percentage of repetitions completed in the bench-press exercise. Methods: Thirty-five subjects completed 6 sessions consisting of performing the maximum number of repetitions to failure against their 40%, 60%, and 80% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM) in the Smith machine bench-press exercise using generalized and individualized equations to adjust the training load. Results: A close relationship and acceptable error were observed between percentage of repetitions completed and the percentage of VL reached for the 3 loading magnitudes and the 2 load-prescription strategies studied (R 2 from .83 to .94; standard error of the estimate from 7% to 10%). A simple main effect was observed for load and VL thresholds but not for load-prescription strategies. No significant interaction effects were revealed. The 40% and 60% 1RM showed equivalence on data sets and the most regular variation, whereas the 80% 1-repetition maximum load showed no equivalence and more irregular variation. Conclusion: These results suggest that VL is a useful variable to predict percentage of repetitions completed in the bench-press exercise, regardless of the strategy selected to adjust the relative load. However, caution should be taken when using heavy loads.
“It’s Like This One Man’s Baby”: Gender and Decision-Making Power in Sport for Development and Peace Organizations
Lucy V. Piggott
Within this article, the author draws on Rao et al.’s theory of the deep structure of organizations to analyze the extent to which decision-making power across sport for development and peace organizations is gender inclusive. Findings from interviews with women and men leaders indicate that decision-making power across the organizations is inclusive to women, with women holding positional power and having a voice to influence. However, the author emphasizes that caution must be taken in claiming that such decision-making power is fully gender inclusive. This is because “women” in positions of power mostly represent privileged profiles, and men hold the most powerful positions. These findings are strongly linked to the origin stories of the organizations, with all having men (co)founders. The gendered implications of such men-dominated organizational histories were found to span both inward- and outward-facing organizational elements and were reported to be difficult to challenge.
Understanding the Relationships Between Physical Activity and Climate Change: An Umbrella Review
Milena Franco Silva, Ana Luiza Favarão Leão, Áine O’Connor, Pedro C Hallal, Ding Ding, Erica Hinckson, Tarik Benmarhnia, and Rodrigo Siqueira Reis
Background: Physical activity is crucial for maintaining health and preventing chronic diseases. However, climate conditions can impact physical activity patterns, and conversely, physical activity can impact climate change. This umbrella review aims to summarize the existing evidence regarding the relationships between physical activity and climate change, as revealed in previous reviews. Methods: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses were analyzed. Searches were conducted across GreenFILE, PubMed, and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed articles published in English. A 2-stage independent screening process was conducted, and methodological quality was assessed using the JBI framework. Standardized data extraction methods were then applied. Results: Out of 1292 articles retrieved, 7 met all eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Three articles examined physical activity as a primary exposure, 3 focused on the impacts of climate change, and one considered both physical activity and climate change as primary exposures. Conclusions: Findings reveal an interplay between climate change and physical activity. While rising temperatures may prompt outdoor activities up to a certain temperature threshold, air pollution and extreme heat can have harmful effects. Active transportation and improved logistics around large-scale sporting events can mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, but transportation systems linked to sports venues may increase emissions. Research on the reciprocal relationship between climate change and physical activity domains, and integrating the community into climate discussions, is crucial for equity, especially for marginalized communities. Incorporating climate adaptation and mitigation strategies in physical activity infrastructure to minimize environmental impacts is critical.
The Benefits of Acute Aerobic Exercise on Preadolescent Children’s Learning in a Virtual Classroom
Lauren B. Raine, Rachel J. Hopman-Droste, Abigail N. Padilla, Arthur F. Kramer, and Charles H. Hillman
Purpose: Today’s children are increasingly inactive, with >50% not meeting the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity (PA). Recent reports suggest scores in reading and mathematics have also declined. Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that can be used to simulate real-world scenarios, like classroom learning. This study investigated whether a single dose of walking benefits learning in a VR classroom (measured via quiz performance). Method: Forty-seven children (15 females, 9.64 [0.12] y) completed 2, randomized and counterbalanced 20-minute interventions on separate days: acute PA (walking) and seated rest (control), followed by a stationary educational lesson in a distracting VR classroom. Children then completed a quiz on the lesson. Results: Children had higher quiz performance following PA (z-score = 0.16 [0.13]) compared with following rest (z-score = −0.18 (0.14); F 1,45 = 6.17, P = .017), indicating that PA enhanced learning. Children with average intelligence quotient had quiz performance that was higher after PA (z-score = 0.04 [0.20]) compared with after rest (z-score = −0.60 [0.19]), t(22) = 3.34, P = .003. Higher intelligence quotient children did not demonstrate differences in quiz performance after PA compared with after rest. Conclusions: Learning in a VR classroom may be improved following acute PA, particularly for children with average intelligence quotient. These findings support public health guidelines promoting PA across the day.
Coach Servant Leadership and Athlete Serving Behaviors: The Role of Intrinsic Motivation and Positive Affect
Shohei Takamatsu and Yujiro Kawata
This study argues, based on macro theory, which integrates self-determination and broaden-and-build theories, that a coach’s servant leadership enhances athletes’ intrinsic motivation and positive affect, thus enhancing their serving behaviors toward their teammates. In Study 1, data were collected from 600 athletes belonging to university athletic clubs in Japan through an online survey. In Study 2, data were collected from a university with one of the largest sport faculties in Japan at two time points—with 311 university athletes at Time 1 and 269 athletes, 3 months later, at Time 2. The results revealed that intrinsic motivation and positive affect sequentially mediated the positive relationship between coach servant leadership and athlete serving behaviors. The findings contribute to the development of the servant-leadership literature by demonstrating a new pathway from servant leadership of coaches (leaders) to serving behaviors of athletes (followers) based on macro theory.
Comparison of Exercise Protocols for Diagnosing Pediatric Unexplained Dyspnea on Exertion
Elliott Brown, Karla Foster, Iesha Gover, Adam Powell, and William D. Hardie
Purpose: Clinicians evaluating pediatric patients with unexplained dyspnea on exertion (DOE) often obtain exercise testing with a treadmill-based exercise-induced bronchospasm (EIB) protocol measuring only changes in spirometry. We modified the EIB protocol to collect metabolic and lung volume endpoints as obtained in a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). We tested the hypothesis that measuring metabolic data with the EIB protocol (EIB-CPET) would yield greater diagnostic information than the EIB protocol. Methods: Exercise test diagnosis for healthy children with DOE referred to the pulmonary exercise lab from January 2011 through July 2023 were retrospectively compared between those performing either the EIB or EIB-CPET protocols. Results: One hundred and twenty-seven patients with unexplained DOE were analyzed. Of the 72 patients tested on the EIB protocol, 49% had stridor and 5% with EIB. Of the 55 patients tested on the EIB-CPET protocol, 42% had stridor, 42% with normal physiologic limitation, 22% with dysfunctional breathing, 5% with deconditioning, 2% with EIB, and 2% with exercise-induced hypoxemia. Patients performing the EIB-CPET protocol had a significantly higher rate of any diagnosis compared with EIB (P = .0002). Conclusions: There is a greater diagnostic yield in children with unexplained DOE performing the EIB-CPET protocol compared with patients performing the EIB protocol.
