Simona Pajaujiene

The standing broad jump (SBJ) is a valid, reliable and feasible field-based test, which can evaluate explosive strength of the lower limbs and physical fitness. This study aimed to provide normative data for the SBJ for male and female children and adolescents and describe differences in performance between age groups and genders. A total number of 2140 children and adolescents, sampled in seven European nations have been included for analysis. The SBJ was performed to derive percentile values for gender and each age group. In general, males have greater jumping performance compared to females. Data demonstrate a linear increase in the jumping distance for both males and females until adolescence. However, such increase is evident in males up to 16-17 years old, whereas in females a plateau value is met at 12-13 years old, with a subsequent decrease in the jumping performance. No differences were present in jumping performance between male and female children, however differences between male and female adolescents were evinced. The study has provided percentile values useful to monitor the physical fitness status of children and adolescents.

Research background and hypothesis. Although trends of decline in physical activity during adolescence are determined by most authors, the association of biological maturation with physical activity has not been commonly studied. It is thought that the effect of changes occurring in adolescent physical activity during maturation may be associated with psychological factors, for instance, body dissatisfaction.Research aim was to determine the relationships between maturation, physical activity and objectified body consciousness in the sample of adolescents.Research  methods.  The  study  comprised  adolescents  of  fifteen  9th  forms  of  Kaunas  education  institutions (4 gymnasiums, 10 secondary schools and one main school). The studied sample consisted of 293 schoolchildren, 57 of them did not fill in questionnaires (because of refusal or absence).  Thus the data of 236 students were analyzed, 115 (48.7%)  of them were boys. Mean age (SD) of participants was 15 (0.38) years, the ...

Research background and hypothesis. Nutrition habits develop with the growth of an individual. During adolescence proper nutrition habits and physical activity are the most important factors infl uencing health. The quality of life is affected by the peculiarities of behavior and lifestyle in adolescence. The aim of our study was to determine nutrition habits of adolescents, and then, to make a comparison of eating patterns by gender and the groups of adolescents in different physical activity groups. Research methods. The study comprised the ninth form students from 16 Kaunas schools (4 gymnasiums, 10 secondary and 2 main schools). The strategy was based on the evaluation of proportions of the different types of schools in Kaunas. The study applied questionnaire survey. Research results. The analysis revealed that 28.5% of middle-school age students did not have breakfast, there were more girls than boys among them. Boys and students with lower physical activity more frequently had ...

... Parenkant tiriamuosius, buvo stengiamasi įvertinti proporcijas tarp skirtingo tipo mokyklų Kauno mieste. ... 5. Caroll SL, Lee Re, Kaur H, Harris KJ, Strother mL, Huang TT-K. Smoking, weight loss intention and obesity-promoting behaviors in college students. J Am Coll Nutr. ...

Socialinė erdvė yra svarbus kūno vaizdo formavimosi komponentas, susijes su savo kūno suvokimu (Jackson, 2004). Kuo labiau asmens fiziniai bruožai nutole nuo socialinių lūkescių, tuo labiau asmuo nepatenkintas savo kūnu, tuo prasciau save vertina, dažniau linksta į depresiją, dažniau manipuliuoja maistu (Cash, Pruzinsky, 2004; Tiggemann, 2011). Rūpestis dėl nepasitenkinimo savo kūnu turi neigiamą poveikį paauglių fiziniam bei psichosocialiniam vystymuisi ir sveikatai (Johnson, Wardle, 2005; Shrof, Thompson, 2006). Paauglių tyrimai atskleidžia, kad nepasitenkinimas savo kūnu paauglystėje yra susijes su prastesniu saves vertinimu, sutrikusiu valgymo elgesiu, neigiamų svorio kontrolės būdų taikymu ir didėjanciu vaikų bei paauglių antsvorio plitimu (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2006; Jackson, Chen, 2010). Prastas saves vertinimas siejamas su dažnesne tikimybe tapti patycių auka (Jankauskiene et al., 2008), didesne savižudybės rizika, saves žalojimu (Rodriguez-Cano, Beato-Fernandez, Llario, 2006; Laskytė, 2009). Iki siol atliktuose tyrimuose daugiausia dėmesio buvo skiriama su valgymu susijusiam elgesiui analizuoti, o darbų, kurie atskleistų su fiziniu aktyvumu susijusio elgesio raiską reguliuojant kūno mase, stokojama. Nėra iki galo aisku, kiek bendras siekimas atitikti socialinius ir kultūrinius isvaizdos idealus yra susijes su svorio mažinimo elgesiu, nežinoma, kaip paaugliai elgiasi, jei nusprendžia kūno mase mažinti fiziniu aktyvumu. Trūksta tyrimų, nagrinėjancių paauglių saves,... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]%%%%Our children grow and mature in the times, where image and media attention to a beautiful body is overestimated, and the social pressure for meeting image expectations influences and affects the development of immature persons. The less physical characteristics of a person meet social expectations, the more dissatisfied the person is with his/her body, the lower is self-esteem, and the bigger is propensity for depression and manipulation with food (Cash, Pruzinsky, 2004; Tiggemann, 2011). Adolescent dissatisfaction with appearance is related to low self-esteem that leads to eating disorders or disordered eating. Such behaviour is harmful to health and causes obesity (Haines, Neumark-Sztainer, 2006). Poor self-esteem is associated with a higher likelihood of becoming a victim of bullying (Jankauskiene et al., 2008), increased risk of suicide and deliberate self-harm (Rodrigues-Cano, Beato-Fernandes, Llario, 2006; Laskytė, 2009). A large part of modern consumerist society is constantly concerned about weight loss/gain methods that promise rapid results (O’Dea, 2007; Bauman, 2011; Tereskinas, 2011). Seeking peer recognition and wanting to meet the society’s expectations young people often exhaust themselves with diets and/or excessive exercise (O’Dea, 2007; Ojala et al., 2007; Sabbah et al, 2009; Jankauskienė et al, 2010; Tereskinas, 2011). Obesity and eating disorders prevention programs are not standardized and are based on parental understanding of healthy nutrition, physical... [to full text]

Socialinė erdvė yra svarbus kūno vaizdo formavimosi komponentas, susijes su savo kūno suvokimu (Jackson, 2004). Kuo labiau asmens fiziniai bruožai nutole nuo socialinių lūkescių, tuo labiau asmuo nepatenkintas savo kūnu, tuo prasciau save vertina, dažniau linksta į depresiją, dažniau manipuliuoja maistu (Cash, Pruzinsky, 2004; Tiggemann, 2011). Rūpestis dėl nepasitenkinimo savo kūnu turi neigiamą poveikį paauglių fiziniam bei psichosocialiniam vystymuisi ir sveikatai (Johnson, Wardle, 2005; Shrof, Thompson, 2006). Paauglių tyrimai atskleidžia, kad nepasitenkinimas savo kūnu paauglystėje yra susijes su prastesniu saves vertinimu, sutrikusiu valgymo elgesiu, neigiamų svorio kontrolės būdų taikymu ir didėjanciu vaikų bei paauglių antsvorio plitimu (Neumark-Sztainer et al., 2006; Jackson, Chen, 2010). Prastas saves vertinimas siejamas su dažnesne tikimybe tapti patycių auka (Jankauskiene et al., 2008), didesne savižudybės rizika, saves žalojimu (Rodriguez-Cano, Beato-Fernandez, Llario, 2006; Laskytė, 2009). Iki siol atliktuose tyrimuose daugiausia dėmesio buvo skiriama su valgymu susijusiam elgesiui analizuoti, o darbų, kurie atskleistų su fiziniu aktyvumu susijusio elgesio raiską reguliuojant kūno mase, stokojama. Nėra iki galo aisku, kiek bendras siekimas atitikti socialinius ir kultūrinius isvaizdos idealus yra susijes su svorio mažinimo elgesiu, nežinoma, kaip paaugliai elgiasi, jei nusprendžia kūno mase mažinti fiziniu aktyvumu. Trūksta tyrimų, nagrinėjancių paauglių saves,... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]%%%%Our children grow and mature in the times, where image and media attention to a beautiful body is overestimated, and the social pressure for meeting image expectations influences and affects the development of immature persons. The less physical characteristics of a person meet social expectations, the more dissatisfied the person is with his/her body, the lower is self-esteem, and the bigger is propensity for depression and manipulation with food (Cash, Pruzinsky, 2004; Tiggemann, 2011). Adolescent dissatisfaction with appearance is related to low self-esteem that leads to eating disorders or disordered eating. Such behaviour is harmful to health and causes obesity (Haines, Neumark-Sztainer, 2006). Poor self-esteem is associated with a higher likelihood of becoming a victim of bullying (Jankauskiene et al., 2008), increased risk of suicide and deliberate self-harm (Rodrigues-Cano, Beato-Fernandes, Llario, 2006; Laskytė, 2009). A large part of modern consumerist society is constantly concerned about weight loss/gain methods that promise rapid results (O’Dea, 2007; Bauman, 2011; Tereskinas, 2011). Seeking peer recognition and wanting to meet the society’s expectations young people often exhaust themselves with diets and/or excessive exercise (O’Dea, 2007; Ojala et al., 2007; Sabbah et al, 2009; Jankauskienė et al, 2010; Tereskinas, 2011). Obesity and eating disorders prevention programs are not standardized and are based on parental understanding of healthy nutrition, physical... [to full text]

IntroductionWheelchair basketball (WB) is a Paralympic sport ideated for people with motor disabilities, and the research on this topic still requires attention. It is fundamental to evaluate physical fitness characteristics with appropriate tests and standardized routines to plan and monitor the training. Considering that a standard operating procedure is a document that makes the test battery replicable, the objective of the present study was to review the literature on physical fitness assessment in WB players and to create a standard operating procedure.MethodsStudies were collected from different databases, and after a screening process, data were discussed narratively.ResultsOnly 18 articles met the eligibility criteria. The test batteries presented similarities in different studies.ConclusionThe suggested standard operating procedure consists of 10-min warm-up followed by handgrip evaluation (only if the instrument is available), 20-m sprint test, maximal pass, modified push-...

Background: Research on biomechanics in rowing has mostly focused on the lumbar spine. However, injuries can also affect other body segments. Thus, the aim of this pilot study was to explore any potential variations in the kinematics of the cervical spine during two different stroke rates on the rowing ergometer in young rowers. Methods: Twelve young rowers of regional or national level were recruited for the study. The experimental protocol consisted of two separate test sessions (i.e., a sequence of 10 consecutive strokes for each test session) at different stroke rates (i.e., 20 and 30 strokes/min) on an indoor rowing ergometer. Kinematics of the cervical spine was assessed using an inertial sensor capable of measuring joint ROM (angle of flexion, angle of extension, total angle of flexion–extension). Results: Although there were no differences in the flexion and total flexion–extension movements between the test sessions, a significant increase in the extension movement was foun...

There is strong scientific evidence that prenatal physical activity of moderate-to-high in-tensity is a prerequisite of the proper course of pregnancy, childbirth and fetus development. How-ever, to date little data have been available on high intensity interval training (HIIT) performed during pregnancy. Following the PRISMA guidelines, this systematic review aimed at: first, to characterize HIIT protocols used or planned to be implemented during pregnancy; second, to determine their training effects on participant’s health and obstetric outcomes. We included nine original works and three clinical trials in the analysis. The HIIT protocols substantially differed in terms of the training components (type, intensity, frequency, duration and progression) and the structure of intervals (intensity and time of workout and recovery intervals). Our most important finding is that performing HIIT during pregnancy is safe in terms of obstetric outcomes and well tolerated by pregnant participa...

1Department of Psychological, Pedagogical and Educational Sciences, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 15, 90128; Palermo, Italy 2Department of Sport and Health, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Ankara University, Gölbaşi Yerleşkesi Spor Bilimleri Fakültesi 06830 Gölbaşi Ankara, Turkey 3Palermo University Sport Center (CUS Palermo), Via Altofonte, 80, 90129; Palermo, Italy 4Escola Superior de Desporto de Rio Maior (IPSantarém), Av. Dr. Mário Soares, 20413, RIO Maior, Portugal 5School of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Uptown Munich Campus D, Georg-Brauchle-Ring 60/62, 80992 Munich, Germany 6Department of Coaching Science, Lithuanian Sports University, Sporto 6, Kaunas, LT-44221, Lithuania 7Department of Physical Activity and Sport. Faculty of Sports Sciences, University of Murcia, Spain. Calle Argentina, 19, 30720 San Javier, Murcia, Spain 8Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Teslina 6, 21000; Split, Croatia 9Escola Profissional de Aveiro, ...

Purpose Besides the evident positive effect on body development, physical activity has proven to boost executive functions, especially if the exercises are enriched with cognitive stimuli. Previous studies have shown that introducing challenging exercises in the physical activity routine can also enhance motivation. Therefore, enriching a physical education program with cognitively challenging exercises may also foster children’s motivation during physical education classes, where the motivation is high at the beginning of the school year and low at the end of it. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to test if a sport program enriched by cognitive stimuli may improve kids’ motivation or take them out from a state of amotivation along the school year. Methods A sample of 342 school children (203 boys, 139 girls) took part in the study. Participants were asked to complete a battery of motivation and perceived social support questionnaires before and after they completed the ESA Pr...

Background The Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) is widely adopted to evaluate manual dexterity, it presents normative data but the test is influenced by different factors. The influence of time spent on smartphones has not been considered before, for this reason, the objective of this study was to evaluate if smartphone use influences the time to complete the GPT. A total of 38 (21 women; 17 men) young adults 20.7 (1.5) years participated in the study. The time spent on the smartphones during the last seven days was recorded through the device itself and the GPT performance was measured. A correlation analysis between the time spent on the smartphone and GPT was performed while the t -test was adopted to evaluate gender differences. Results No statistically significant differences were detected between men and women in the time to complete the GPT (p = 0.20) and in the time spent on the smartphone (p = 0.87). The GPT and the time spent using the smartphone were not correlated (r = 0.044,...

Physical exercise should be part of an active lifestyle during pregnancy and the puerperium, as shown by growing evidence on its benefits for the health of pregnant women and newborns. Appropriate exercise testing and exercise prescription are needed to tailor effective and safe exercise programs. Exercise testing and prescription in pregnancy is the plan of exercise and fitness-related activities designed to meet the health and fitness goals and motivations of the pregnant woman. It should address the health-related fitness components and the pregnancy-specific conditions, based on previous health and exercise assessments, and take into account the body adaptations and the pregnancy-related symptoms of each stage of pregnancy and postpartum, in order to provide safe and effective exercise. This chapter reviews the guidelines for exercise testing and prescription of pregnant and postpartum women to be developed by exercise professionals, following the health screening and medical cl...

The present study aimed to assess the-prevalence of health-compromising eating and physical activity behaviours, and to test their associations with physical activity, internalisation of sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, and body image in a sample of adolescents of both genders. A total sample of 736 adolescents (437 or 59.4% were girls) participated in the study. The participants ranged in age from 16 to 19 years (x = 17.2, SD = 0.6). The sample completed a questionnaire measuring body mass index, the risk of eating disorders, body image, internalisation of sociocultural ideals of appearance, health-compromising eating behaviours (HCEB), and health-compromising weight control related to physical activity behaviours (HCPAB). Logistic regressions were used to assess the associations between the study variables and predictors of HCEB and HCPAB. The results of the study showed a relatively high prevalence of HCEB with a significantly higher prevalence in girls and participant...

Background Physical fitness status is a key aspect of health and, consequently, it is important to create and adopt appropriate interventions to maintain or improve it, and assess it using valid measures. While in other testing contexts, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are commonly and widely adopted, in physical fitness testing, a variety of unstandardized testing protocols are proposed. Aims The topic of this review was to evaluate the existing literature on SOPs in physical fitness assessment and to provide guidelines on how SOPs could be created and adopted. Method The electronic databases PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus were screened and original, peer-reviewed studies that included SOPs, related to physical fitness, were recorded. Results After the inclusion and exclusion criteria screening, a total of six studies were included and these were critically and narratively analyzed. Conclusions Standard operating procedures are rarely adopted in the field of physical fitnes...

Purpose The effects of physical exercise on executive functions (EFs) are well-documented. EFs are involved in daily activities, and their development determines the quality of people’s future life, both in terms of mental health and quality of life. The purpose of the current paper is to evaluate the effects of a physical education program, elaborated within the Enriched Sports Activity Program (ESA Program), an Erasmus + Project, on EFs, namely, visuospatial working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and task switching. Method Data were collected on November 2017 (t1) and May 2018 (t2). At t1, a sample of 357 children from four European countries (Italy, Germany, Lithuania, and Turkey) performed a cognitive test battery made up of Digit Span Forward/Backward, Stroop Task, and Trail Making Test (TMT), whose order was randomized. From November until May, classrooms from the experimental group followed the ESA Program, while classrooms from the control continued with ...

BackgroundIn postural stability evaluation, the dual-task concept is often adopted in order to create a more challenging situation. The dual-task consists of performing simultaneously two tasks, a primary static or dynamic motor task and an additional secondary cognitive task. Usually, a multitask condition leads to a reduction in the postural control performance, especially in older adults. Considering the wide spectrum of secondary task conditions existing in scientific literature, the present manuscript aims to write a peer-reviewed protocol that will be used in a systematic review and meta-analysis performed to identify the effects of different secondary tasks conditions in a population of older adults during static postural stability.MethodsThe study will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement and for this manuscript, the PRISMA Protocol. PICOS criteria (population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, study design) will ...

Background Manual dexterity is an important aspect in everyday life, which is widely studied through the Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT). Since Dual-Tasks (DT) activities are widely investigated and important to simulate everyday life situations, the objectives of the present pilot study were the evaluation of the effect of a cognitive task and a motor task during the performance of the GPT and the feasibility of the GPT in a DT contest. A secondary objective was to evaluate the training effect of the GPT. Methods A total of 31 young adults (20 man and 11 woman, age (SD): 27.7 (2.5)) performed the GPT eight times to understand the presence of a training effect before performing the GPT in DT. The additional tasks were a secondary cognitive task and a secondary motor task. Results All participants were able to complete the required conditions. The GPT performed in motor DT were significantly slower than those performed singularly (p < 0.01). The GPT performed with the cognitive task w...

The aim of this investigation was to identify possible related factors associated to the performance of the crunning test in European children and adolescents. A total number of 559 children and adolescents (age range 6–14 years) of which 308 boys (55.1%) and 251 girls (44.9%), from seven European countries, were screened. A questionnaire concerning demographic and personal life-related factors and a cognitive assessment were performed. A regression analysis was conducted with the performance measures of the crunning movement. T-tests and ANCOVA were used to analyze sub-group differences. Boys have greater crunning performance values compared to girls (5.55 s vs. 7.06 s, p < 0.001) and older children perform better than younger ones (R2 −0.23; p < 0.001). Children with healthy and active habits (exercising or spending time with family members vs. reading or surfing the internet) performed better in the test. Children engaged in team sports had better crunning performances comp...

Dual-task (DT) consists of the performance of two tasks simultaneously. An index of DT difficulty has been linked to decreased postural control. Because a wide range of DT is employed, this study aimed to evaluate its effects in static balance in older adults. PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus were screened, and the secondary tasks were grouped as manual, reaction time, discrimination and decision making, mental tracking, verbal fluency, working memory, or “other” tasks. A total of 66 studies have been included. The meta-analysis was conducted on 28 effects and showed a significant mean effect size of d = 0.24 (p = .02, SE = 0.10; confidence interval [0.04, 0.44]), indicating a worsening in stability during DT. In conclusion, postural control was worsened by the Stroop test and the arithmetic tasks improved it. The results do not underpin any conclusive statement on the impact of DT, and a standard operating procedure was created.

The standing broad jump (SBJ) is a valid, reliable and feasible field-based test, which can evaluate explosive strength of the lower limbs and physical fitness. This study aimed to provide normative data for the SBJ for male and female children and adolescents and describe differences in performance between age groups and genders. A total number of 2140 children and adolescents, sampled in seven European nations have been included for analysis. The SBJ was performed to derive percentile values for gender and each age group. In general, males have greater jumping performance compared to females. Data demonstrate a linear increase in the jumping distance for both males and females until adolescence. However, such increase is evident in males up to 16-17 years old, whereas in females a plateau value is met at 12-13 years old, with a subsequent decrease in the jumping performance. No differences were present in jumping performance between male and female children, however differences be...

The standing broad jump (SBJ) is a valid, reliable and feasible field-based test, which can evaluate explosive strength of the lower limbs and physical fitness. This study aimed to provide normative data for the SBJ for male and female children and adolescents and describe differences in performance between age groups and genders. A total number of 2140 children and adolescents, sampled in seven European nations have been included for analysis. The SBJ was performed to derive percentile values for gender and each age group. In general, males have greater jumping performance compared to females. Data demonstrate a linear increase in the jumping distance for both males and females until adolescence. However, such increase is evident in males up to 16-17 years old, whereas in females a plateau value is met at 12-13 years old, with a subsequent decrease in the jumping performance. No differences were present in jumping performance between male and female children, however differences be...

Background: Physical fitness in youth is a predictor of health in adulthood. The main objective of the present study was to understand if an enriched sport activity program could increase physical fitness in a population of schoolchildren. Methods: In a sample of 672 children aged 10.0 ± 1.90 years, different motor skills were tested by the 1 kg and 3 kg ball throw (BT), the standing broad jump (SBJ), the 30 m sprint (30mS), the leger shuttle run (LSR), the illinois agility test (IGT), and the quadruped test (QT). Within the controlled-trial, the intervention group (ESA) underwent an additional warm-up protocol, which included cognitive enhancing elements, for 14 weeks while the control group continued with ordinary exercise activity. Results: A significant increase was present regarding the 1 kg and 3 kg BT, the SBJ, the 30mS, and the IGT, while no significant difference was shown regarding the QT and the LSR in the ESA group between pre and post intervention. In the control group, no differences were present for any test except for the QT and the LSR post-test. Conclusion: A 14-week structured physical intervention had moderate effects regarding throwing, jumping, sprinting, and agility in a sample of schoolchildren.

Purpose The effects of physical exercise on executive functions (EFs) are well-documented. EFs are involved in daily activities, and their development determines the quality of people’s future life, both in terms of mental health and quality of life. The purpose of the current paper is to evaluate the effects of a physical education program, elaborated within the Enriched Sports Activity Program (ESA Program), an Erasmus + Project, on EFs, namely, visuospatial working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility, and task switching. Method Data were collected on November 2017 (t1) and May 2018 (t2). At t1, a sample of 357 children from four European countries (Italy, Germany, Lithuania, and Turkey) performed a cognitive test battery made up of Digit Span Forward/Backward, Stroop Task, and Trail Making Test (TMT), whose order was randomized. From November until May, classrooms from the experimental group followed the ESA Program, while classrooms from the control continued with the ordinary physical education class. At t2, children from both experimental and control groups performed again the cognitive battery. Result The repeated measures ANOVA showed a significant effect of the ESA Program on the TMT B and on Digit Span Backward, but no significant effects were found on Digit Span Forward and Stroop Task. Conclusion The introduction of a sport program enriched with cognitive stimuli has beneficial effects for children working memory and cognitive flexibility.

Background: Physical fitness in youth is a predictor of health in adulthood. The main objective of the present study was to understand if an enriched sport activity program could increase physical fitness in a population of schoolchildren. Methods: In a sample of 672 children aged 10.0 ± 1.90 years, different motor skills were tested by the 1 kg and 3 kg ball throw (BT), the standing broad jump (SBJ), the 30 m sprint (30mS), the leger shuttle run (LSR), the illinois agility test (IGT), and the quadruped test (QT). Within the controlled-trial, the intervention group (ESA) underwent an additional warm-up protocol, which included cognitive enhancing elements, for 14 weeks while the control group continued with ordinary exercise activity. Results: A significant increase was present regarding the 1 kg and 3 kg BT, the SBJ, the 30mS, and the IGT, while no significant difference was shown regarding the QT and the LSR in the ESA group between pre and post intervention. In the control group,...

Research background and hypothesis. Many young people are concerned about their body size and shape because of the social pressures to conform to a thin body ideal. Athletes face additional pressures related to performance and, for some of them, aesthetic and weight category demands. Modification of body build is often attempted via diet and exercise, so the data were also gathered on attitudes toward eating and weight control – exercising behavior. Research aim was to examine media influence, body dissatisfaction, unhealthy weight loss behavior (UWLB) and unhealthy exercising behavior (UEB), risk of eating disorders (DE) in the sample of non-athletic and athletic adolescents. We proposed a hypothesis that adolescents aiming at matching social expectations of body image were more likely to be dissatisfied with their appearance as well as have worse weight control behavior and higher risk of eating disorders. We  expected that these associations would not differ among athletic and no...

The aim of this study was to investigate muscle size satisfaction and predisposition to health harmful muscle gain practice in bodybuilders and recreational gymnasium users and to evaluate its relationship with sport mastery. The sample consisted of 132 men (51 bodybuilders and 81 recreational gymnasium users). The muscle size satisfaction and related variables were evaluated using a 23-item questionnaire (α=0.6, test-retest reliability 0.7). The difference between the actual and the desired girths of the widest site of the upper arm and the thigh was determined based on the subjects’ reported data. The study showed that the majority of the gymnasium users (61.2%) wanted to gain muscle mass, but the tendency was observed that muscle size dissatisfaction, preoccupation with body shape, obligatory motivation, and obsessive attitude towards exercising depended on the sport mastery – the lower mastery predicted higher values. Entering bodybuilding competitions was associated with a 3.2-...

The aim of this study was to test professional competencies of the sample of health and fitness instructors (HFIs) according to EuropeActive’s educational standards at level 3 referenced to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), and to explore the associations between the formal education of HFIs and their current competencies. The core knowledge (CK) of 155 HFIs and the specific knowledge (SK) of 54 fitness instructors (FIs) and 35 group fitness instructors (GFIs) were analysed. In addition, 43 FIs and 35 GFIs underwent an examination of their practical skills. Only 11 (7.1%) of the HFIs met the requirements for the CK. We found no significant differences by age, education, type of employment, or professional experience for the CK test. No FIs passed the test for SK. Only 10 (15.6%) of the GFIs passed the test for SK. However, adequate practical instruction skills were found for the FIs (n=29, 70.7%), as well as for the GFIs (n=31, 91.2%). Only three HFIs passed the overall e...

The aim of the present study was to examine the disordered eating attitudes and sociocultural body ideals internalization among university athletes (N.=98), exercisers (N.=125) and sedentary (N.=81) undergraduate female students. The mean age (SD) of the sample was 20.17 (2.00). The students completed Eating Attitude Test - 26, Body Areas Satisfaction subscale of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, Body Shame subscale from the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale, Appearance subscale from the Motives for Physical Activity Measure--Revised, reported their physical activity and fluid manipulation-related behaviour. We observed no significant differences in disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem and fluid manipulation-related behaviour among athletes, exercisers and sedentary female students. Body shame predicted disordered eating in all groups of women. Students high in body shame reported higher levels of disordered eati...

The aim of the present study was to determine the attitude of women involved in fitness physical activity (PA) towards weight loss and to find out factors that may possibly lead to weight loss behaviors. The study sample consisted of 352 women involved in recreational PA in health and fitness clubs. Participants filled a questionnaire that was designed to assess weight related aspects of body image, dieting prior to PA, PA motivation, exercise experience, frequency and instructor's encouragement to go on diet. The relative incidence of weight loss behavior and emotional weight related state across age (<22 years, 22-31 years, >31 years), body mass index (BMI), exercise experience groups (>2 years, <2 years) was tested by use of c2 analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the dependence of variables that can trigger the drive to lose weight. The greater dissatisfaction with the body weight was related with the younger age, while younger...

The aim of the present study was to examine the disordered eating attitudes and sociocultural body ideals internalization among university athletes (N.=98), exercisers (N.=125) and sedentary (N.=81) undergraduate female students. The mean age (SD) of the sample was 20.17 (2.00). The students completed Eating Attitude Test - 26, Body Areas Satisfaction subscale of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire, Body Shame subscale from the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, Rosenberg Self- Esteem Scale, Appearance subscale from the Motives for Physical Activity Measure--Revised, reported their physical activity and fluid manipulation-related behaviour. We observed no significant differences in disordered eating, body dissatisfaction, self-esteem and fluid manipulation-related behaviour among athletes, exercisers and sedentary female students. Body shame predicted disordered eating in all groups of women. Students high in body shame reported higher levels of disordered eati...

The aim of this study was to investigate muscle size satisfaction and predisposition to health harmful muscle gain practice in bodybuilders and recreational gymnasium users and to evaluate its relationship with sport mastery. The sample consisted of 132 men (51 bodybuilders and 81 recreational gymnasium users). The muscle size satisfaction and related variables were evaluated using a 23-item questionnaire (alpha=0.6, test-retest reliability 0.7). The difference between the actual and the desired girths of the widest site of the upper arm and the thigh was determined based on the subjects' reported data. The study showed that the majority of the gymnasium users (61.2%) wanted to gain muscle mass, but the tendency was observed that muscle size dissatisfaction, preoccupation with body shape, obligatory motivation, and obsessive attitude towards exercising depended on the sport mastery - the lower mastery predicted higher values. Entering bodybuilding competitions was associated wit...

The aim of the present study was to determine the attitude of women involved in fitness physical activity (PA) towards weight loss and to find out factors that may possibly lead to weight loss behaviors. The study sample consisted of 352 women involved in recreational PA in health and fitness clubs. Participants filled a questionnaire that was designed to assess weight related aspects of body image, dieting prior to PA, PA motivation, exercise experience, frequency and instructor's encouragement to go on diet. The relative incidence of weight loss behavior and emotional weight related state across age (<22 years, 22-31 years, >31 years), body mass index (BMI), exercise experience groups (>2 years, <2 years) was tested by use of c2 analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the dependence of variables that can trigger the drive to lose weight. The greater dissatisfaction with the body weight was related with the younger age, while younger...