scholarly journals A Narrative Review of Motor Competence in Children and Adolescents: What We Know and What We Need to Find Out

Author(s):  
Luís Lopes ◽  
Rute Santos ◽  
Manuel Coelho-e-Silva ◽  
Catherine Draper ◽  
Jorge Mota ◽  
...  

Lack of physical activity is a global public health problem causing not only morbidity and premature mortality, but it is also a major economic burden worldwide. One of the cornerstones of a physically active lifestyle is Motor Competence (MC). MC is a complex biocultural attribute and therefore, its study requires a multi-sectoral, multi-, inter- and transdisciplinary approach. MC is a growing area of research, especially in children and adolescents due to its positive association with a plethora of health and developmental outcomes. Many questions, however, remain to be answered in this field of research, with regard to: (i) Health and Developmental-related Associations of MC; (ii) Assessment of MC; (iii) Prevalence and Trends of MC; (iv) Correlates and Determinants of MC; (v) MC Interventions, and (vi) Translating MC Research into Practice and Policy. This paper presents a narrative review of the literature, summarizing current knowledge, identifying key research gaps and presenting questions for future investigation on MC in children and adolescents. This is a collaborative effort from the International Motor Competence Network (IMCNetwork) a network of academics and researchers aiming to promote international collaborative research and knowledge translation in the expansive field of MC. The knowledge and deliverables generated by addressing and answering the aforementioned research questions on MC presented in this review have the potential to shape the ways in which researchers and practitioners promote MC and physical activity in children and adolescents across the world.

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 934-937
Author(s):  
Tasneem M. Lakkadsha ◽  
Kiran Kumar ◽  
Waqar M. Naqvi ◽  
Pratik Phansopkar

In January 2020, we met with COVID-19 (aka SARS-Co-V-2 and/or Corona virus) on our news channels all the way from china. Little did we know that it would shake up our lives in such a manner that we had heard only in a movie or read in history books. Currently we are all in some sort of lockdown, be it in hospital/home or in our minds. Being there, most of us are facing certain kind of misery, be it emotional, mental, physical or social. To be expansive the most common stresses that have been addressed by people on mass media platform are feeling of depression and isolation caused by being away from family and friends, some are complaining of losing their enthusiasm, some of gaining weight, some of losing it and many more. Going through a pandemic is also helping people in some or the other way, one of which is being concerned about their health and habits to keep themselves fit and away from serious comorbidities which can stem out from physical inactivity and heightened stress levels. There are many ways to stay fit at home without any complex gym equipment, but far less is known about it. Thus, an understanding of methods through which one can become physically active with least complexity, easy availability, and appropriate utilization is need of the hour.


Author(s):  
Amy V. Creaser ◽  
Stacy A. Clemes ◽  
Silvia Costa ◽  
Jennifer Hall ◽  
Nicola D. Ridgers ◽  
...  

Wearable activity trackers (wearables) embed numerous behaviour change techniques (BCTs) that have previously been shown to increase adult physical activity (PA). With few children and adolescents achieving PA guidelines, it is crucial to explore ways to increase their PA. This systematic review examined the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables and their potential mechanisms of action for increasing PA in 5 to 19-year-olds. A systematic search of six databases was conducted, including data from the start date of each database to December 2019 (PROSPERO registration: CRD42020164506). Thirty-three studies were included. Most studies (70%) included only adolescents (10 to 19 years). There was some—but largely mixed—evidence that wearables increase steps and moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA and reduce sedentary behaviour. There were no apparent differences in effectiveness based on the number of BCTs used and between studies using a wearable alone or as part of a multi-component intervention. Qualitative findings suggested wearables increased motivation to be physically active via self-monitoring, goal setting, feedback, and competition. However, children and adolescents reported technical difficulties and a novelty effect when using wearables, which may impact wearables’ long-term use. More rigorous and long-term studies investigating the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of wearables in 5 to 19-year-olds are warranted.


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3900
Author(s):  
Jorge Moreno-Fernandez ◽  
Julio J. Ochoa ◽  
Magdalena Lopez-Frias ◽  
Javier Diaz-Castro

Early programming is the adaptation process by which nutrition and environmental factors alter development pathways during prenatal growth, inducing changes in postnatal metabolism and diseases. The aim of this narrative review, is evaluating the current knowledge in the scientific literature on the effects of nutrition, environmental factors, physical activity and sleep on development pathways. If in utero adaptations were incorrect, this would cause a mismatch between prenatal programming and adulthood. Adequate caloric intake, protein, mineral, vitamin, and long-chain fatty acids, have been noted for their relevance in the offspring brain functions and behavior. Fetus undernutrition/malnutrition causes a delay in growth and have detrimental effects on the development and subsequent functioning of the organs. Pregnancy is a particularly vulnerable period for the development of food preferences and for modifications in the emotional response. Maternal obesity increases the risk of developing perinatal complications and delivery by cesarean section and has long-term implications in the development of metabolic diseases. Physical exercise during pregnancy contributes to overall improved health post-partum. It is also interesting to highlight the relevance of sleep problems during pregnancy, which influence adequate growth and fetal development. Taking into account these considerations, we conclude that nutrition and metabolic factors during early life play a key role of health promotion and public health nutrition programs worldwide to improve the health of the offspring and the health costs of hospitalization.


Author(s):  
Carlos Alencar Souza Alves Junior ◽  
Eliane Cristina de Andrade Gonçalves ◽  
Diego Augusto Santos Silva

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2016v18n5p557 Excess body fat is associated with chronic degenerative diseases, being a global public health problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of obesity with sociodemographic factors, lifestyle (physical activity, dietary habits) and sexual maturation in high school students of a city in southern Brazil. This is a crosssectional study with 820 adolescents enrolled in public high schools of São José, Santa Catarina, Brazil, aged 14-17 years. Obesity was estimated by body fat percentage (BF%). BF% was calculated using the Lohman equation, which considers the sum of skinfolds (triceps and subscapularis). Cutoff points proposed by William et al. were used to classify individuals into normal weight or obese. Independent variables were sex, age, economic status, parental education, eating habits, physical activity and sexual maturation. The prevalence of obesity was 17.2%. Females (OR: 4.22; 95% CI: 2.72-6.54) and young people at post-pubertal stage of sexual maturation (OR: 1.95; 95% CI: 1.33-2.86) were more likely to have obesity. These results may help health authorities in the planning of public policies to prevent obesity.


Author(s):  
José I. Calzada-Rodríguez ◽  
Ángel M. Denche-Zamorano ◽  
Jorge Pérez-Gómez ◽  
María Mendoza-Muñoz ◽  
Jorge Carlos-Vivas ◽  
...  

The study of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children and adolescents has important implications in terms of policy, education, and health. Data on the time spent in physical activity (PA) and in sedentary activities in this population are worrying. We aim to analyze possible differences in HRQoL and PA levels between sexes and age groups in Spanish students aged between 8 and 14 years, as well as to assess the relationship between HRQoL and the frequency of PA in this population. A total of 3197 participants (1610 boys and 1587 girls) from 8 to 14 years old were recruited. Mquality and Mapping Child Health Utility instrument (Chu9d) were used as HRQoL indicators. A medium positive association between PA and HRQoL concerning the Spanish school population was found. HRQoL was higher among students aged 8 to 12 than 13 to 14. Moreover, when children start secondary education, both sexes seem to lose the quality of life. Similarly, PA decreases among girls over the years, although it seems to increase among boys. Thus, PA levels and HRQoL are directly associated in Spanish schoolchildren aged between 8 and 14 years. However, this HRQoL decreases in children over the years. Practical implications include the need to support education and physical activity programs to improve HRQoL in children and adolescents.


Author(s):  
Samin Davoody ◽  
Stella Goeschl ◽  
Mahsa Dolatshahi ◽  
Rozita Davari-Ashtiani ◽  
Reyhaneh Saffarpour ◽  
...  

Objective: To cope with the COVID-19 pandemic, national health authorities temporarily closed cultural, religious, and educational institutions such as universities and schools. Children and adolescents with ADHD were challenged with the restrictions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic such as homeschooling and reduced physical activity. The present narrative review aimed to summarize the state-of-the-art regarding associations between COVID-19-related social restrictions and possible psychological and behavioral issues in children and adolescents with ADHD. Additionally, we discussed the underlying possible reasons of the association focusing on the role of parental influence and physical activity, vulnerabilities of individuals with ADHD to Covid-19 infection and to school closure and remote learning. Method: To collect data for the present narrative review, recent publications on these topics between February 1st, 2020 and January 10th, 2021 were retrieved from the most popular search engines (PubMed; Scopus; Google Scholar; Psych Info; Embase) through a comprehensive search using relevant keywords. Results: During confinement, children and adolescents with ADHD reported increased behavioral and ADHD-related symptoms and overall decreased psychological well-being. Factors negatively impacting children’s and adolescents’ behavioral symptoms and well-being were: less physical activity, adverse parental behavior, difficulties in coping with preventive guidelines, and school closure and remote learning consequences. Conclusion: Children and adolescents with ADHD and their caregivers faced both specific and general psychological issues related to the school lockdowns and homeschooling. Additionally, Individuals with ADHD seem to be more vulnerable to Covid-19 infection which highlights the need for better healthcare adaptation.


Author(s):  
Paddy C. Dempsey ◽  
Christine M. Friedenreich ◽  
Michael F. Leitzmann ◽  
Matthew P. Buman ◽  
Estelle Lambert ◽  
...  

Background: In 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) released global guidelines on physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior, for the first time providing population-based recommendations for people living with selected chronic conditions. This article briefly presents the guidelines, related processes and evidence, and, importantly, considers how they may be used to support research, practice, and policy. Methods: A brief overview of the scope, agreed methods, selected chronic conditions (adults living with cancer, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and human immunodeficiency virus), and appraisal of systematic review evidence on PA/sedentary behavior is provided. Methods were consistent with World Health Organization protocols for developing guidelines. Results: Moderate to high certainty evidence (varying by chronic condition and outcome examined) supported that PA can reduce the risk of disease progression or premature mortality and improve physical function and quality of life in adults living with chronic conditions. Direct evidence on sedentary behavior was lacking; however, evidence extrapolated from adult populations was considered applicable, safe, and likely beneficial (low certainty due to indirectness). Conclusions: Clinical and public health professionals and policy makers should promote the World Health Organization 2020 global guidelines and develop and implement services and programs to increase PA and limit sedentary behavior in adults living with chronic conditions.


Author(s):  
Richard Rosenkranz

As technology advances and offers enjoyable sedentary alternatives to sport, active recreation, and transportation, there is a growing need to understand and harness the drivers of physical activity and exercise among children and adolescents. Determining how youth perceive their physical capabilities and their opportunities and what motivates them to be physically active can provide essential information for teachers, coaches, youth leaders, and program planners who are interested in promoting physical activity. Several well-established and also more recently developed behavioral theories offer numerous avenues to gaining a better understanding of the perceptions and motivation of youth with respect to physical activity and exercise behavior, including the social ecological model, social cognitive theory, self-determination theory, habit theory, dual-process theory, and nudge theory, among others. Children and adolescents have individual characteristics that influence their perceptions, motivations, and behavior. They also exist within a multilayered ecological context that helps to shape those perceptions, motivations, and behavior. For youth to be sufficiently physically active and thereby help to reach their full potential, the environment must be conducive to consistent routines of physical activity. Such an environment can be designed to provide easily accessible and enjoyable opportunities for youth to fulfill their basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence to be physically active. There is potential for technology to contribute positively toward the design of conducive environments, and toward fostering motivation and enjoyment of exercise and physical activity among children and adolescents.


Author(s):  
Wenhong Xu ◽  
Chunxiao Li ◽  
Lijuan Wang

Physical activity (PA) is important for the development of children and adolescents with hearing impairments (HI). This systematic review aims to summarise the existing literature pertaining to the PA of children and adolescents with HI. A systematic search was conducted on eight major electronic databases. Two reviewers independently screened and selected the returned articles, performed data extraction, assessed methodological quality and synthesised the data using an inductive approach. A total of 15 articles consisting of 14 survey studies and one single-subject intervention study met the inclusion criteria. These studies had good to excellent methodological quality. Participants with HI showed lower levels of participation in PA than participants without disabilities, but they were more physically active than those with other types of disabilities. Amongst the 12 PA correlates identified (i.e., gender, age, mother’s education and social cognitive constructs), only gender was a relatively consistent determinant, and boys are significantly more physically active than girls. Additional studies are needed to confirm the determinants of the PA in children and adolescents with HI to provide strong evidence for the development and implementation of PA interventions for this target group.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose A. Adams ◽  
Arkady Uryash ◽  
Jose R. Lopez ◽  
Marvin A. Sackner

Diabetes has reached worldwide epidemic proportions, and threatens to be a significant economic burden to both patients and healthcare systems, and an important driver of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. Improvement in lifestyle interventions (which includes increase in physical activity via exercise) can reduce diabetes and cardiovascular disease mortality and morbidity. Encouraging a population to increase physical activity and exercise is not a simple feat particularly in individuals with co-morbidities (obesity, heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease, and those with cognitive and physical limitations). Translation of the physiological benefits of exercise within that vulnerable population would be an important step for improving physical activity goals and a stopgap measure to exercise. In large part many of the beneficial effects of exercise are due to the introduction of pulsatile shear stress (PSS) to the vascular endothelium. PSS is a well-known stimulus for endothelial homeostasis, and induction of a myriad of pathways which include vasoreactivity, paracrine/endocrine function, fibrinolysis, inflammation, barrier function, and vessel growth and formation. The endothelial cell mediates the balance between vasoconstriction and relaxation via the major vasodilator endothelial derived nitric oxide (eNO). eNO is critical for vasorelaxation, increasing blood flow, and an important signaling molecule that downregulates the inflammatory cascade. A salient feature of diabetes, is endothelial dysfunction which is characterized by a reduction of the bioavailability of vasodilators, particularly nitric oxide (NO). Cellular derangements in diabetes are also related to dysregulation in Ca2+ handling with increased intracellular Ca2+overload, and oxidative stress. PSS increases eNO bioavailability, reduces inflammatory phenotype, decreases intracellular Ca2+ overload, and increases antioxidant capacity. This narrative review and perspective will outline four methods to non-invasively increase PSS; Exercise (the prototype for increasing PSS), Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP), Whole Body Vibration (WBV), Passive Simulated Jogging and its predicate device Whole Body Periodic Acceleration, and will discuss current knowledge on their use in diabetes.


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