An opinion regarding equivalence testing for evaluating measurement agreement

The novel statistical approach ‘equivalence testing’ has been proposed in order to statistically examine agreement between different physical activity measures. By using this method, researchers argued that it is possible to determine whether a method is significantly equivalent to another method. Recently, equivalence testing was supported with the use of 90% confidence interval, obtained from a mixed ANOVA, which I believe is a more robust approach. This paper further discusses the use of this method in comparison to a more well-established statistical analysis (i.e. mixed design ANOVA), as well as various limitations and arbitrary assumptions in order to perform this analysis. The paper concludes with some remarks and considerations for future use in similar approaches

«Χορεύοντας» με τον Νίτσε: Η συμβολή του στον επαναπροσδιορισμό της αξίας της σωματικής διάστασης του ατόμου

Friedrich W. Nietzsche is one of the few important philosophers that often mention the art of dance in his works, especially in the Birth of Tragedy and Thus Spoke Zarathustra. The purpose of this study is to analyze Nietzsche's contribution to the philosophical foundation of dance. In addition, it will be attempted to present, through dance's approach, the primary role the philosopher assigns to the human physical dimension, in contrary to the intellectual one. Through petitions in the Athenian tragedy and especially through the relation between the Dionysian and Apollonian element, he approaches dance, which represents the absolute and collective affirmation of life. Furthermore, the "dancing" Zarathustra consents in secular life and creates new values through the dancing experience. He treats the body as equal, or even superior, to the soul, which is a simple component of the physical self. In conclusion, Nietzsche exalts dance and considers it an integral part of human development.Ο Φρίντριχ Νίτσε είναι ένας από τους λίγους σημαντικούς φιλοσόφους που συχνά αναφέρει στα έργα του την τέχνη του χορού, ειδικά στην Γέννηση της Τραγωδίας και στο Τάδε έφη Ζαρατούστρα. Σκοπός του παρόντος ερευνητικού πονήματος είναι η ανάλυση της νιτσεϊκής συμβολής στη φιλοσοφική θεμελίωση του χορού. Επιπλέον θα παρουσιαστεί, μέσω της φιλοσοφικής προσέγγισης του χορού, ο πρωτεύον ρόλος που ο φιλόσοφος αποδίδει στην ενσώματη διάσταση του ατόμου, σε αντιδιαστολή με τη διανοητική. Με τη βοήθεια αναφορών στην αθηναϊκή τραγωδία, και ιδιαίτερα μέσω της σχέσης διονυσιακού και απολλώνιου στοιχείου, αναδεικνύεται ο τρόπος με τον οποίο ο Νίτσε προσεγγίζει τον χορό, ο οποίος αντιπροσωπεύει για αυτόν την απόλυτη και συλλογική κατάφαση για ζωή, επίσης, ο «χορεύον» Ζαρατούστρας συναινεί στην κοσμική ζωή και δημιουργεί νέες αξίες μέσω της χορευτικής εμπειρίας. Ο ίδιος αντιμετωπίζει το σώμα ως ίσο, ή ακόμα και ανώτερο, από την ψυχή, την οποία θεωρεί μία απλή συνιστώσα του φυσιολογικού εαυτού. Εν κατακλείδι, ο Νίτσε εξυψώνει τον χορό και τον θεωρεί αναπόσπαστο τμήμα της ανθρώπινης ανάπτυξης

Physical Education students’ beliefs in four important curricular outcomes: results from three Greek Faculties

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate Physical Education (PE) students’ belief systems toward the four important curricula outcomes goals (physical activity and fitness, self-actualization, motor skill development and social development) and to compare these beliefs according to gender and undergraduate Faculty program attended. Method: 690 Students from the three major PE Faculties in Greece were enrolled (465 males, 225 females). They completed a previously validated four-factor belief systems instrument. Results: Internal consistency reliability for the instrument was .915. A confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated a good fit of the current sample to the hypothesized four-factor outcomes model. The students did not view the outcome goals as equally important. The prevailing goal was physical activity and fitness, followed by self-actualization. Multivariate analysis of variance results for comparisons between sub-groups revealed significant differences between genders and undergraduate programs attended. Discussion/Conclusion: The findings, coupled with those of previous researches, imply that PE students form their beliefs mostly based on their previous experiences. These beliefs appear to be very solid and thus, undergraduate studies seem to have a small effect on their formation and modification

Physical activity in the era of mHealth big data: considerations on accuracy and bias

Recently smartphones have been considered a powerful tool with which to study large-scale population health on a global scale. Landmark Nature publications highlight the global uptake of mobile technology and the staggering potential for big data to promote large observational studies with big datasets from electronic health records. However, these data have to be generated through unbiased, accurate and validated measurement techniques. This paper discusses in detail some of the inconsistencies in smartphone health apps’ data collection and the issues arising from the increasing availability of low-quality health data. These threats to valid inference from observational studies using big data remain a great challenge to overcome and future research should focus on the development and validation of more accurate algorithms for health-related smartphone apps

Criterion validity of iOS and android applications to measure steps and distance in adults

The growing popularity of physical activity (PA) applications (apps) in recent years and the vast amounts of data that they generate present attractive possibilities for surveillance. However, measurement accuracy is indispensable when tracking PA variables to provide meaningful measures of PA. The purpose of this study was to examine the steps and distance criterion validity of freeware accelerometer-based PA smartphone apps, during incremental-intensity treadmill walking and jogging. Thirty healthy adults (25.9 ± 5.7 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. They were fitted with two smartphones (one with Android and one with iOS operating systems), each one simultaneously running four different apps (i.e., Runtastic Pedometer, Accupedo, Pacer, and Argus). They walked and jogged for 5 min at each of the predefined speeds of 4.8, 6.0, and 8.4 km/h on a treadmill, and two researchers counted every step taken during trials with a digital tally counter. Validity was evaluated by comparing each app with the criterion measure using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs), and Bland–Altman plots. For step count, Android apps performed slightly more accurately that iOS apps; nevertheless, MAPEs were generally low for all apps (10%). The findings suggest that accelerometer-based apps are accurate tools for counting steps during treadmill walking and jogging and could be considered suitable for use as an outcome measure within a clinical trial. However, none of the examined apps was suitable for measuring distance

Promoting physical activity for mental health in a refugee camp: the Skaramagas project

Service spotlightMany refugee and migrant children and adolescents are in urgent need of shelter, care and protection. Greece has been a major entry point in Europe, receiving over a million refugees and migrants (37% children) since the beginning of 2015. These children and their families face a range of risks, such as violence, exploitation and abuse in their country of origin, during their journey, and on arrival. It is estimated that 22% of individuals living in displacement experience a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.Promising examples of community-based initiatives, which use culturally sensitive learning materials, to encourage participation in physical activity for the purpose of promoting mental health are emerging. This Service Spotlight focuses on one such initiative: the Skaramagas project

Criterion validity of wearable monitors and smartphone applications to measure physical activity energy expenditure in adolescents

Purpose: This study examined the criterion validity of one research-based, one GPS and two consumer-based monitors, as well as six freeware Android apps (three pedometer- and three GPS-based apps) in a sample of healthy adolescents, during self-paced outdoor walking and running. Methods: Twenty-one adolescents (15.9 ± 2.0 years) participated in this cross-sectional study. They walked and ran a distance of 1.2 km for each trial. They were fitted with SenseWear Armband Pro 3, Garmin Forerunner 310XT, Garmin Vivofit, Medisana Vifit, and smartphones running the Runkeeper, Runtastic, Sports Tracker, Pedometer, Accupedo, Pedometer and Pedometer 2.0 apps. Estimation of PAEE was compared to measurement from indirect calorimetry. Repeated measures ANOVA, mean absolute percentage errors and Bland–Altman plots assessed accuracy and proportional bias. Results: PAEE estimates from all monitors and apps showed large individual errors, ranging from 13.16% for walking (Runtastic) to 37.46% for running (Vifit). For group-level differences, Forerunner, Runkeeper, Runtastic and Accupedo significantly underestimated PAEE for walking, and SenseWear, Forerunner, Runkeeper, Vifit and Pedometer significantly underestimated PAEE for running. Conclusion: Based on individual errors, none of the monitors and apps tested was accurate for estimating PAEE in adolescents. The only app that had an acceptable error was Runtastic during running. These monitors and apps are not suitable as research measurement tools for recording precise and accurate PAEE estimates

Adaptation and validation of a test to measure Greek elementary students' basic cycling skills

The aim of this study was to adapt a previously developed test to gain a detailed insight into the cycling skills of Greek children and examine the impact that sex, age and cycling experience have on cycling skills. Students (n=80) from a local elementary school in Attica region (Greece) took the adapted cycling skills test consisting of 12 test stations. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted to investigate the factor structure of the cycling test. Descriptive statistics were performed on children’s cycling skill scores. Furthermore, independent sample t-tests and Pearson r correlations were executed to evaluate individual correlates of cycling skills. Two factors were extracted: the ‘during cycling skills’ and the ‘attention/handling cycling skills’ factor. Most children faced difficulties for skills that required more advanced attention skills and while cycling over obstacles. No significant differences in separate factors, as well as the overall cycling skill, were noted between boys and girls. Significant correlations were observed between years of cycling experience and cycling skills, while age was not correlated to these factors. The 12-item test battery adapted in the present study is suitable for the evaluation of cycling skills of Greek elementary students. Implications of the current research are further discussed

Are pre-service teachers’ beliefs toward curricular outcomes challenged by teaching methods modules and school placement? Evidence from three Greek physical education faculties

Current research on physical education teacher education (PETE) has shown that pre-service teachers’ beliefs concerning the scope of physical education (PE) remain highly influential during their studies. However, undergraduate programmes seem to have a limited effect on pre-service teachers’ teaching priorities, and this situation is left unchallenged. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the impact of two PE teaching methods modules, which included school placement experiences, over one academic year, on pre-service PE teachers’ belief systems towards four important curricular outcomes. A total of 373 undergraduate pre-service teachers (238 males, 135 females; mean = 21.02, standard deviation = 2.33 years) from three major Greek faculties of PE and sport science twice completed a previously validated four-factor instrument. The results indicated that pre-service teachers shared some similar beliefs about the outcome goals of PE, as they all classified physical activity and fitness as the most important one. The teaching methods modules had a positive impact on their beliefs, which were reinforced; however, their classification did not change over time. Both teaching- and coaching-oriented pre-service teachers classified the curricular outcomes in an identical way. Data suggested that PETE recruits prioritized the fitness learning outcomes, and this was in alignment with utilitarian approaches proposed recently in PE, which forward measurable PE learning outcomes. Also, participants preferred to hold and reinforce their personal belief structures and were not willing to change them, complying with faculty staff dispositions. Implications of these findings and recommendations for more effective school placement experiences are discussed