Correlates of physical activity in school-aged children: parents' role in active living. A comparative study between Italy and Germany

The knowledge that inactivity during childhood predisposes youngsters to a variety of negative outcomes (e.g. lack of socialization, poor emotional aspects, worsening psychological well-being and cognitive abilities, health risks, etc.), in combination with research indicating that many children are not enough physically active, has stimulated interest in better understanding children's physical activity determinants. It is necessary to identify the social, psychological, biological, and developmental factors that contribute to the differences in children's behaviours. A complex arrangement of determinants seems to be involved, and several social, educational and cultural factors clearly impact childrenâs physical activity and sport involvement. Demographic/biological, psychological, behavioural, social/cultural and environmental variables have been reported as associated with childrenâs physical activity. The family represent an all-encompassing ecology for development. As a starting point, the family constitutes an important initial element of socialization influence for children because they spend, prior to adolescence, the majority of their free-time within the context of the family. Parents have also been found to influence physical activity behaviours of their offspring. Several forms of parental influence have been suggested in the literature: direct modelling, encouragement, support, involvement, restriction or facilitation of physical activity and beliefs on physical activity. The factors most frequently investigated are related to parental role modeling, social support and parental belief systems. In particular, parental support has been found to be positively related to physical activity level of children, and active parents (especially fathers) were more likely to have active children. Generally, interventions to promote childrenâs physical activity mostly focused directly on children than on parents (e.g. one more hour of physical education per week). To design effective strategies to increase childrenâs physical activity, a clear understanding of how parents influence their children's behaviours is required. The scientific literature related to physical activity parenting is still limited. Studies reported inconsistent, and mostly null, findings, and types of parental support have not been systematically evaluated yet. The challenge of health education and sport pedagogy in promoting children regular physical activity is linked with the identification of multiple theory-based factors that influence physical activity behaviours. For these reasons it has been decided to carried out a research that investigates parental correlates with an ecological approach, in order to taking into account personal, cultural and environmental factors, using objective data and valid measurements. It has been carried out a comparative study in order to investigate the phenomenon of physical activity parenting in different cultural and national policies context. Italy and Germany have been chosen because of their similarity and differences. It is possible to identify three major objectives of the research: - To examine the roles of supportive social environments (parentsâ role) and physical environments on childrenâs active living, with an ecological approach; - To compare Italian and German childrenâs physical activity habits; - To investigate what variables are strongly associated with higher rates of physical activity participation. A group of 4th grade children and both their parents participated in the research. Participants filled in a package of questionnaires and a subgroup of the total number of participants wore a tri-axial accelerometer for 7 consecutive days, in order to register physical activity quantity. The investigated individual variables were children self-report physical activity, enjoyment during physical activity, importance of physical activity, perceived parental support, perceived parentsâ physical activity level and children self-efficacy. Parents reported answers on importance of physical activity, support, quantity of physical activity and enjoyment. The findings confirmed scientific literature evidence and further sustain the notion that parental support is a key element in shaping physical activity levels in school-aged children. Moreover it is of relevance to compare results of different countries and cultural context. Further research is needed to combine quantitative and qualitative data to better understand physical activity parenting. Moreover, sport pedagogy research should focus on the implementation of educational programs among parents about their role in the socialization of childrenâs physical activity behaviours abstrakt Deutsch Es ist bekannt, dass Inaktivität im Kindesalter zu unterschiedlichen negativen Auswirkungen, wie zum Beispiel mangelnde Sozialisation, dürftige emotionale Fähigkeiten, schlechtes psychologisches Wohlbefinden und schlechte kognitive Fähigkeiten, Gesundheitsgefährdung etc. im Jugendalter führen kann. Dieses Wissen, und Forschungsergebnisse die zeigen, dass viele Kinder nicht ausreichend körperlich aktiv sind, hat das Interesse angeregt die Faktoren von körperlicher Aktivität im Kindheitsalter besser verstehen zu wollen. Es ist daher notwendig, die sozialen, psychologischen, biologischen und entwicklungsbedingten Faktoren zu identifizieren, die zu unterschiedlichen Verhalten bei Kindern führen. Ein komplexes Arrangement von Determinanten scheint dabei beteiligt zu sein, und einige soziale, bildungsrelevante und kulturelle Faktoren beeinflussen eindeutig die körperliche Aktivität und das Sportengagement von Kindern. Es wurde gezeigt, dass demographische/biologische, psychologische, verhaltensbezogene, soziale/kulturelle und umweltbedingte Variablen mit der körperlichen Aktivität von Kindern zusammenhängen. Die Familie spielt dabei eine all-umfassende Rolle für die Entwicklung. Sie stellt einen wichtigen Einfluss in der Sozialisation des Kindes dar, da dieses -vor der Adoleszenz – den Großteil seiner Freizeit mit der Familie verbringt. Es wurde auch herausgefunden, dass Eltern das Verhalten ihrer Kinder im Hinblick auf körperliche Aktivität beeinflussen. Verschiedene Formen elterlichen Einflusses wurden in der Literatur herausgestellt: Vorbildfunktion, Ermunterung, Unterstützung, Beteiligung, Verbot oder Förderung. Die am häufigsten untersuchten Faktoren betreffen die elterliche Vorbildfunktion, soziale Unterstützung und Überzeugung der Eltern. Die Daten zeigen, dass insbesondere die elterliche Unterstützung in positivem Zusammenhang mit dem Aktivitätslevel von Kindern steht, und dass Kinder aktiver Eltern (besonders aktiver Väter) mit einer höheren Wahrscheinlichkeit selbst aktiv sind. Im Allgemeinen bezogen sich die Interventionen zur Förderung der körperlichen Aktivität meist auf Kinder und nicht auf ihre Eltern (zum Beispiel eine Stunde Sportunterricht pro Woche). Um effektive Strategien zur Förderung körperlicher Aktivität zu entwickeln muss ein klares Verständnis über den Einfluss von Eltern auf das Verhalten ihrer Kinder vorliegen. Die wissenschaftliche Literatur, die sich auf die körperliche Aktivität von Eltern bezieht ist jedoch begrenzt. Die Ergebnisse der durchgeführten Studien sind widersprüchlich und/oder nichtig und unterschiedliche Arten von elterlicher Unterstützung wurden bisher nicht systematisch evaluiert. Die Herausforderung für Gesundheitserziehung und Sportpädagogik Kinder regelmäßig in körperlicher Aktivität zu fördern ist mit der Identifikation von mehreren theoriegestützten Faktoren verbunden, die körperliche Aktivität beeinflussen. Aus diesen Gründen wurde entschieden eine Studie durchzuführen, die elterliche Korrelationen mit einem ökologischen Ansatz untersucht, um so persönliche, kulturelle und Umweltbedingungen zu berücksichtigen. Hierzu wurden objektive Daten erhoben und valide Messinstrumente eingesetzt. Es wurde eine Vergleichsstudie durchgeführt um das Phänomen der Erziehung zu körperlicher Aktivität in unterschiedlichen Kulturkreisen und unterschiedlicher nationaler Politik zu erfassen. Italien und Deutschland wurden aufgrund ihrer Ähnlichkeit und Unterschiedlichkeit ausgesucht. Drei Hauptziele der Studie können heraus gestellt werden. Es soll(en) -die Rolle des unterstützenden sozialen Umfelds (die Rolle der Eltern) und der physischen Umwelt auf den aktiven Lebensstil von Kindern, mit Hilfe eines ökologischen Ansatzes untersucht werden. -die Gewohnheiten in Italien und Deutschland im Hinblick auf körperliche Aktivität verglichen werden. -untersucht werden, welche Variablen mit einer stärkeren Beteiligung an körperlicher Aktivität zusammenhängen. An der Studie nahmen Viertklässler und ihre beiden Elternteile teil. Alle Teilnehmer füllten Fragebögen aus und ein Teil der Gruppe trug an sieben aufeinanderfolgenden Tagen einen Akzelerometer, um das Ausmaß ihrer körperlichen Aktivität zu erfassen. Die untersuchten individuellen Variablen waren die von den Kindern selbst eingeschätzte körperliche Aktivität, ihre Freude daran, der Stellenwert der körperlichen Aktivität für sie, die wahrgenommene Unterstützung der Eltern, die körperliche Aktivität der Eltern und das Selbstvertrauen der Kinder. Die Eltern beantworteten Fragen über die Bedeutung von körperlicher Aktivität für sie, ihre Unterstützung, ihr Ausmaß der körperlichen Aktivität und ihre Freude daran. Die Ergebnisse bestätigen bereits vorhandene wissenschaftliche Literatur und stärken die Annahme, dass elterliche Unterstützung ein entscheidender Erfolgsfaktor für die Entwicklung von körperlicher Aktivität bei Schulkindern ist. Darüber hinaus ist es wichtig die Ergebnisse unterschiedlicher Länder und kultureller Kreise zu vergleichen. Um die Erziehung zu körperlicher Aktivität besser zu verstehen ist Forschung von Nöten, die qualitative und quantitative Ansätze vereint. Vielmehr sollte die Sportpädagogik ihre Forschung auf die Implementation von Erziehungsprogrammen für Eltern lenken, und ihre Rolle in der Sozialisation des Kindes im Hinblick auf seine körperliche Aktivität untersuche

INCLUSIVE PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN TIMES OF EDUCATIONAL URGENCY: TEACHERS' PERSPECTIVE IN THE VENETO REGION

Physical Education (PE) represents an important global-growth opportunity for pupils enhancing their physical, cognitive, emotional, and relational well-being. At the same time, the heterogeneity of the classrooms implies that the promotion of inclusive PE is a complex task, and students with special educational needs (SEN) are, more than others, at risk of marginalization. This aspect is particularly relevant in this period of restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic in which PE teachers must redesign their activities and the alliance with other educational figures has become an educational urgency. The aim of this study was twofold: on the one hand, to understand if and to what extent students with SEN participate in PE and how PE teachers collaborate with colleagues, other professionals and families to develop personalized and flexible teaching; on the other hand, to investigate any differences in the use of teaching styles in PE before and during the period of restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In conclusion, the perspective of a voluntary sample of 32 PE teachers from the Veneto Region collected through a self-reported questionnaire is presented

Promoting physical activity among university students: a systematic review of controlled trials

Objective: University study is often accompanied by a decline in physical activity (PA) levels but can offer the opportunity to promote a lifelong active lifestyle. This review aims to summarize controlled trials of interventions promoting PA among uni- versity students, describing the quality of the evidence, effective strategies, and deficiencies in the interventions employed, to provide directions for future research and for practical implementations. Data Source: PubMed, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, Education Source, and SPORTDiscus. Study Inclusion Criteria: Randomized or nonrandomized controlled trial, describing an intervention to promote PA in uni- versity students, where PA was one of the outcomes and results were published in English. Data Extraction: Country, study design, participants\u2019 inclusion criteria, participation rate and characteristics, randomization, blinding, theoretical framework, intervention characteristics, participant retention rate and withdrawal reasons, measures employed, data analysis, PA results, and findings regarding PA correlates. Data Synthesis: Data were synthetized considering study characteristics, strategies used, and outcomes. Results: Two thousand five hundred eighty-five articles were identified. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies reported an increase in PA levels. Conclusion: Physical Activity promotion interventions should address a range of behavioral determinants. Personalized approaches and PA sessions should be considered in future studies. The high risk of bias of many studies (mainly due to attrition and poor reporting) and missing information about intervention components limit the strength of conclusions about the most effective strategies and the evidence of effectiveness, highlighting the need for further high-quality studies

Descriptive Kinematic Analysis of the Potentially Tragic Accident at the 2020 Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix Using Low-Cost Instruments: A Brief Report

During the first Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix of 2020, following a serious accident involving the riders J. Zarco and F. Morbidelli, Morbidelli's riderless bike cartwheeled across turn 3, narrowly missing V. Rossi and M. Viñales by just a few centimeters. As is the case with ordinary traffic accidents, analyzing the dynamics of motorcycle racing accidents can help improve safety; however, to date, the literature lacks studies that analyze the causes and severity of such accidents. Hence, the purpose of this study was to analyze the main causes that led to the accident at the 2020 Austrian MotoGp Grand Prix, to quantify the speeds and distances of the bikes and riders involved, and to hypothesize several alternative scenarios using a low-cost method

I giochi di lotta in educazione fisica: effetti sull’aggressività degli adolescenti

Prevenire la violenza e altri comportamenti antisociali rappresenta un’importante sfida educativa. La scuola può giocare un ruolochiave nella gestione dei comportamenti aggressivi degli adolescenti proprio per la sua funzione di agenzia di socializzazione.L’educazione fisica in questo senso ha delle potenzialità molto importanti proprio per la riconosciuta efficacia nel migliorare le abilità sociali e nella possibilità di sperimentazione e gestione delle emozioni. In particolare i giochi di lotta hanno un elevato valore educativo, e vengono riconosciuti loro importanti funzioni in ambito motorio, socio-affettivo e cognitivo. L’esperienza proposta riguarda un intervento educativo sui giochi di lotta condotto in due scuole secondarie di primo grado con l’obiettivo di valutare quali fossero gli effetti nella gestionedell’aggressività degli studenti

Barriere all’attività fisica di giovani adulti con disabilità intellettiva percepite dai loro genitori e allenatori

Physical activity (PA) is essential for promoting well-being, health, and positive social relations. Nevertheless, in industrialized countries, high levels of physical inactivity are reported, with higherlevels in people with disabilities. People with intellectual disability (ID) are characterized by particularly high inactivity rates and have various barriers to regularly participating in PA. The aim ofthe present research was to explore the barriers to PA of young adults with ID perceived by their parents and sports coaches. The cross-sectional study involved 52 parents and 9 coaches, who provided information on 55 young adults with mild or moderate ID, filling two separate questionnaire packages, one for parents and the other for coaches.The main reported barriers were the low number of available PA programs, the prejudice toward the disability, the level of expertise of the sports coaches, and the lack of motivation to PA practice of people with ID.The intervention trajectories are therefore multiple including actions on policies at a general and a local level (PA programs availability and accessibility seem intervention targets), educational actions to promote inclusion and reduce stigma, and programs to support parents and to improve the relational and teaching abilities of coaches

Special education teacher preparation: a discussion of Brazilian and Italian models

Com os recentes avanços legislativos no sentido da massificação da inclusão de alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais nas escolas regulares, emergem discussões sobre as mudanças requeridas na formação de docentes para o atendimento desta nova demanda. O objetivo deste estudo foi discutir os modelos brasileiro e italiano de formação de professores para atuar na educação especial. Para tanto, foi realizada uma pesquisa documental, analisando textos legais de ambos os países que versassem sobre o tema. A Itália foi o primeiro país na Europa a promover o fim das escolas especiais e a inclusão de todos os alunos com deficiência nas escolas regulares. Ainda neste país, nota-se que as diretrizes governamentais são claras com relação à capacitação de professores para atuar com alunos com necessidades educacionais especiais. Por outro lado no Brasil, embora tenham ocorrido grandes avanços no que se refere à legislação que sustenta a formação docente, ainda existe uma carência de parâmetros mais específicos sobre os conteúdos mínimos necessários para que os professores tenham maiores subsídios para promover a inclusão com qualidade

Quality of life measures in Italian children with atopic dermatitis and their families

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The impact of atopic dermatitis (AD) on children's quality of life (QoL) in US and European countries is relatively well known, though rarely evaluated in the Italian population. Moreover, the association between child age and QoL has not been enough investigated, even though few studies detected a worse QoL in youngest AD children. The aim of the study was to evaluate the QoL in an Italian sample of atopic children and their families, also exploring a possible association with child age.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>60 AD children aged between 1-12 years and their mothers completed specific QoL questionnaires (IDQoL/CDLQI, DFI) and a clinician completed a measure of AD severity (SCORAD).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>AD severity (Objective SCORAD) significantly correlated with QoL measures. Severe AD children showed higher IDQoL/CDLQI and DFI scores compared to mild and moderate AD groups (<it>P </it>= 0.006 and <it>P </it>< 0.0005, respectively), but only DFI scores differed in these last two conditions (<it>P </it>= 0.014). DFI scores negatively correlated with children's age (<it>P </it>= 0.046), but did not differ when considering child age ranges. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed a significant association between Objective SCORAD and QoL measures.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A strong association between severe AD and poor QoL, both in children and mothers, was found in the Italian sample, in line with the international literature. Family's QoL scores were sensitively related to AD severity, more than the child's QoL, emphasising that the disease has a deep impact on the family. A significant association between age and QoL was only partially found and needs further investigation.</p

Blackwater Fever Treated with Steroids in Nonimmune Patient, Italy

: Causes of blackwater fever, a complication of malaria treatment, are not completely clear, and immune mechanisms might be involved. Clinical management is not standardized. We describe an episode of blackwater fever in a nonimmune 12-year-old girl in Italy who was treated with steroids, resulting in a rapid clinical resolution

Factors influencing weight loss practices in Italian boxers: A cluster analysis

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. It is common practice in combat sports that athletes rapidly lose body weight before a match, by applying different practices—some safer and others possibly dangerous. The factors behind the choice of practices utilised have not been fully studied. This study aimed to investigate the weight loss strategies used by Italian boxers and to look at the difference between higher and lower risk practice adaptors. A modified version of a validated questionnaire has been sent to 164 amateur (88%) and professional (12%) boxers by email. A heatmap with hierarchical clustering was used to explore the presence of subgroups. Weight loss strategies were used by 88% of the athletes. Two clusters were found, defined by the severity of weight loss behaviours. Professional fighters, high-level athletes and females were more represented in Cluster 2, the one with more severe weight-loss practices. These athletes were characterised by a higher weight loss magnitude and frequency throughout the season and reported being more influenced by physicians and nutritionists, compared with the boxers in Cluster 1. Not all the weight loss practices are used with the same frequency by all boxers. The level of the athlete and the boxing style have an influence on the weight-cutting practices