Sport Participation and Academic Performance in Young Elite Athletes

Strong evidence supports physical activity and fitness levels being positively associated with cognitive performance and overall academic performance in youth. This also applies to sports participation. However, whether participation in sports at the elite level is associated with greater academic performance remains unknown. Thus, the present study aimed to compare the academic performance of young elite athletes to that of control students, as well as to analyze whether the type of sport mediates these results. Between 2010 and 2019, all students from the last Baccalaureate course of the Spanish Elite Sport High School—which also includes non-elite athletes and recreational athlete students, who were categorized as controls—participated in this study. Academic performance was assessed through both the grade point average of the two last Baccalaureate courses and through the average grades from the University Entrance Examinations. Athletes were categorized attending to different sport classifications. A total of 1126 adolescents (570 girls, 18.2 0.6 years) participated in the study, of which 483 and 643 were categorized as elite athletes and control students, respectively. Elite athletes attained a lower overall academic performance than controls (p < 0.001), which was confirmed for both sexes (p < 0.001). These differences were separately confirmed for most academic subjects (p 0.05). Young elite athletes attained a lower academic performance than their non-elite peers, regardless of their type of sport. These findings highlight the importance of programs aimed at facilitating dual careers among young elite athletes

Associations between physical frailty and dementia incidence: a prospective study from UK Biobank

Background Dementia is associated with a high burden of dependency and disability. Physical frailty (hereafter referred to as frailty) is a multisystem dysregulation that has been identified as a risk factor for dementia. The aim of this study was to examine the association of frailty and its individual components with all-cause dementia incidence in a cohort of UK adults. Methods Participants in UK Biobank with data available for dementia incidence and without any form of dementia at baseline were included in this prospective study. Frailty was defined using a modified version of the frailty phenotype based on five individual components (weight loss, tiredness, physical activity, gait speed, and grip strength), with participants classified as pre-frail if they fulfilled one or two criteria or frail if they fulfilled three or more. Associations between frailty and dementia incidence were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for sociodemographic factors, lifestyle factors, and morbidity count. The population attributable fraction was also estimated. Findings Of 502535 participants in UK Biobank, 143 215 met the inclusion criteria and were included in our analyses. 68 500 (47·8%) of the participants were pre-frail and 5565 (3·9%) were frail. During a median follow-up period of 5·4 years, 726 individuals developed dementia. Compared with non-frail individuals, the risk of dementia incidence was increased for individuals with pre-frailty (hazard ratio 1·21 [95% CI 1·04–1·42]) and frailty (1·98 [1·47–2·67]) in the fully adjusted model. Of the five components used to define frailty, weight loss (1·31 [1·09–1·58]), tiredness (1·48 [1·18–1·86]), low grip strength (1·38 [1·17–1·63]), and slow gait speed (1·55 [1·22–1·96]) were independently associated with incident dementia. Based on population attributable fraction analyses, in the study sample, pre-frailty and frailty accounted for 9·9% and 8·6% of dementia cases, respectively. Interpretation Individuals with pre-frailty and frailty were at a higher risk of dementia incidence even after adjusting for a wide range of confounding factors. Early detection and interventions for frailty could translate into prevention or delayed onset of dementia

Associations of accelerometer measured school‑ and non‑school based physical activity and sedentary time with body mass index: IPEN Adolescent study

Background: This study examined the strength, shape and direction of associations of accelerometer-assessed overall, school- and non-school-based moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) with BMI among adolescents across the world. Second, we examined whether these associations differed by study site and sex. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the IPEN Adolescent study, an observational multi-country study, were used. Participants wore an accelerometer for seven days, reported height and weight, and completed a socio-demographic survey. In total, 4852 adolescents (46.6% boys), aged 11–19 years (mean age = 14.6, SD = 1.7 years) were included in the analyses, using generalized additive mixed models. Results: Adolescents accumulated on average 41.3 (SD = 22.6) min/day of MVPA and 531.8 (SD = 81.1) min/day of ST, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity was 17.2% (IOTF), but these mean values differed by country. Linear negative associations of accelerometer-based MVPA and ST with standardized BMI scores and the likelihood of being overweight/obese were found. School-based ST and non-school-based MVPA were more strongly negatively associated to the outcomes than non-school based ST and school-based MVPA. Study site moderated the associations; adolescent sex did not. No curvilinear associations were found. Conclusions: This multi-country study confirmed the importance of MVPA as a potential protective factor against overweight/obesity in adolescents. Non-school-based MVPA seemed to be the main driver of these associations. Unexpected results were found for ST, calling for further examination in methodologically sound international studies but using inclinometers or pressure sensors to provide more precise ST measures.United States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA R01 HL111378 FWO FWO12/ASP/102Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPQ) 306836/2011-4Grant Agency of the Czech Republic GA14-26896S GA17-24378SUniversity of Southern DenmarkHealth and Medical Research Fund (Food and Health Bureau, Government of the Hong Kong SAR, PR of China) 10111501Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF), ChennaiIsrael Science Foundation 916/12Universiti Sains Malaysia International Research Collaboration GrantHealth Research Council of New Zealand HRC12/329Portuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyCenter for Forestry Research & Experimentation (CIEF) GV-2013-087United States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA R01 HL083454Future Leader Fellowship from the National Health Foundation of Australia ID100046Australian Research Council FT140100085National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia APP 1176885United States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA R01 HL11137

Physical activity, physical fitness, body composition and academic perfomance in children and adolescents

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Formación de Profesorado y Educación, Departamento de Educación Física, Deporte y Motricidad Humana. Fecha de lectura : 14 de julio de 2014El rendimiento académico de los jóvenes es un importante indicador de salud física y mental durante la edad adulta. Un estilo de vida activo, estar físicamente en forma y una composición corporal saludable durante la niñez y adolescencia pueden influir en el rendimiento académico. El objetivo general de esta tesis doctoral fue analizar las asociaciones entre la actividad física, la condición física y la composición corporal, con el rendimiento académico en niños y adolescentes. La presente tesis doctoral se basa en datos del estudio UP&DOWN. Un total de 2.225 niños y adolescentes (de 6 a 18 años) participaron en el estudio. Los niveles de actividad física se midieron por acelerometría. La actividad física de la madre fue autoreportada. La capacidad cardiorespiratoria se evalúo mediante el course navette. La habilidad motora se evaluó con el test 4 × 10 m. La fuerza muscular se calculó mediante la prueba de fuerza de presión manual y el salto de longitud. La composición corporal neonatal fue reportada por los padres. La composición corporal actual se evaluó mediante el índice de masa corporal, el perímetro de la cintura y el porcentaje de grasa corporal. El rendimiento académico se evaluó a través de las califiaciones académicas registrasdas oficialmente en los centros educativos. Los principales hallazgos de la presente tesis sugieren que (i) la actividad física se asocia con la cognición y concretamente, la actividad física medida por acelerometría se asocia con el rendimiento académico de los jóvenes, pero la magnitud de esta asociación, aunque negativa, es muy débil; (ii) la actividad física de la madre antes y durante el embarazo está asociada positivamente en rendimiento académico posterior de los jóvenes; (iii) La capacidad cardiorespiratoria y la habilidad motora, así como la composición corporal neonatal y actual, tanto independientemente como en combinación, se asocian con el rendimiento académico en niños y adolescentes.Academic performance in youth is an important indicator of adult physical and mental health. An active lifestyle, being physically fit and a healthy body composition during childhood and adolescence may have an influence on academic performance. The overall aim of this PhD Thesis was to analyze the associations of physical activity, physical fitness and body composition with academic performance in children and adolescents. The current PhD Thesis is based on data from the UP&DOWN Study. A total of 2,225 youth (aged 6-18 years) participated in the study. Physical activity was objectively measured by accelerometry. Maternal physical activity was self-reported. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the 20-m shuttle run test. Motor fitness was assessed with the 4×10-m shuttle-run test. A muscular fitness score was computed using handgrip strength and standing long jump. Neonatal body composition was parent-reported. Current body composition was assessed by body mass index, waist circumference and percentage of body fat. Academic performance was assessed through grades reported by schools. The main findings found in the current dissertation suggest that (i) physical activity is associated with cognition, and specifically, objectively measured physical activity is related to academic performance in youth, but the magnitude of this association, albeit negatively significant, was very weak; (ii) maternal physical activity before and during pregnancy is positively associated with youth's academic performance. Continuing maternal physical activity practice during pregnancy is associated with greater benefits for youth's academic performance; (iii) cardiorespiratory and motor fitness, as well as neonatal and current body composition, both independently and combined, are associated with academic performance in youth

Handgrip strength and all-cause dementia incidence and mortality: findings from the UK Biobank prospective cohort study

We thank UK Biobank participants. This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource (application No 7155). The authors of this manuscript certify that they comply with the ethical guidelines for authorship and publishing in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle.40Background This study aimed to investigate the associations of grip strength with incidence and mortality from dementia and whether these associations differ by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors. Methods A total of 466 788 participants of the UK Biobank (median age 56.5 years, 54.5% women). The outcome was all-cause dementia incidence and mortality and the exposure was grip strength. Grip strength was assessed using a Jamar J00105 hydraulic hand dynamometer. Results Excluding the first 2 years of follow-up (landmark analysis), mean follow-up was 9.1 years (inter-quartile range: 8.3; 9.7) for incidence and 9.3 (inter-quartile range: 8.7; 10.0) for mortality. During this time, 4087 participants developed dementia, and 1309 died from it. Lower grip strength was associated with a higher risk of dementia incidence and mortality independent of major confounding factors (P < 0.001). Individuals in the lowest quintile of grip strength had 72% [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.55; 1.92] higher incident dementia risk and 87% [95% CI: 1.55; 2.26] higher risk of dementia mortality compared with those in the highest quintile. Our PAF analyses indicate that 30.1% of dementia cases and 32.3% of dementia deaths are attributable to having low grip strength. The association between grip strength and dementia outcomes did not differ by lifestyle or sociodemographic factors. Conclusions Lower grip strength was associated with a higher risk of all-cause dementia incidence and mortality, independently of important confounding factors.715

Prospective associations between physical fitness and executive function in adolescents: The UP&DOWN study

Introduction: The objective of the present work is to investigate the prospective associations between physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) and two domains of executive function (working memory and inhibitory control) in adolescents. Methods: A total of 422 Spanish adolescents (13.35 ± 1.54 years, at baseline) from the UP&DOWN study with assessments at baseline and at 2-year follow-up were included in the analysis. Physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA Fitness Test Battery. Working memory was measured by the n-back task and inhibitory control by the go/no-go task. Relationships of physical fitness components with working memory and inhibitory control were examined using linear regression models, adjusted for confounders. Results: Higher baseline levels of the three physical fitness components (cardiorespiratory fitness, motor fitness, and muscular strength) individually predicted better performance on the working memory (βranged, from .159 to .207; all p < .012) and inhibitory control (βranged, from 0.168 to 0.263; all p < .004) tasks at the 2-year follow-up. Muscular strength was the only component associated with inhibitory control independent of the other 2 physical fitness components (β = 0.266; p = .005). Conclusions: All components of adolescents’ physical fitness at baseline were individually associated with better working memory and inhibitory control at 2-year follow-up. Specifically, our results revealed that muscular strength was the component showing the strongest association with executive function, and even the only fitness component associated with inhibitory control independent of the other fitness components. These findings may have important public health and educational implication, since promoting exercise programs that improve physical fitness, and particularly, muscular strength, may positively influence cognitive health.Spanish Government DEP 2010-21662-C04-00 CAS19/00265 RYC2019-027287-INational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia APP 1176885 Spanish Government IJC2018-038008-

A Gamification-Based Intervention Program that Encourages Physical Activity Improves Cardiorespiratory Fitness of College Students: ‘The Matrix rEFvolution Program’

J.M.-G. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport under Grant FPU14/06837. I.E.-C. was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation under Grant FJCI-2014-19563. Additional support was obtained from the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence, Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES); and by the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidades and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR)The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of a gamification-based program on cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of college students. We divided 112 college students into an intervention group (IG) and a control group (CG). IG college students followed a 15-week gamification-based program, whereas CG followed traditional lectures. CRF was assessed using the 20-meter shuttle-run test. CRF significantly improved after the program in the IG compared to CG (d ≤ 0.94, p < 0.001). Only participants of IG had significant CRF improvements (d ≤ 0.87, p < 0.001) between pre- and post-assessments. In the IG, from the students who attended 100% of lectures, 87.8% met physical activity recommendations for 100% of weeks, whereas from those who attended <100%, only 26.7% met them them for 100% of weeks (p < 0.001). Participants who met recommendations 100% of weeks had a significant CRF improvement (p < 0.001). Motivating college students throughout innovative teaching methods (e.g., gamification) can lead to health improvements.European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (Ref. SOMM17/6107/UGR