Bone mineral density and hormonal status in adolescent athletic girls

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships of bone mineral density (BMD) and content (BMC) with selected fasting hormones in adolescents with different exercise training patterns. The participants were female athletes of weight-loaded (n=23) and weight-supported (n=24) sports, and 33 non-athletic girls aged 13–15 years. BMD (g/cm2) and BMC (g) at the femoral neck (FN) and lumbar spine (LS) were measured. Venous blood samples were drawn to determine the concentration of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), estradiol, visfatin, adiponectin, leptin, insulin, and glucose. After adjusting for age, height, and body mass, the relationships of BMD variables with IGF-1, IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio, estradiol, and leptin levels remained significant only in the weight-loaded sport group (r=0.41–0.60; p<0.05). Adiponectin was inversely correlated to FN and LS BMD and BMC (r=–0.47–0.62; p<0.05) in weight-supported sport group only, but after adjustments for age, height, and body mass, these associations disappeared. In this study, concentrations of visfatin, a fairly new adipocytokine, were not related to bone parameters in adolescent girls with different training patterns

Luuparameetrite seos üleshüppe kõrguse ning hormonaalsete näitajatega puberteediealistel tütarlastel-sportlastel

Väitekirja elektrooniline versioon ei sisalda publikatsioone.Viimastel aastatel on osteoporoosi profülaktikaks järjest rohkem hakatud soovitama kehalist aktiivsust, eriti hüppelise iseloomuga koormuste rakendamist. On täheldatud, et nende spordialade esindajatel, kus kasutatakse palju hüppeid (võimlemine, sportmängud) on luude tihedus suurem. Luude kaalu suurenemise ning luukoe mineraliseerumise protsess toimub väga kiiresti puberteediperioodil, mil luukude on eriti tundlik hüppelise suunitlusega treeningutele, samuti toimuvad sel perioodil suured hormonaalsed muutused. Käesolevas uuringus osalesid erineva kehalise aktiivsuse tasemega puberteediealised tütarlapsed, kes jagunesid järgmistesse gruppidesse: sportmängijad, sprinterid, võimlejad, ujujad ja murdmaasuusatajad. Kontrollrühma moodustasid samaealised tütarlapsed, kes osalesid ainult kooli kehalise kasvatuse tundides kaks korda nädalas. Lisaks hüppetestide sooritamisele määrati uuritavate veres ka erinevate hormoonide näitajad, mis võiksid mõjutada luukoe arengut. Uuringu tulemused näitasid, et reieluu kaela luutihedus on mehaanilistele koormustele tundlikum kui selgroolülide luutihedus. Hüppetestide tulemused näitasid, et pikemaajalised hüppetestid on paremini seotud luu parameetritega kui ühekordse üleshüppe kõrgus. Usutav seos nii reieluu kaela kui ka selgroolülide luutiheduse ja estradiooli ning IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molaarse suhte vahel leiti ainult võimlejate grupis. Uuritud adipotsütokiinidest on ainult leptiin usutavalt seotud luutiheduse ja luu kaaluga reieluu kaelal ning selgroolülides võimlejate grupis.Regular high-impact weight-bearing physical activity (ball games, racket sports, gymnastics, dance, running, or jumping exercises) during growth may play an important role in maximizing bone mineral mass gain, which may reduce the incidence of fractures in children and adolescents as well as osteoporosis in the elderly. Puberty is a period of increased bone adaptation to mechanical loading due to the velocity of bone growth and endocrine changes at this time. Sex hormones, insulin-like growth factors and physical activity are among the main determinants of bone gain during puberty. Physical activity per se is not always beneficial for bone health, thus bone development in adolescent athletes may also be affected by the nature of the sport. The studied pubertal girls were divided into the following groups according to their physical activity pattern: sport games, track sprint, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming and cross-country skiing. Control group consisted of the girls who only took part in compulsory physical education classes at school. The results of the current study demonstrated that repeated jumping tests characterized bone development better than a single maximal jump test in representatives of high-impact sport events (sport games and rhythmic gymnastics). Femoral neck and lumbar spine bone mineral density correlated with estradiol and IGF-1/IGFBP-3 molar ratio only in rhythmic gymnasts. Leptin was the only adipocytokine from the ones measured that correlated with femoral neck and lumbar spine bone mineral density and femoral neck bone mineral content in rhythmic gymnasts’ group

Objektyviai nustatyto paauglių berniukų savaitinio fizinio aktyvumo rezultatų analizė

Tyrimo pagrindimas ir hipotezė. Pasaulinėje mokslo praktikoje fizinio aktyvumo (FA) objektyvūs nustatymo metodai naudojami vis dažniau, tačiau Lietuvoje aptikti tokio pobūdžio tyrimų mums nepavyko. Taigi mes atlikome bandomąjį tyrimą objektyviai nustatydami paauglių FA ir norime pradėti plėtoti Lietuvoje tikslesnę FA nustatymo metodiką. Tikslas – išanalizuoti objektyviai nustatyto paauglių berniukų savaitinio fizinio aktyvumo rezultatus. Metodai. Mokinių FA nustatytas naudojant Tri-axis ActiTrainer Activity Monitor prietaisus. Berniukų buvo prašoma prietaisus nešioti savaitę kas minutę fiksuojant fizinę veiklą. Fizinio aktyvumo lygmuo buvo nustatomas taikant MET’ų skaičiavimo metodą, kai fizinė veikla trunka vienu metu ilgiau negu dešimt minučių. Analizuojant fizinio aktyvumo duomenis, FA standartizuotas pagal energijos suvartojimą, t. y. intensyvumo lygius. Pagal juos tiriamieji buvo suskirstyti į FA grupes pagal didelio ir vidutinio FA dažnį per savaitę. Rezultatai. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad visi tiriamieji patiria mažą FA kiekvieną dieną, vidutinį kasdien patiria 59,6% tiriamųjų. Tuo tarpu kasdien didelį FA patiriančių berniukų nenustatyta. Tiriamieji patiria vidutinį FA dažniausiai 5–7 dienas per savaitę, o didelį – nuo 1 iki 3 dienų per savaitę ir atskirais atvejais 4 ar 6 dienas per savaitę. Didžiąją dalį bendro FA sudaro mažo intensyvumo fizinė veikla – tai sudaro 79,8% nuo bendro per savaitę patirto FA, kai vidutinis FA sudaro 18,8%, didelis FA – 1,4%. Aptarimas ir išvados. Didelį FA patiriančių berniukų bendras savaitinis FA didesnis, negu jo nepatiriančių berniukų. O patiriant didelį FA daugiau negu dvi dienas per savaitę bent po 10 minučių, reikšmingai padidėja bendro savaitinio FA apimtis, ir šie tiriamieji turėjo mažesnį KMI. Berniukams nepatiriant vidutinio FA bent šešias dienas per savaitę, sumažėja bendras savaitinis FA.Research background and hypothesis. The objective methods for measuring PA are used more and more widely in various research studies all over the world. To our best knowledge, this pilot study is the first attempt in Lithuania to objectively assess physical activity of adolescents with an ambition to develop a more accurate methodology in assessing physical activity. Research aim of this study was to analyze the objectively measured weekly physical activity results of adolescent boys. Research methods. The PA of schoolboys was measured using Tri-axis ActiTrainer Activity Monitors. Boys were asked to wear the monitors for the whole week. The level of the intensity of PA was determined by calculating energy consumption in METs. Based on the frequency of vigorous and moderate PA per week, the participants of this study were devided into PA groups. Research results. All of the schoolboys experienced LPA on each of the assessed days. MPA on each day was experienced by 59.6 % of the boys. No participants achieved VPA on a daily basis. The frequency of MPA and VPA experienced most often was 5–7 and 1–3 days per week, respectively. The total PA measured during the week was largely comprised by LPA, i. e. 79.8%; MPA and VPA were 18.8 and 1.4%, respectively. Discussion and conclusion. Boys who achieve VPA, have a greater total PA during the week than those boys who do not experience VPA. If boys achieve VPA on more than 2 days during the week, even if it is just for 10 min, there is a significant increase in the total amount of weekly PA as well as a decrease in their body mass index (BMI). Boys’ who do not experience MPA at least for 6 days/week, the total amount of weekly PA decreases

Motor skills development alterations of pre-school aged children in relation to qualification of educators.

Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti ugdytojų kvalifikacijos ir 5–6 metų amžiaus vaikų judėjimo įgūdžių kaitos tarpusavio sąsajas. Tyrime dalyvavo 16 berniukų ir 14 mergaičių iš vaikų darželių priešmokyklinių grupių. Tyrimo laikotarpiu du ugdytojai (abi moterys virš 50 metų amžiaus) vykdė įprastas kūno kultūros pamokas (45 min trukmės, du kartus per savaitę). Vienai priešmokyklinei grupei (G1; n=15) kūno kultūros pamokas rengė ir vedė priešmokyklinio ugdymo pedagogė, atsakinga ir už kitas šių vaikų ugdymo veiklas. Kitai priešmokyklinei grupei (G2; n=15) fizinio ugdymo veiklas vykdė kūno kultūros pedagogė. Vaikų judėjimo įgūdžiai įvertinti vadovaujantis bendrų judėjimo įgūdžių vystymosi testu (TGMD2) tyrimo pradžioje (T1) ir po šešių mėnesių (T2). Judėjimo įgūdžių atlikimas filmuotas skaitmenine vaizdo kamera, o medžiaga naudota įvertinti pagrindinių judėjimo įgūdžių atlikimo kokybę pagal atitinkamus vertinimo kriterijus. Testavimai ir analizė atlikti to paties tyrėjo. Skirtumai tarp T1 ir T2 testavimų buvo nustatyti taikant t kriterijų priklausomoms imtims, o skirtumai tarp G1 ir G2 grupių – taikant t kriterijų nepriklausomoms imtims. Judėjimo įgūdžių vertinimas atliktas taikant procentinę analizę. Per šešių mėnesių laikotarpį, vaikų, lankiusių kūno kultūros pedagogės vykdomas fizinio ugdymo pamokas (G2), bėgimo ir objekto gaudymo įgūdžiai reikšmingai pagerėjo (p<.05) lyginant su vaikais, lankiusiais priešmokyklinio ugdymo pedagogės vedamas fizinio ugdymo veiklas. Spyrimo bei objekto metimo įgūdžių teigiamo kitimo tendencijos (p=.06-.07) taip pat nustatytos šios grupės (G2) vaikų tarpe. Galima teigti, jog ikimokyklinio ugdymo įstaigos kūno kultūros pedagogo kvalifikacija siejasi su reikšmingai geresniu auklėtinių judėjimo įgūdžių vystymosi kitimu nei priešmokyklinio ugdymo pedagogo kvalifikacija.The aim of this study was to investigate motor skills development of 5-6-year-aged children in relation to educator’s qualification. The participants were 16 boys and 14 girls of the pre-school groups in the kindergarten. Two teachers (both females over 50 years of age) were giving their usual physical education (PE) lessons (45 min x twice a week) during the study period. Teacher of group 1 (G1; n=15) had a qualification of a general educator, and had other educational activities and duties with her group. Teacher of group 2 (G2; n=15) was a specialist of PE and had PE lessons for kids, only. The motor skills development was tested at baseline (T1) and repeated after six months (T2). To investigate children motor skill development, the battery of the Test of Gross Motor Development-2 (TGMD2) was used. The testings were filmed using a digital camera for a later evaluation analysis. All testing and evaluation procedures were performed by the same exercise expert. The intra- and inter- group differences were performed using t-test where testing occasion (T1, T2) was considered as a dependent variable, and group (G1, G2) – as an independent variable. The percent analysis was used in evaluating the performance of motor skills development tasks. Over the six month course significant and greater improvements were observed in running and object catching skills in children who had PE educator classes comparing to those who had PE classes of a general educator (p<0.05). A tendency of significant changes to be achieved in the skills such as kicking and throwing an object was also observed in G2 (p=0.06-0.07). We may conclude that the impact of an educator, specialized in PE, for improvement of locomotive and non-locomotive motor skills development of children is greater than that of a general educator of kindergarten kids

Kinesthetic learning style relationships with physical activity and athletic identity

The aim of this research was to investigate the 8th grade pupils’ kinesthetic learning style relationships with their physical activity and athletic identity. The research object – the 8th grade pupils’ kinesthetic learning style relationships with their physical activity and athletic identity. Hypothesis. Pupils with more strongly expressed kinesthetic learning style are more physically active and have higher athletic identity than pupils with more strongly expressed visual or auditory learning styles. Methods. The participants were all 8th grade schoolchildren (n=67, of them boys – 41) of X school of one Lithuanian city. To evaluate their learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic) the electronic questionnaire "What is my learning style?", made of 40 questions/statements with optional answers, was used (Sičiūnienė et al., 2012). After answering all the questions, the summarized results would be provided, i.e. next to each learning style a sum of answers (a score) would be indicated. The learning style that received the highest amount of chosen answers would be nominated as dominating. Another questionnaire was used to assess the leisure time physical activity (PA) of adolescents (Godin, Shephard, 1997) and their athletic identity (AI) (Anderson et al., 2007). The following components of AI were evaluated: appearance, competence, importance/commitment, and encouragement/support from others (parents, friends, teacher/other adult). Statistical analysis: Standard descriptive methods were used to analyze research data, i.e. means, standard deviations, percentage. Statistical comparisons between gender groups were made using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Pearson product moment correlation coefficients were computed to evaluate the relationships of kinesthetic learning style with PA and AI. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 package for Windows.Results. It was found that all of the respondents’ (8th grade pupils’) dominant (preferential) learning style was kinesthetic. Girls had stronger expressed visual learning style than boys (11.2±2.8 and 9.2±2.1 score, respectively; p<0.01). It was found that more than a half of the subjects were not sufficiently physically active in their spare time and do not meet the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations, i.e. to be physically active for at least an hour every day, when the intensity level of the activity is moderateto- vigorous. Higher percentage of girls than boys were not enough physically active (69.2 and 58.5%, respectively). Girls more often than boys take part in low intensity physical activity (p<0.01). The total athletic identity (AI) of all participants was estimated to be higher than the average, i.e. beyond 3 points out of 5. In respect to gender, no statistically significant differences in total AI were found, although girls value higher than boys the AI component "Support from friends" to be physically active (3.5±0.7 and 2.8±1.0 points, respectively; p<0.01). There were no significant correlations between adolescents’ kinesthetic learning style and their physical activity, nevertheless two components of AI (i.e. "Support from friends" and "Encouragement from teachers") were related to kinesthetic learning style of 8th grade students (r=0.27; p<0.05). Conclusions. The hypothesis of this study was confirmed partly, because statistically significant associations of kinesthetic learning style of 8th grade schoolchildren were found only with two AI components, but not with physical activity

7th-8th grade pupils kinesthetic learning style’s expression and relationships with their physical activity

Tyrimo tikslas – nustatyti 7-8 klasių mokinių kinestetinio mokymosi stiliaus raišką ir sąsajas su jų fiziniu aktyvumu. Tyrimo objektas – kinestetinio mokymosi stiliaus ir fizinio aktyvumo sąsajos. Hipotezė - moksleiviai, kurių ryškesnis kinestetinis mokymosi stilius, yra fiziškai aktyvesni negu moksleiviai, kurių ryškesnis vizualinis arba audialinis mokymosi stilius. Tyrime dalyvavo dviejų, patogiosios atrankos būdu pasirinktų, Kauno miesto bendrojo lavinimo mokyklų 7 ir 8 klasių moksleiviai. Vykdytas kiekybinis tyrimas, naudojant anketinės apklausos metodą. Respondentams buvo duoti du klausimynai. Pirmasis elektroninės versijos klausimynas „Koks mano mokymosi stilius?“ buvo naudojamas siekiant nustatyti moksleivių mokymosi stilių. Mokiniui atsakius į visus klausimus, parodyti apibendrinti rezultatai: šalia nurodyto mokymosi stiliaus parašytas jį atitinkančių mokinio pasirinktų atsakymų skaičius. Didžiausias pasirinktų atsakymų skaičius mokiniui parodė jo vyraujantį mokymosi stilių. Šiame tyrime pasirinktų atsakymų skaičius buvo prilygintas balams. Antrasis klausimynas (angl. Godin Leisure– Time Exercise Questionnaire, GLTEQ) naudotas nustatyti moksleivių laisvalaikio fizinio aktyvumo lygį. Tyrimo duomenų analizei taikyti standartiniai aprašomosios statistikos metodai. Nustatyta, kad apie 70 proc. visų respondentų reguliaria vidutinio-didelio intensyvumo fizine veikla laisvalaikiu užsiima rečiau nei 5 kartus per savaitę, t.y. neatitinka Pasaulio sveikatos organizacijos rekomendacijų. Lyginant lyties aspektu, didesnis procentas merginų nei vaikinų buvo nepakankamai fiziškai aktyvios ir dideliu intensyvumu sportuoja rečiau (p<0,05). Nustatyta, kad visų tirtų mokinių dominuojantis mokymosi stilius yra kinestetinis. Lyginant tiek lyties, tiek ir klasės aspektu mokymosi stilių, raiška analogiška. Statistiškai reikšmingi skirtumai nustatyti tik analizuojant vizualinį mokymosi stilių lyties aspektu (p<0,05). Tyrime iškelta hipotezė pasitvirtino iš dalies, kadangi kinestetinio mokymosi stiliaus raiška statistiškai reikšmingai siejosi tik su visų tiriamųjų vidutinio intensyvumo fizinio aktyvumo (FA) dažnumu, bei mažo intensyvumo 8 klasių mokinių FA dažnumu. Raktažodžiai: mokymosi stiliai, kinestetinis mokymosi stilius, fizinis aktyvumas, paaugliai.The aim of research – to identify the kinesthetic learning style expression of 7th-8th grade pupils and it’s relationships with their physical activity The object – pupils’ kinesthetic learning style and physical activity. Hypothesis – pupils with more strongly expressed kinesthetic learning style are more physically active than pupils with more strongly expressed visual or auditory learning styles. The 7th and 8th grade students of two Kaunas city general education schools, selected by convenient selection, participated in the research. A quantitative study was conducted using a questionnaire survey method. Respondents were given two questionnaires. The first electronic version of the questionnaire, ‚What is my learning style?‘ was used to identify students‘ learning styles. When the student answered all the questions, the summarized results are shown: next to the indicated learning style, the number of corresponding answers selected by the student is written. The highest number of selected answers showed his or her predominant learning style. The number of responses selected in this study was equated to scores. The second questionnaire - the Godin Leisure- Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ) which was used to measure students‘ levels of leisure-time physical activity. Results and conclusions. It was found that about 70 percent of the researched 7th – 8th grade pupils in their spare time are not sufficiently physically active and do not meet the WHO recommendations to be physically active for at least an hour every day, when the intensity of the activity is moderate-to-vigorous . Researching further, boys were performing daily physical activities more frequently and they were more likely to perform high intensity physical activities than girls (p<0.05). Finally, taking the aspect of the different grade pupils, there was no significant difference found. It was found that the dominant learning style of all the researched pupils was kinesthetic, second most common learning style was visual In comparison to each other, both the gender and pupils from different grades analysis showed identical expressions of the learning styles. Statistically significant distinction was found only while analyzing different gender pupils within visual learning style (p<0.05). The investigation revealed that kinesthetic learning style was significantly associated with moderate physical activity frequency in total group.Moreover, it was found out that kinesthetic learning syle is significantly related to the light intensity physical activity in students group. The study hypothesis was partially confirmed, because it was found statistically significant associations with only variables of physical activity measured. Keywords: learning styles, kinesthetic learning style, physical activity, adolescents

Attitudes of 7-12th grade students of secondary and specialized music and arts schools toward the evaluation in physical education

According to the Lithuanian General Education Plans for Secondary and High School Programs (2009), students in Physical Education (PE) lessons can be assessed by a mark or using “Pass / Fail” system, depending on the decision of the school community. In our previous study we found that students of secondary schools are satisfied with the existing evaluation mode in PE classes, and that in their opinion, evaluation does not have a significant impact on physical activity during their leisure time, but students who were assessed by a mark, as opposed to students who were assessed by “Pass / Fail” system, indicate that evaluation encourage them to be physically active during PE lessons. It is interesting to find out, what opinion dominates among students of specialized music and art schools. Performing artists are professionals, bodies of whom are being overused by different ergonomic positions that may lead to musculoskeletal problems. Artists’ health disorders are individual, in the treatment of which, physical activity plays a crucial role and is more important than most people think: for example, playing a musical instrument requires both physical and mental skills, and very often these health disorders are caused by long-term professional loads, therefore the exercises for strength, endurance and flexibility development are especially important for musicians. [...

Physical activity of secondary and performing arts high school students in relation to physical education assessment

The aim of this study was to assess whether the way of evaluation in Physical Education (PE) classes (i.e. by a mark or being credited as ‘pass’ or ‘fail’) is associated with physical activity (PA) of high school students, and whether there are differences if students are of secondary or performing arts high school. The study involved 486 students of 9–12th grades from three secondary and three performing arts high schools in one of the biggest cities of Lithuania. Analyzing secondary high school students’ PA, estimated by modified International PA Questionnaire, in relation to assessment system in PE, statistically significant (p<0.01) differences were found only in vigorous PA (VPA), i.e. students, who are assessed by marks in PE, are involved in VPA more frequently than those who are being rated ‘pass’ or ‘fail’. A reverse situation was observed in performing arts high school students: more students, who are being rated ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ in PE, are involved in vigorous and moderate PA more frequently comparing to students who are assessed by a mark. We may conclude that the assessment mode in PE classes may influence PA of schoolchildren, but differently for secondary and performing arts high school students