Objectively measured school-based physical activity interventions for 6–12-year-old children in 2009–2014: a systematic review

Physical inactivity of children and youth is a growing problem all over the world. Th e promotion of physical activity (PA) is an essential strategy to improve the physical and mental health of students. The school setting is a good environment for population-based PA interventions. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether school-based PA interventions have influence on the PA level of children aged 6- to 12 years and to describe the main components of PA interventions. A literature selection was carried out including original articles describing school-based PA interventions for 6- to 12 years old children, objectively measured by accelerometers or pedometers, published 2009–2014. Seventeen relevant trials of sufficient quality performed in 10 different countries were identified. The analyses of articles revealed that active recess was the most wide-spread component of PA interventions, followed by activity breaks in lessons and PE lessons. Increase of PA was achieved in 16 analyzed studies, but multicomponent interventions and interventions, containing mandatory elements, seemed to be most effective

Kehaline kirjaoskus – uus hariduslik eesmärk

Viimase kahekümne aasta jooksul on märgatavalt suurenenud kehalise kirjaoskuse alaste uuringutulemuste avaldamine. Kehalist kirjaoskust kirjeldatakse kui inimese motivatsiooni, enesekindlust, kehalist kompetentsust, teadmisi ja mõistmist kehalise aktiivsuse väärtusest ja isiklikku vastutust selles. Kehaline kirjaoskus toob välja iga inimese võimalused, individuaalsuse ja võimekuse kehalise kirjaoskuse omandamisel. Koolitasandi uuringud keskenduvad kehalise kirjaoskuse kujundamise õpetuslikule aspektile ja selle tulemusel ka muutuvale traditsioonilisele spordikeskse lähenemisega kehalisele kasvatusele. Kehalise kirjaoskuse eesmärk on luua eeldused, et inimene oskaks tervislikult elada ning tervisliku eluviisiga kaasnevat potentsiaali rakendada. Siinse artikli eesmärk on anda ülevaade kehalise kirjaoskuse olemusest ja komponentidest rahvusvaheliste teadusuuringute kaudu.  Summar

Eesti õpilaste liikumisaktiivsus koolipäeva jooksul

Taust ja eesmärgid. Aktiivne liikumine peaks kuuluma kõigi laste ja noorte igapäevaellu, kuna see toetab mitmekülgselt nende arengut ja heaolu. Uuringu eesmärk oli kirjeldada I ja II kooliastme õpilaste liikumisaktiivsuse (LA) taset ja kehaliselt mitteaktiivse aja (KMA) osakaalu koolipäeva eri osades.Metoodika. LA taseme selgitamiseks viidi detsembrist 2014 kuni maini 2015 läbi mõõtmised I ja II kooliastme õpilaste hulgas üle-eestilise juhuvalimi põhjal valitud 13 koolis. Õpilased (n = 636) kandsid aktseleromeetrit ja täitsid liikumispäevikut seitsmel järjestikusel päeval.Tulemused. I kooliastmes liikus LA soovituste kohaselt 29,3% ja II kooliastmes 17,5% (p = 0,003) õpilastest ning KMA moodustas kogu ärkveloleku ajast vastavalt 54,8% ja 62,7% (p < 0,001). Koolis viibitud ajast moodustas mõõdukas kuni tugev liikumisaktiivsus (MTLA) ligikaudu veerandi kogu päeva MTLAst (I kooliaste 23,6%; II kooliaste 28,5%). Kehalise kasvatuse tunnist 28,3% moodustas MTLA ning 29,5% oli KMA.Järeldused. Laste aktiivse liikumise osa koolipäeva jooksul moodustab olulise osa kogu päeva liikumisaktiivsusest, kuid siiski on õpilaste üldine LA tase madal. Seetõttu on vaja planeerida ja ellu viia tõenduspõhiseid sekkumisi, mis toetaks õpilaste liikumisaktiivsust ning vähendaks KMAd koolipäeva eri osades.Eesti Arst 2016; 95(11):716–72

Changes in leisure-time physical activity levels and perceived barriers among Estonian adults over a two-year period

The aim of this study is to describe the changes in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) levels among the Estonian adult population in the years 2013–2015 in order to examine the relationships between LTPA level and socioeconomic status (SES) and health indicators, and also to explore perceived barriers to LTPA. Data from the National Physical Activity Survey were used. The sample consisted of 1009 participants aged 15–69 in 2013 and 1004 respondents in 2015. The proportion of Estonian adults exercising regularly at least four times per week increased from 39% in 2013 to 45% in 2015. Being in the older age groups increased the odds for physical inactivity 2.07–4.74 times compared to the youngest age group (15–24) (p<0.01). Having primary, basic, or secondary education increased the odds of being inactive 2.33–3.14 times compared to respondents with higher education (p < 0.01). The most prevalent barriers to physical activity reported by inactive adults were: 1) the absence of interest or unwillingness to make an effort, 2) tiredness at work, and 3) lack of time. In conclusion, despite a slight positive trend, LTPA levels are low. As the perceived barriers depend on age, public health strategies should involve age-specific solutions, especially for older adults

Ten Years of Tartu–Konstanz Co-operation: Joint Seminars on Private Law and Successfully Defended Doctoral Theses in the Faculty of Law of the University of Tartu

Ten years ago, the faculties of law of the University of Tartu and the University of Konstanz initiated a project of joint doctoral seminars. The first seminar took place in Tartu on 7–14 June 2010. Since then, joint seminars on private law have been held annually, alternately in Tartu/Tallinn and Konstanz. Professors and doctoral students from both universities, along with some master’s students, have given more than 200 presentations at these joint seminars. Articles have already been published on the basis of several presentations made in the seminar series. Of the doctoral students participating in the seminars, 13 have successfully defended their doctoral dissertations

Ameerika Ühendriikide jt välisriikide abist Eesti õigussüsteemi ja õigushariduse ümberkorraldamisel 1990. aastate alguses. The assistance of USA and other countries in reorganizing the Estonian legal system and education in the early 1990s

The development of Estonian private law is an excellent example ofborrowing from foreign legal systems, successfully using transplantsand implementing different regulatory models. From the early 1990s,the ‘Continental European legal tradition’ and especially German lawwas used as an example owing to the historical relationship betweenGermany and Estonia. Even though US law was applied very little indrafting Estonian private law, the role of US professors and practitioners,who taught us the basic principles of law and the importanceof judicial independence in a liberal market economy can’t be overestimated.The option of text-book like legislation was chosen mainlyowing to educational purposes, as this approach was reasonable andjustified in a transitional country.Lawyer’s freedom is solely based on a perfect command of thelegal method. Already from the 1990s, the main aim of the Facultyof Law of the University of Tartu was to prepare lawyers who understandthe law and who are trained to apply the legal method intheir profession. Changes were made to the teaching process and thecontent of the curricula with the substantial contribution of visitinglecturers, also from the US. A number of educational programs werealso introduced with the help of US universities, governmental andprofessional organizations. Comparative law and jurisprudence werepart of the Faculty of Law’s curriculum since Estonia restoring itsindependence

Social Skills and Their Relationship to Drug Use Among 15-16-Year-Old Students in Estonia: An Analysis Based on the ESPAD Data

AIM – to investigate the relationship between levels of social skills and drug use among 15–16-year-old students in Estonia. METHODS – A total of 2,460 Estonian schoolchildren, born in 1995, participated in the ESPAD study in 2011. Individual social skills levels were measured with questions on prosocial and antisocial behaviours assessing how children perform within their social milieu. The relationship between social skills levels and drug use was estimated using chi-squared tests and logistic regression analysis. Odds ratios (OR) were adjusted for gender, parents’ education and financial well-being, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to estimate risks of drug use by social skills level. RESULTS – Students with lower social skills were at greater risk of starting smoking and smoking daily (50% risk increase). Students with low social skills had a higher risk of lifetime use of cannabis (OR=1.4; 95%CI 1.1–1.9), sedatives/tranquillisers without a prescription (OR=2.3; 1.4–3.9), and inhalants (OR=1.9; 1.2–3.0). The number of students with lower social skills was significantly higher among boys than girls: 35% vs 19%. CONCLUSIONS – Students’ social skill levels were related to their licit and illicit drug use. A low level of social skills can increase adolescents’ vulnerability to drug use. As boys’ social skills levels appeared much lower and their drug use higher than that of girls, we suggest that gender-related risk prevention programmes of social skills training could be beneficial in preventing drug use

Physical activity, sedentary time and sleep duration: associations with body composition in 10–12-year-old Estonian schoolchildren

Abstract Background Physical activity, sedentary time, and sleep duration have been associated with body composition among children. The purpose of the present study was to assess the associations of objectively determined daily physical activity, sedentary time, sleep duration and body composition indices in 10–12-year-old children. Methods Two hundred and eleven schoolchildren (96 boys and 115 girls) aged 10.9 ± 0.7 years participated in this study. Objective physical activity intensity and sedentary levels were measured for seven days by accelerometry. Sleep duration was self-reported. Percentage of body fat, waist-to-height ratio and fat free mass were calculated from measured anthropometric parameters. Multiple linear regression models were used to examine the associations between sleep duration, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA) level and body composition indices. Results Boys exceeded girls (p < 0.05) in time spent in MVPA and VPA levels. Only 4.3% of the children met the current daily recommendation of at least 60 min MVPA per day. Sleep duration, MVPA and VPA had a negative association with percentage of body fat and waist-to-height ratio. Vigorous physical activity had a positive association with fat-free mass. Sedentary time had a positive association with percentage of body fat and negative association with fat-free mass. Conclusions The present study suggests that both sleep duration and MVPA are associated with body composition parameters. Higher levels of MVPA are associated with lower percentage of body fat and waist-to-height ratio regardless of sleep duration. Sedentary time is associated with higher values of percentage of body fat and lower fat-free mass independently of sleep duration