Association of lifestyle habits and academic achievement in Norwegian adolescents: a cross-sectional study

Published version of an article in the journal: BMC Public Health. Also avialable from the publisher: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-829Background: While healthy lifestyle habits are generally assumed to be important for high academic achievement, there has been little research on this topic among adolescents. The aim of this study was therefore to examine the associations between several lifestyle habits and academic achievement in adolescent girls and boys. Methods: The study included 2,432 Norwegian adolescents, 15–17 years old. A self-report questionnaire was used to assess dietary-, physical activity-, smoking- and snuffing habits and academic achievement. Logistic regression models were adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and parental education. Results: In both girls and boys, high academic achievement was associated with a regular consumption of breakfast (AOR: 3.30 (2.45-4.45) and AOR: 1.76 (1.32-2.34), respectively) and lunch (AOR: 1.44 (1.08-1.93) and AOR: 1.43 (1.09-1.89), respectively), and in boys, with a regular consumption of dinner (AOR: 1.44 (1.16-1.79)) and a regular meal pattern in general (AOR: 1.50 (1.10 – 2.03)). In both girls and boys, high academic achievement was associated with a high intake of fruit and berries (AOR: 2.09 (1.51-2.88) and AOR: 1.47 (1.04-2.07), respectively), and in girls, with a high intake of vegetables (AOR: 1.82 (1.30-2.53)). In both girls and boys, high academic achievement was associated with a high leisure time physical activity level (AOR: 1.51 (1.10-2.08) and AOR: 1.39 (1.05-1.85), respectively) and use of active commuting (AOR: 1.51 (1.10-2.08) and AOR: 1.72 (1.26-2.35), respectively). In both girls and boys, high academic achievement was associated with a low intake of lemonade (AOR: 0.42 (0.27-0.64) and AOR: 0.67 (0.48-0.94), respectively), and in girls, with a low intake of sugar-sweetened soft drinks (AOR: 0.47 (0.35- 0.64)) and salty snacks (AOR: 0.63 (0.47-0.85)). Lastly, high academic achievement was inversely associated with smoking and snuffing in both girls (AOR: 0.18 (0.12-0.25) and AOR: 0.25 (0.17-0.37), respectively) and boys (AOR: 0.37 (0.25-0.54) and AOR: 0.51 (0.36-0.72), respectively). Conclusions: A regular meal pattern, an intake of healthy food items and being physically active were all associated with increased odds of high academic achievement, whereas the intake of unhealthy food and beverages, smoking cigarettes and snuffing were associated with decreased odds of high academic achievement in Norwegian adolescents

Viktigheten av fysisk aktivitet og trening blant eldre

Published version of an article in the journal: Norsk Epidemiologi. Also available from the publisher at: http://www.ntnu.no/ojs/index.php/norepid/article/view/1562 Open accessRegular physical activity in older adults is critically important to ensure healthy aging. The link between physical activity and prevention of disease, maintenance of independence, and improved quality of life is supported by strong evidence (ACSM's Position Stand 1998; Spirduso & Cronin, 2001; Taylor et al., 2004). The purpose of this review is therefore to clarify the importance of regular physical activity and training during the aging process and in addition, present the relationship between a physical active lifestyle and physical function/mobility among elderly. Based on a national multicenter study (Anderssen et al., 2009), 20% of the participants (20-85 år) fulfilled the current physical activity recommendations, but only 12% in the oldest age group (80-85 years). Overall physical activity level, measured objectively with an accelerometer, among older adults living in Norway decreased with increasing age, and the oldest (80-85 years) displayed a 50% lower activity level compared to the youngest (65-69 years) (Lohne-Seiler et al., 2012). From 25 years of age, endurance capacity and muscle strength decrease with 10% each decade among inactive individuals (Heath et al., 1981; Wilmore, 1991). Systematic endurance- and strength training seem to reduce the loss with 50% per decade, which conduct for a reduction similar to 5% per decade among physically active individuals (Heath et al., 1981). Elderly seem to achieve the same training induced effects as younger individuals, which means that older adults are able to get a similar improvement in percentage as the younger ones (Hagberg et al., 1989). Even in very old people, both endurance capacity and muscle strength have been shown to improve with systematic training (Seals et al., 1984). It is well documented in several studies that it is possible to increase maximum oxygen consumption and maximum muscle strength with 10-20% in older adults in an intervention period of 12 weeks (Hagberg et al., 1989; Reeves et al., 2003; Lohne-Seiler et al, in press). Loss of muscle strength may prevent older persons from performing basic functional tasks such as lifting and moving objects, rising from a chair, and walking. Muscle strength seems therefore to be of greater importance in the ability to perform activities of daily living, compared to endurance capacity (Fiatarone et al., 1990). Increase in muscle strength may lead to improvements in functional capacity and prevent falls, dependency, and disability in later life (de Vos et al., 2005). The focus has to be targeted towards both endurance training in older adults, but not least towards systematic strength training. This way the elderly will achieve a much stronger body, and therefore will be better prepared to manage the activities of daily living and become more independent. Based on the results from the national screening of physical activity level among Norwegian elderly, it is now important to develop and initiate interventions with the goal to increase the physical activity level among the older adults living in Norway. Further research is therefore needed to better understand what characterize the least physical active elderly and the ones who are most physical active. In addition, another aspect is to measure the effect of low cost intervention studies where the goal is to recruit a high number of the elderly population. This would help guide the development of needed physical activity interventions targeted at older adults

Self-reported versus diagnosed stress fractures in Norwegian female elite athletes

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of selfreported versus diagnosed stress fractures in female elite athletes and non-athletic controls. A random sample of Norwegian elite athletes from the national teams, aged 13-39 years (n = 186) and a random sample of non-athletic controls (n = 145) in the same age group participated in the study. The athletes represented a junior- or senior team, or a recruiting squad for one of these teams, in one of 46 different sports/events. A higher percentage of athletes self-reported stress fractures (14.0%) compared to those diagnosed with stress fractures (8.1%) (p < 0.001). Six controls self-reported stress fractures, but none of them were diagnosed with stress fractures. These results indicate that selfreporting of stress fractures has low validity. This finding has important implications for further research on stress fractures in athletes

Screening for low energy availability in male athletes : Attempted validation of LEAM-Q

A questionnaire-based screening tool for male athletes at risk of low energy availability (LEA) could facilitate both research and clinical practice. The present options rely on proxies for LEA such screening tools for disordered eating, exercise dependence, or those validated in female athlete populations. in which the female-specific sections are excluded. To overcome these limitations and support progress in understanding LEA in males, centres in Australia, Norway, Denmark, and Sweden collaborated to develop a screening tool (LEAM-Q) based on clinical investigations of elite and sub-elite male athletes from multiple countries and ethnicities, and a variety of endurance and weight-sensitive sports. A bank of questions was developed from previously validated questionnaires and expert opinion on various clinical markers of LEA in athletic or eating disorder populations, dizziness, thermoregulation, gastrointestinal symptoms, injury, illness, wellbeing, recovery, sleep and sex drive. The validation process covered reliability, content validity, a multivariate analysis of associations between variable responses and clinical markers, and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve analysis of variables, with the inclusion threshold being set at 60% sensitivity. Comparison of the scores of the retained questionnaire variables between subjects classified as cases or controls based on clinical markers of LEA revealed an internal consistency and reliability of 0.71. Scores for sleep and thermoregulation were not associated with any clinical marker and were excluded from any further analysis. Of the remaining variables, dizziness, illness, fatigue, and sex drive had sufficient sensitivity to be retained in the questionnaire, but only low sex drive was able to distinguish between LEA cases and controls and was associated with perturbations in key clinical markers and questionnaire responses. In summary, in this large and international cohort, low sex drive was the most effective self-reported symptom in identifying male athletes requiring further clinical assessment for LEA

Psychology research in women’s soccer: a scoping review

Previous research suggests that psychological factors play an important role in trying to explain and predict the participation, performance, and health of player and practitioners in soccer. However, most previous works have focused on specific research questions and included samples from male populations. As part of a larger Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) project aiming to steer women’s soccer research, our purpose with this scoping review was to give an overview of the current state of psychology-related research within women’s soccer. We searched five electronic databases up to April 2023, from which 280 original peer-reviewed articles met the inclusion criteria. Included records were inductively coded into 75 specific research topics and nine broader research categories. Population characteristics within each topic and category, and overall publication trends, were identified. The results revealed a growth in research attention, with notable increases in publication rates around the international competitions years, over the last two decades. While a notable number of abstracts did not report sufficient details about population age and/or playing levels, senior elite players were identified as the most common population studied. Most studies examined several topics from different research categories, with research focusing on emotions, moods and/or environmental factors, and the specific the topics of anxiety, stress, and coach behavior, receiving most research attention. Our study provides an informative mapping of all psychology-related research activity within women’s soccer, which will enhance researchers’ understanding of the current quantity of literature within this complex, heterogeneous, and growing area of research

Short-term effects and long-term changes of FUEL—a digital sports nutrition intervention on REDs related symptoms in female athletes

Female endurance athletes are at high risk for developing Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs), resulting in symptoms such as menstrual dysfunction and gastrointestinal (GI) problems. The primary aim of this study was to investigate effects of the FUEL (Food and nUtrition for Endurance athletes—a Learning program) intervention consisting of weekly online lectures combined with individual athlete-centered nutrition counseling every other week for sixteen weeks on REDs related symptoms in female endurance athletes at risk of low energy availability [Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire (LEAF-Q) score ≥8]. Female endurance athletes from Norway (n = 60), Sweden (n = 84), Ireland (n = 17), and Germany (n = 47) were recruited. Fifty athletes with risk of REDs (LEAF-Q score ≥8) and with low risk of eating disorders [Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) global score &lt;2.5], with no use of hormonal contraceptives and no chronic diseases, were allocated to either the FUEL intervention (n = 32) (FUEL) or a sixteen-week control period (n = 18) (CON). All but one completed FUEL and n = 15 completed CON. While no evidence for difference in change in LEAF-Q total or subscale scores between groups was detected post-intervention (BFincl &lt; 1), the 6- and 12-months follow-up revealed strong evidence for improved LEAF-Q total (BFincl = 123) and menstrual score (BFincl = 840) and weak evidence for improved GI-score (BFincl = 2.3) among FUEL athletes. In addition, differences in change between groups was found for EDE-Q global score post-intervention (BFincl = 1.9). The reduction in EDE-Q score remained at 6- and 12- months follow-up among FUEL athletes. Therefore, the FUEL intervention may improve REDs related symptoms in female endurance athletes.Clinical Trial Registrationwww.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04959565)

Postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture have reduced physical function and quality of life compared to a matched, healthy control group with no fracture

Background Fractures lead to reduced physical function and quality of life (QOL), but little is known about postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture. The purpose was to evaluate physical function in terms of quadriceps strength, dynamic balance, physical capacity and QOL in postmenopausal women with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture compared to a matched, healthy control group with no previous fracture. Methods Eighteen postmenopausal women with osteopenia (patients) (mean age 59.1 years, range 54 – 65) and a healed wrist fracture were matched to 18 healthy control subjects on age (mean age 58.5 years, range 51 – 65), height, weight and body mass index (BMI). We measured quadriceps strength at 60°/sec and at 180°/sec with Biodex 6000, dynamic balance with the Four Square Step Test (FSST), physical capacity with the six-minute walk test (6MWT) followed by the Borg’s scale (BS), and QOL with the Short Form 36 (SF-36), bone mineral density (BMD) with dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and physical activity level with the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly. Results The patients had 17.6% lower quadriceps strength at 60°/sec (p = 0.025) at left limb and 18.5% at 180°/sec (p = 0.016) at right limb, and 21% lower at 180°/sec (p = 0.010) at left limb compared to the controls. Impaired performance for the patients was found with 2.4 seconds (p = 0.002) on the FSST, 74 metres (p < 0.001) on the 6MWT, and 1.4 points (p = 0.003) on the BS compared to the controls. The patients scored lower on the sub-scales on the SF-36 role limitations-physical (p = 0.014), bodily pain (p = 0.025) and vitality (p = 0.015) compared to the controls. Conclusions The patients with osteopenia and a healed wrist fracture scored significantly lower on quadriceps strength, dynamic balance, physical capacity and QOL compared to the matched controls. Greater focus should be put on this patient group in terms of rehabilitation and early prevention of subsequent fractures

Self-reported versus diagnosed stress fractures in Norwegian female elite athletes

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of selfreported versus diagnosed stress fractures in female elite athletes and non-athletic controls. A random sample of Norwegian elite athletes from the national teams, aged 13-39 years (n = 186) and a random sample of non-athletic controls (n = 145) in the same age group participated in the study. The athletes represented a junior- or senior team, or a recruiting squad for one of these teams, in one of 46 different sports/events. A higher percentage of athletes self-reported stress fractures (14.0%) compared to those diagnosed with stress fractures (8.1%) (p < 0.001). Six controls self-reported stress fractures, but none of them were diagnosed with stress fractures. These results indicate that selfreporting of stress fractures has low validity. This finding has important implications for further research on stress fractures in athletes