Physical fitness development in relation to changes in body composition and physical activity in adolescence
The decline in adolescents’ physical fitness (PF) in recent decades has raised concerns about current population’s possible future challenges with health and physical functional capacity. This study explored the associations between body composition, physical activity, maturation, and PF development in adolescents. Furthermore, PF development of adolescents with low initial PF was assessed. A 2‐year observational study was conducted between spring 2013 and 2015. Nine comprehensive schools and their 10‐ to 13‐year‐old students were invited to participate in the study (1778), and a total of 971 students (54.6%) agreed. Cardiorespiratory fitness (20‐metre shuttle run), muscular fitness (push‐u…
Validity and Reliability of a Single Question for Leisure-Time Physical Activity Assessment in Middle-Aged Women.
Purpose: To investigate the validity and test–retest reliability of a single seven-level scale physical activity assessment question (SR-PA L7) and its three-level categorization (SR-PA C3). Methods: The associations of SR-PA L7 and C3 with accelerometer-measured leisure-time physical activity (ACC-LTPA) and with the results of four different physical performance tests (6-min walk [n = 733], knee extension [n = 695], vertical jump [n = 731], and grip force [n = 780]) were investigated among women aged 47–55 years participating in the Estrogenic Regulation of Muscle Apoptosis study (n = 795). The reliability was studied using Spearman correlations with 4-month test–retest period (n = 152). R…
How physical activity, fitness, and motor skills contribute to math performance: Working memory as a mediating factor
Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine whether physical activity, fitness and motor skills have indirect association with math performance via cognitive outcomes and if so, through which aspects of cognition? Methods This study comprised 311 6th–9th grade adolescents (12–17y [M age=14.0y], 59% girls) from seven schools throughout Finland in 2015. Math performance was measured via a teacher-rated math achievement and the Basic Arithmetic test. Cognitive functions were measured by broad cognitive test battery. Physical activity was assessed with a self-reported questionnaire and a hip-worn accelerometer. Aerobic fitness was estimated using a maximal 20-m shuttle run test, muscular f…
Relationship between Fundamental Motor Skills and Physical Activity in 4-Year-Old Preschool Children
This study evaluated the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and fundamental motor skills in 4-year-old children. Physical activity was monitored in 20 girls and 17 boys over 5 consecutive days (3 days at preschool and 2 days at home) and their fundamental motor skills measured. Multiple linear regressions controlled for sex, age, and body mass index indicated that the total skill score was significantly associated with physical activity, explaining 13%, 16%, and 16% of the variance in total, moderate-to-vigorous, and light-to-vigorous physical activity, respectively. Sliding and galloping were significantly associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, a…
Objectively Measured School Day Physical Activity Among Elementary Students in the United States and Finland.
Background:Schools are in a unique position to ensure that all students meet the current physical activity (PA) recommendations. This study aimed to examine 1st to 3rd grade elementary students’ accelerometer measured school day PA in the United States (U.S.) and Finland.Methods:The sample consisted of 200 students (107 girls, 93 boys; ages 6 to 8) and their school day PA was monitored with hip-worn ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometers across a 5-day school week and the thresholds 100 and 2296 count per minute were used to separate sedentary time, light PA, and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA).Results:On an average school day, students were engaged in MVPA for 20.0 min in the U.S. and 24.1 min in F…
Hypertrofisen voimaharjoituksen akuutit vaikutukset kokemattoman voimaharjoittelijan lihaspaksuuteen ja lihaksen pennaatiokulmaan
Janne Kulmala 2007. Hypertrofisen voimaharjoituksen akuutit vaikutukset harjoittelemattoman henkilön lihaspaksuuteen ja lihaksen pennaatiokulmaan. Biomekaniikka. Kandidaatin tutkielmaseminaari. Jyväskylän yliopisto, liikuntabiologian laitos. 44 s. Hypertrofisen harjoittelun on tarkoitus laukaista suurin harjoittelullinen vaste lihaksen kasvuun eli hypertrofiaan. Lihasväsymystä ja sen määrää voidaan pitää akuutin harjoitusvaikutuksen osoittimena. Useimmat ihmiset kokevat voimaharjoituksen jälkeen lihasarkuutta, jonka tunnusmerkkejä ovat mm. voimantuoton lasku sekä lihasturvotus, joka voi ilmetä jopa lihasfiibereiden tilavuuden 1.8-kertaistumisena. Mikäli palautuminen ei tapahdu supistumisen …
Objectively measured physical activity, body composition and physical fitness: Cross-sectional associations in 9- to 15-year-old children.
The aim of this study was to examine and quantify the cross-sectional associations of body composition (BC), physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) with physical fitness (PF) in children and adolescents. A sample of 594 Finnish students (56% girls), aged 9-15 (12.4 ± 1.3 years) were selected for a study performed in 2013. The measurements of the Move! monitoring system for physical functional capacity were used to measure cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness and fundamental movement skills. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and ST were measured objectively with an accelerometer and BC by a bioelectrical impedance analysis. Fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) we…
Objectively measured physical activity, body composition and physical fitness : Cross-sectional associations in 9- to 15-year-old children
The aim of this study was to examine and quantify the cross-sectional associations of body composition (BC), physical activity (PA) and sedentary time (ST) with physical fitness (PF) in children and adolescents. A sample of 594 Finnish students (56% girls), aged 9–15 (12.4 ± 1.3 years) were selected for a study performed in 2013. The measurements of the Move! monitoring system for physical functional capacity were used to measure cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness and fundamental movement skills. Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and ST were measured objectively with an accelerometer and BC by a bioelectrical impedance analysis. Fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) we…
Associations of parental physical activity trajectories with offspring's physical activity patterns from childhood to middle adulthood : The Young Finns Study
We investigated the association of parental physical activity (PA) trajectories with offspring's youth and adult PA. Self-reported PA data were extracted from the Young Finns Study with three follow-ups for parents between 1980 and 1986 and nine follow-ups for their offspring in youth between 1980 and 2011 (aged 9-39 years, n = 2402) and in adulthood in 2018. Accelerometer-derived PA was quantified in 2018-2020 (aged 43-58 years, n = 1134). Data were analyzed using mixture models and conducted in 2022. We identified three trajectories for fathers and mothers (high-stable activity, 20.2%/16.6%; moderate-stable activity, 50.5%/49.6%; and low-stable activity, 29.4%/33.7%) and four for youth ma…
Changes in physical activity and sedentary time in the Finnish Schools on the Move program: a quasi-experimental study
The aim of the Finnish Schools on the Move program is to create a more active and pleasant school day through physical activity (PA). In this quasi-experimental design, we compared changes in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) during the school day and outside school hours for Grades 1–9 over two academic years in four program schools and two reference schools. Altogether 319 girls and boys aged 7–15 participated in the study between 2010 and 2012. MVPA and ST were measured four times over the 1.5-year follow-up period for seven consecutive days, using a hip-worn ActiGraph accelerometer. Linear growth curve modeling was used to examine the effect…
Vapaaottelun lajianalyysi ja vapaaottelijan harjoittelun ohjelmointi
Kulmala, Janne. 2006. Vapaaottelun lajianalyysi ja vapaaottelijan harjoittelun ohjelmointi. Seminaarityö. Liikuntabiologian laitos, Jyväskylän yliopisto. Vapaaottelu eli mixed martial arts on viimeisen kymmenen vuoden aikana huiman suosion saavuttanut kamppailu-urheilulaji, jossa yhdistyy monipuolisten pysty- ja mattotekniikoiden käyttö sekä uuden ja vanhan kamppailun ajattelumalli. (Suomen vapaaotteluliitto Ry. 2006) Vapaaottelusta on mahdollista löytää kolme eri vaihetta: 1. Vapaan liikkeen vaihe 2. Sidonta vaihe ja 3. Matto-ottelu vaihe. Vaiheiden olemassaolo jakoi myös ottelijatyypit kolmeen. (Gracie R. ja Danaher J. 2006.) Nykyajan otteluissa pärjää kuitenkin parhaiten hybridiottelijat…
Tracking and Changes in Daily Step Counts among Finnish Adults
Purpose This study aimed to investigate the tracking and changes of steps per day in adults and their determinants over 13 yr. Methods A total of 2195 subjects (1236 women) 30-45 yr of age were randomly recruited from the ongoing Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study in 2007 and were followed up in 2020. Steps per day, including both total and aerobic steps per day, were monitored for seven consecutive days with a pedometer in 2007-2008 and 2011-2012 and with an accelerometer in 2018-2020. Tracking was analyzed using Spearman's correlation. Stability and changes of steps per day over time in both low-active and high-active groups (based on median values) were described by percentage agre…
Towards a physically more active lifestyle based on one's own values: study design of a randomized controlled trial for physically inactive adults
Background This randomised controlled trial demonstrates the effectiveness of a value-based intervention program to encourage a physically more active lifestyle among physically inactive adults aged 30 to 50 years. The conceptual framework of the program is based on an innovative behavioural therapy called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) that aims to increase an individual’s psychological flexibility and support behaviour change towards a higher quality and more meaningful life. Methods Participants will be randomly allocated to a feedback group (FB) or an Acceptance and Commitment based (ACT + FB) group. Both the groups will receive written feedback about their objectively measured…
Female reproductive factors are associated with objectively measured physical activity in middle-aged women
Physical activity improves health and may delay the onset of several chronic diseases. For women in particular, the rate of these diseases accelerates at middle age; therefore it is important to identify the determinants of health-enhancing physical activity during midlife in this population. In this study, we focused on determinants that are unique to the female sex, such as childbearing and menopause. The main objective was to characterize the level of physical activity and differences between active and inactive middle-aged Finnish women. In addition, we examined the association of physical activity with female reproductive factors at midlife. The study population consisted of 647 women …
21 viikon voimaharjoittelun vaikutukset voimantuottokykyyn sekä ulomman reisilihaksen pennaatiokulmaan ja lihaspaksuuteen
Janne Kulmala 2008. 21 viikon voimaharjoittelun vaikutukset voimantuottokykyyn sekä ulomman reisilihaksen pennaatiokulmaan ja lihaspaksuuteen. Valmennus- ja testausoppi. Kandidaatin tutkielmaseminaari. Jyväskylän yliopisto, liikuntabiologian laitos. s. 37 Raskas voimaharjoittelu on yksi maailman suosituimmista kuntoilumuodoista. Se johtaa moniin rakenteellisiin sekä hermostollisiin mukautumisiin, joiden johdosta voimantuottokyky kasvaa. Tässä tutkimuksessa pyrittiin aiheuttamaan erityisesti lihaksen rakenteellisia muutoksia lihaskasvuun tähtäävällä hypertrofisella puolen vuoden harjoittelulla. Pennaatiolihaksessa lihassyyt ovat sijoittuneet vinosti lihaksen pitkittäiseen akseliin nähden muo…
The effect of the cluster randomized HIPPA intervention on childcare children’s overall physical activity
Background The effect of the cluster randomized Home- and childcare-based Intervention to Promote Physical Activity (HIPPA) intervention on the everyday physical activity (PA) of children between the ages of 4 to 5 years was evaluated. Material/Methods Fourteen childcare centers with 102 children born in 2007 and their families participated in the study. HIPPA was implemented over a single preschool year in seven childcare centers while seven other centers continued their normal care (control group, CG). The PA levels of children were assessed by accelerometers six times every six months during two and a half years of research. Valid PA data were obtained from 69 children at baseline and an…
Longitudinal associations of fundamental movement skills with objectively measured physical activity and sedentariness during school transition from primary to lower secondary school
Abstract Objectives This study aimed to investigate cross-lagged associations of leaping skill and throwing–catching skills with objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time (ST) during school transition from upper primary (Grade 6) to lower secondary school (Grade 7). Design This study is a one-year prospective follow-up study within Finnish school settings. Students’ MVPA, ST, leaping skill and throwing–catching skills were measured at Grade 6 and subsequently at Grade 7. Methods A sample of 336 students (163 girls, 173 boys; M age = 12.0 years, SD = 0.4 at Grade 6 participated in the study. Students’ MVPA and ST were measured objectively by hip-wo…
The association of childhood commuting modes and physical activity in adult age
Background Physically active lifestyle prevents and contributes to managing non-communicable diseases. Childhood physical activities have shown to associate with physically active lifestyle in adulthood. More research on which childhood physical activity modes associate with physical activity in later life is still needed. Within the present study, we examined how physically active commuting to school in childhood contributed to overall physical activity in adulhood. Methods The participants (N = 3596) were from the population-based, longitudinal Cardiovascular Risks in Young Finns Study. Questionnaires were used in assessing subjects' childhood (1980) and adulthood (2001-2018) physical act…
Associations of active commuting to school in childhood and physical activity in adulthood
AbstractThis study examined whether active commuting to school in childhood and adolescence predicted active commuting to work and overall physical activity (PA) in adulthood. Participants from the Young Finns Study (N = 2436) were aged 9–18 years in 1980 and followed up until 2018/2020. Their commuting modes to school were assessed with a self-reported questionnaire in 1980. Adulthood PA was assessed through self-reports regarding commuting modes to work (2001–2018), leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) (2001–2018), and objectively measured daily steps (2007–2018/2020). Associations between childhood commuting and adulthood PA were evaluated using regression analyses and multilevel models…