Individual- and environmental-related correlates of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity in 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old Finnish children

peer-reviewed The objective of this study was to analyze the associations of various individual- and environmental- related factors with subgroups of daily, frequent, moderate and low moderate-to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among children and adolescents. Data were obtained from the Finnish School-age Physical Activity (FSPA) study 2016 from 4677 national representative 11-, 13-, and 15-year-old children and adolescents. MVPA and individual- and environmental-related factors were assessed by a questionnaire and analyzed by two-level logistic regression. Seventeen of the twenty-one variables were statistically significantly associated with MVPA. However, only three variables were stati…

Secular trends in muscular fitness among Finnish adolescents.

Aim: To investigate secular change over time in health-related muscular fitness and how leisure time physical activity (LTPA), sport club participation, and body mass index are associated with muscular fitness in adolescents. Methods: Two cross-sectional samples of Finnish 13—16-year-old adolescents were studied in 1976 (n = 643; 312 boys and 331 girls) and in 2001 (n = 579; 308 boys and 271 girls). Muscular fitness index was calculated as the sum of age- and sex-specific z-scores of four tests measuring muscular fitness and agility. Height and weight were also measured. Self-reported weekly frequency of LTPA of at least 30-min duration and regularity of participation in organised sport we…

Kaikki kunnossa? : suomalaisten koululaisten fyysinen kunto vuosina 1976 ja 2001

Secular trends in aerobic fitness performance in 13-18-year-old adolescents from 1976 to 2001

To analyse the secular trends in aerobic fitness performance and some of its determinants (body mass index (BMI) and leisure time physical activity (LTPA)) in adolescents.Cross-sectional population-based studies in 1976 and 2001 in Finland. A stratified random sample of Finnish 13-18-year-old adolescents was studied in 1976 (n = 717; 384 boys and 333 girls) and in 2001 (n = 558; 305 boys and 253 girls). The main outcome measure was aerobic fitness, estimated with a 2000 m (for boys) and 1500 m (for girls) running test; the weight and height of participants were also measured. Self-reported weekly frequency of LTPA of at least 30 min duration and regularity of participation in organised spor…

The Associations between Physical Activity and Body-Esteem in 15-Year-Old Adolescents : A Cross-Sectional Study from Finland

Purpose: Physical activity promotes a positive physical self-image, but less is known about whether the positive effect covers the general self-evaluation of adolescent appearance. This study aimed to further explore the associations between physical activity and body-esteem in Finnish adolescents, via a country-representative cross-sectional study design. Methods: The data for the study were drawn from the Finnish component of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study (2014), using surveys from 15-year-old adolescents (n=1956, mean age 15.8 years) from 122 schools. Self-evaluations of body or appearance were measured by the Body-Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESA…

Cardiorespiratory performance and physical activity in normal weight and overweight Finnish adolescents from 2003 to 2010

We investigated changes in cardiorespiratory performance, BMI and leisure-time physical activity among Finnish adolescents from 2003 to 2010. In addition, we compared cardiorespiratory performance levels between normal weight and overweight adolescents, grouped according to their physical activity. Participants were a national representative samples of 15-16-year-old adolescents in their final (ninth) year of comprehensive school in 2003 (n = 2258) and in 2010 (n = 1301). They performed an endurance shuttle run test and reported their height and weight and leisure time physical activity on a questionnaire. Results showed no significant secular changes in cardiorespiratory performance from 2…

Are schools able to improve the physical fitness of children and adolescents?

Lasten ja nuorten kestävyyskunto

Kestävyyskunto on yksi tutkituimmista terveyteen ja suorituskykyyn yhdistetyistä fyysisen kunnon osa-alueista lapsilla ja nuorilla. Kestävyyskunnon mittaamiseen, sitä koskevien mittaustulosten tulkintaan, kestävyyskunnon harjoitettavuuteen sekä kestävyyskunnon terveysvaikutusten tutkimiseen lapsilla ja nuorilla liittyy yhä haasteita. nonPeerReviewed

Fundamental movement skills in adolescents : secular trends from 2003 to 2010 and associations with physical activity and BMI

The aim of this study was to examine the secular trends in fundamental movement skills (FMS) among 15- to 16-year-old adolescents at 2 assessment points scheduled in 2003 and 2010 and to investigate the associations between FMS, physical activity (PA), and body mass index (BMI). In 2003, self-reported PA, weight and height, and objective FMS scores were collected from 2390 students, and in 2010, similar data were generated from a second sample of 1346 students. FMS were assessed during both assessment phases using 3 identical objective FMS tests that were figure 8 dribbling, jumping laterally, and coordination track tests. This study indicated that the sum index of FMS did not change among …

Motoristen taitojen ja lihasvoiman vuorovaikutus lapsuudessa ja nuoruudessa

Lasten motoriset taidot ja lihasvoima eivät kehity perimän määrittämään täyteen potentiaaliinsa ilman mahdollisuuksia harjoitella liikkumista erilaisissa ympäristöissä ja tilanteissa. Suurin osa varhais- ja keskilapsuuden motorisia taitoja ja lihasvoimaa kehittävästä toiminnasta on omaehtoista ja vapaata leikinomaista fyysistä aktiivisuutta. nonPeerReviewed

Nuorten liikuntakäyttäytyminen Suomessa : LIITU-tutkimuksen tuloksia 2020

Leisure-time physical activity from adolescence to late middle age and its associations with the COVID-19 pandemic : A 45-year follow-up

We aimed to investigate the association of self-reported leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) over a 45-years from adolescence to late middle age mediated by LTPA in early middle age. We also explored whether LTPA in adolescence and early middle age was associated with change in LTPA during the COVID-19 pandemic. We constructed a path model employing questionnaire data from three LTPA measurements (1976, 2001, 2021) including duplicated assessment for pre- and during COVID-19 in 2021. The direct and indirect associations between LTPA in adolescence, early middle and late middle age were investigated, as well as the impact of previous LTPA on change in late middle age LTPA due to the pandem…

Fundamental movement skills and physical fitness as predictors of physical activity: A 6-year follow-up study

The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which fundamental movement skills and physical fitness scores assessed in early adolescence predict self-reported physical activity assessed 6 years later. The sample comprised 333 (200 girls, 133 boys; M age = 12.41) students. The effects of previous physical activity, sex, and body mass index (BMI) were controlled in the main analyses. Adolescents’ fundamental movement skills, physical fitness, self-report physical activity, and BMI were collected at baseline, and their self-report energy expenditure (metabolic equivalents: METs) and intensity of physical activity were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire …

Adolescent physical fitness and activity as predictors of adulthood activity.

A 25-year population-based study was conducted to determine how physical fitness and participation in leisure-time physical activity in adolescence (age 12-18 years) predict leisure-time physical activity in adulthood (age 37-43 years). In 1976, five field tests were conducted to measure muscular fitness, agility and aerobic capacity, and self-report weekly frequencies of activity were obtained by questionnaire. A modified questionnaire was repeated in 2001, when participants were age 37-43 years (N = 1525). On the basis of the questionnaire, a physical activity index was calculated both in 1976 and 2001. The odds ratios (OR) for being inactive in adulthood among those who were physically v…

Passiivisesti vietetty ruutuaika ja sen sisällölliset muutokset sekä yhteydet fyysiseen aktiivisuuteen 7. luokalta 9. luokalle

Fyysisesti passiivinen ruutuaika on pääosin istuen tai muuten inaktiivisesti vietettyä aikaa ruutumedian parissa. Pitkäaikaisella ja yhtäjaksoisella istumisella ja fyysisellä passiivisuudella on aikaisempien tutkimusten mukaan yhteyksiä erilaisiin terveyshaittoihin. Tämän tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää yläasteikäisten nuorten fyysisesti passiivisesti vietetyn ruutuajan määrää, sisältöä ja muutosta 7. luokalta 9. luokalle sekä tutkia, miten muutokset fyysisessä aktiivisuudessa olivat yhteydessä ruutuajan määrään ja muutoksiin kahden vuoden seuranta-aikana. Tutkittavat olivat kahden länsisuomalaisen koulun 7. ja 9. luokkalaisia poikia ja tyttöjä (n = 356), jotka vastasivat nettipohja…