Lithuanian Sports University e-Journals
Not a member yet
1390 research outputs found
Sort by
Associations Between Parental Attitudes Towards Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Outcomes in Primary School Children: A Cross-Sectional Pilot Study
Full text linkPurpose: Parental attitudes and parenting practices are significantly associated with children’s engagement in physical activity. However, there remains a lack of clear understanding regarding how specific parental priorities are reflected in children’s physical literacy outcomes, particularly within primary school-aged populations. Therefore, the aim of this pilot study was to explore associations between parental attitudes towards sports or active play and physical literacy outcomes in primary school children.
Methods: A total of 77 children aged 8–10 years participated in this pilot cross-sectional study. Physical literacy was assessed using the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy, second edition, which evaluates four domains: physical competence, daily behaviour, motivation and confidence, and knowledge and understanding. Individual student and family factors, including parental attitudes related to their child’s participation in sports or active play, were assessed using a questionnaire specifically developed by the authors of this study.
Results: Pearson correlation analyses indicated positive correlations between parental expectations and children’s overall physical literacy and its components: higher parental expectations for children to learn to play in a team were associated with greater physical competence and overall physical literacy scores (r = 0.273, p < 0.05). Similarly, expectations that the child would improve fundamental movement skills (r = 0.251, p < 0.05), experience success (r = 0.247, p < 0.05), and learn how to follow the rules (r = 0.232, p < 0.05) were all positively correlated with overall physical literacy scores. Children’s Motivation and confidence scores were positively and significantly correlated with parental expectations that the child would learn to play in a team (r = 0.520, p < 0.01) and gain positive experiences through physical activity (r = 0.595, p < 0.01). Negative correlation was identified between parental expectations for enjoyable experience and the children’s Knowledge and understanding scores (r = –0.294, p < 0.01).
Conclusion: This pilot study highlights the role of parental expectations in shaping key components of children’s physical literacy, which is essential for sustained engagement in health-enhancing physical activity. The findings suggest that targeting parental expectations, especially those related to social and skill development, may enhance the effectiveness of early intervention programme
Community Health Creation: Developing and Applying the Health Creation Index to Evaluate a Community Walking Programme
Full text linkPhysical inactivity remains a pressing public health issue in Europe, with a disproportionate impact on populations facing health inequalities. Health creation – defined as enabling the conditions for individuals to achieve physical, mental, and social wellbeing – calls for innovative and inclusive measurement tools. This study introduces the Health Creation Index (HCI), a novel composite measure capturing modifiable individual, social, and environmental contributors to wellbeing.
To demonstrate the utility of the HCI, we applied it to evaluate the impact of Beat the Street (BTS), a gamified, community-wide walking and active travel programme. Pre- and post-intervention data were analysed for 22,350 BTS participants, of whom 73% were female, 16% lived in the most deprived areas (IMD 1–2), 6% were aged 60+, and 19% reported long-term health conditions. Matched post-intervention data were available for 5,885 individuals.
At baseline, 54% of participants met the Active Lives Survey criteria for physical activity. After the intervention, 13% had moved from inactive to active status. HCI scores improved by 2.5% among these newly active individuals, compared to a 1.5% average increase across all participants. Lower HCI scores were recorded among people with disabilities (3.49/5), and higher scores among women (3.75/5). Participants who were active at baseline consistently showed higher HCI scores than their inactive counterparts (p < 0.01).
These findings highlight the potential of walking-based community interventions to enhance protective factors for health creation and reduce wellbeing disparities. The HCI offers a practical framework to identify those most in need and to guide inclusive, place-based strategies in physical activity promotion
Disrupted Contraction-Relaxation Dynamics in Obesity: A Potential Barrier to Active Living
Full text linkPurpose: Obesity has been associated with impaired muscle contractile function, potentially compromising daily movement and increasing injury risk. This study aimed to investigate obesity-related alterations in contraction–relaxation dynamics during plantar flexor maximal voluntary isometric contractions and a calf raise exercise.
Methods: Fifty male young adults (aged 30–50 years), 25 within a healthy weight range (CN; BMI: 18.5–24.9 kg/m²) and 25 classified as class I obese (OB; BMI: 30–34.9 kg/m²), voluntary participated in the study. To assess muscle contraction–relaxation behaviour, participants performed maximal voluntary isometric contractions (MVCs) of the plantar flexors, and a calf raise test with ankle joint motion captured. A two-step analysis approach was applied: (1) Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) was used to identify time-resolved group differences in the torque–time curves, and (2) targeted curve-phase analysis was conducted in regions identified as statistically different.
Results: SPM analysis of isometric time–force curves from MVCs revealed significant differences between OB and CN groups (p < 0.05), affecting both the contraction and relaxation phases. OB subjects exhibited slower contractile behaviour, as indicated by a reduced rate of torque development relative to peak force (RFD/PT) and body mass divided by maximal voluntary isometric torque (p < 0.05). A double exponential decay analysis further showed altered relaxation dynamics in OB, with a biphasic pattern emerging compared to the monophasic profile observed in CN, resulting in significantly slower relaxation in OB (p < 0.05), especially in the second phase. OB subjects demonstrated slower movement during the concentric phase of the calf raise, with an even more pronounced delay observed in the eccentric phase (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Obesity-related impairments appear to extend beyond muscle weakness, also affecting the muscle’s ability to rapidly relax. This dysfunction results from a combination of structural–mechanical, metabolic, and neuromuscular factors, ultimately compromising the efficiency and safety of daily movements. Muscle weakness, slower force production, and delayed relaxation may hinder quick, coordinated actions, increasing the risk of injury, joint overload, and movement-related pain. Such limitations can discourage individuals with obesity from engaging in physical activity, creating a barrier to recovery and health improvement
From School Hallways to Sustainable Pathways: Investigating the Effects of School Sustainable Environments on Active Transport’s Attitudes and Intention
Full text linkPurpose: Active transport (AT) is a key component of sustainable development, serving as both a strategy for mitigating climate change and a means of promoting physical activity and overall health. Effective school sustainability policies have the potential to significantly improve the health of students and contribute to planetary wellbeing. The aim of this study is investigating the effects of school sustainable environments on active transport’s attitudes and intention.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1,005 students aged 16–19 years (mean age 16.1, standard deviation 1.15), with 54% female participants. Three items assessing perceptions of sustainability education, support for AT, and the presence of AT infrastructure within the school environment were combined to form a single ‘School Sustainable Environment’ factor. Items aligned with the Theory of Planned Behaviour were used to measure sustainability-related attitudes (7 items), active transport-related attitudes (5 items), sustainability-related subjective norms (4 items), active transport-related subjective norms (4 items), perceived behavioural control (4 items), and intention for AT (7 items). AT behaviour was assessed using a subscale from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ; 3 items). Age, gender, and ownership of non-motorised vehicles were included as control variables. Linear regression analyses were performed to examine the relationships between predictor variables and outcomes. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS macro.
Results: The findings indicate a significant relationship between the school sustainable environment and both sustainability-related and active transport-related subjective norms, as well as perceived behavioural control (standardised beta coefficients ranged from .531 for perceived behavioural control to .583 for the sustainability-related subjective norm). The intention to use AT was significantly predicted by the active transport-related subjective norm (std. β = .244, p < .001) and perceived behavioural control (std. β = .533, p < .001). This intention, in turn, was associated with AT behaviour (std. β = .106, p = .021). Mediation analysis revealed that the active transport-related subjective norm and perceived behavioural control mediated the relationship between the school sustainable environment and intention to use AT.
Conclusion: The school environment plays a pivotal role in indirectly encouraging AT among students by directly cultivating a sustainability-focused mindset and offering infrastructure that supports active commuting
Intersectionality of Gender and Family Socio-Economic Status in the Trends of Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity Among Baltic Adolescents
Full text linkPurpose: To investigate moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) trends among Baltic adolescents from 2001 to 2014, considering gender and socioeconomic indicators and their intersectionalities.
Methods: Data from Estonia (2001, 2006, and 2014), Latvia (2001, 2006, and 2014), and Lithuania (2001 and 2006) were gathered from Health Behaviour in School-aged Children, comprising 36,426 adolescents (50.7% girls, mean age of 13.6 ± 1.6 years). Prevalences of self-reported MVPA were obtained using cut-offs (≤1 day/week and 7 days/week) and stratified considering the combination of gender (girl and boy) and family socio-economic status (low and high). Descriptive statistics were carried out through relative frequencies and their respective 95% confidence (95% CI), and absolute differences between groups were presented in percentage points (p.p.).
Results: The prevalence of ≤1 day/week [2001: 11.5% (95% CI, 11.0–12.1); 2014: 9.9% (95% CI, 9.4–10.6)] and 7 days/week was stable throughout the analysed years [2001: 18.5% (95% CI, 17.8–19.1); 2014: 17.6% (95% CI, 16.9–18.4)]. Throughout the years, higher participation in MVPA was noticed among boys and adolescents with high socio-economic status. Intersectionalities revealed an absolute difference ~8.0 p.p. in prevalence of ≤1 day/week between girls with low socio-economic status [2001: 15.9% (95% CI, 14.9–17.0)] and boys with high socio-economic status [2001: 7.7% (95% CI, 6.6–8.9)], which was consistent throughout the analysed years [girls with lower socio-economic status, 2014: 14.1% (95% CI, 12.7–15.7); boys with higher socio-economic status, 2014: 6.6% (95% CI, 5.7–7.6)]. When 7 days/week was the outcome, an absolute difference of ~10 p.p. between girls with low socio-economic status [2001: 14.0% (95% CI, 13.0–15.0)] and boys with high socio-economic status [2001, 24.0% (95% CI, 22.2–25.8)] was observed throughout the years [girls with low socio-economic status, 2014: 12.4% (95% CI, 11.0–13.8); boys with high socio-economic status, 2014: 23.8% (95% CI, 22.2–25.4)].
Conclusion: Inequalities in MVPA are not limited to meeting international guidelines but are also evident when using more sensitive cut-offs. The intersectionality approach highlighted how gender and family socio-economic status influence engagement in MVPA, with no observed reduction in inequalities across the analysed outcomes. Future interventions should address the full spectrum of MVPA while considering the interplay of various power structures
Organisation of Exercise Training During the Lifetime-Maintenance Stage of Cardiac Rehabilitation Across Europe
Full text linkIntroduction: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) typically comprises three or four phases. The final phase, phase III or IV, focusses on long-term exercise training and lifestyle modification to support secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. Despite well-established benefits, there are currently no international consensus on how exercise training should be structured during this lifestyle-maintenance phase. This study aimed to map current organisational practices for exercise training across European countries during this phase of CR.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted through the HEPA Promotion in Healthcare Settings Working Group of the HEPA Europe network. Representatives from 20 European countries completed a structured survey including programme guidelines (national/international), organisational models (facility types, staffing), participant stratification (risk levels, medical conditions), medical supervision protocols, and financial structures. Responses were pseudonymised and analysed descriptively to identify common practices and inter-country variations.
Results: The findings revealed marked heterogeneity in delivery models, staffing, and patient inclusion. Only 55% of countries reported using national guidelines. Programmes were delivered across a range of settings, with non-profit (75%), public (55%), and for-profit (50%) providers (note that multiple options were possible). Sports facilities (80%) were more commonly used than medical settings (65%). Multidisciplinary teams typically involved physiotherapists (75%) and sports coaches (60%), with physician or nurse supervision in 65% of programmes. While 90% of programmes accepted low-risk patients and 95% accepted medium-risk patients, 70% also included high-risk individuals. Programmes commonly served those with cardiovascular risk factors (85%) and other chronic conditions (65%). Formal referral and medical clearance at 1st registration were required in 75%. Participant fees were charged in 80% of countries, ranging from €3 to €390 annually, with partial reimbursement available in 30%.
Discussion: The lack of unified international guidance likely contributes to inconsistencies in access and quality of care. The predominance of national guidelines and variable medical supervision models may contribute to inconsistency in programme quality and patient outcomes. The frequent inclusion of high-risk participants in programmes without standardised medical oversight warrants particular attention. These findings provide a foundation for analysing the components of these approaches to better understand the feasibility and effects of lifelong CR strategies
Physical Activity Trajectories and Their Predictors in Older Adults Participating in a 12-Month Multicomponent Intervention
Full text linkPurpose: Physical activity (PA) interventions in older adults often yield short-lived benefits. To achieve lasting effects, identifying responders and non-responders is crucial. This study aims to identify PA trajectories and their predictors during and after a multicomponent intervention.
Methods: Community-dwelling men and women (70–85 years, mean 74.4) were recruited to the PASSWORD study and randomised to physical training (PT, n = 159) or physical and cognitive training (PTCT, n = 155). PT included strength, gait, and balance training. PTCT included PT and additional computerised executive functions training. Self-reported PA was assessed with a single-item question at baseline, after 6 (6mo) and 12 months of intervention (12mo), and after a 12-month follow-up (24mo). Predictors were assessed at baseline and included socio-demographics (age, sex, marital status, education, occupational status, residential area), physical health and functioning (body mass index, self-rated health, number of chronic conditions, lower-extremity functioning, aerobic endurance), mental wellbeing (positive and negative affect, depressive symptoms), and cognitive functioning (global cognition, global executive functions, cognitive flexibility, working memory updating). PA trajectories were identified by using latent class mixed models in participants (n = 288) who had PA data at 24mo.
Results: Five trajectories were identified: Moderate-high (34%), Low-low (24%), Low-moderate (16%), Moderate-low (14%), and Low-high (13%). At baseline, participants in Moderate-high and Moderate-low engaged in brisk PA, while participants in other trajectories engaged in light activities. PA increased from baseline to 6mo, except in Moderate-low, and declined from 6mo to 12mo, except in Moderate-high group. PA increased from 12mo to 24mo only in Low-high group. At 24mo, PA remained higher compared to baseline in Moderate-high, Low-high, and Low-moderate groups.
Between-trajectory differences were observed in intervention arm, age, all physical health and functioning indicators, depressive symptoms, positive affect, and working memory (p ≤ 0.034). In general, Moderate-high participants were younger, healthier, and better functioning than Low-low participants. Low-moderate participants belonged more often to PT than PTCT group (p = 0.021).
Conclusion: Year-long multicomponent intervention following PA guidelines may increase PA and thus prevent functional decline in relatively healthy and well-functioning older adults with high mental wellbeing. Alternative approaches are needed in those with poorer baseline health and functioning.
Support/Funding Source: Research Council of Finland, Juho Vainio Foundation
Revising the Set of 20 Key-Indicators for Sports and Physical Activity in The Netherlands
Full text linkPurpose: The Netherlands has a unique system for monitoring sports and physical activity through a structured set of Key-Indicators, developed in 2014. These indicators provide critical data for evaluating national trends and informing policy decisions. Given the sector’s significant growth, rising societal attention for physical activity, and advances in research, the set of current Key-Indicators is evaluated to determine their relevance, identify necessary revisions, and develop new metrics to address emerging subjects.
Project Description: The Key-Indicators are maintained by a collaborative network comprising Statistics Netherlands, VeiligheidNL, NOC*NSF, Mulier Institute, Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity, and RIVM. The up-to-date numbers of all Key-Indicators are disseminated on www.sportenbewegenincijfers.nl/kernindicatoren, managed by RIVM. In consultation with these partners and the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, criteria were established for the revised Key-Indicators. Key-Indicators should align with the interest of national sport and physical activity policies, be interpretable as single metrics, enjoy expert consensus, offer national (and, where feasible, regional) relevance, and be updated at a minimum frequency of once every four years.
The suitability of existing Key-Indicators and opportunities for new subjects were assessed across 12 established themes of the national sport and physical activity data-infrastructure. For each theme, the adequacy of the current Key-Indicators was evaluated alongside data quality and methodological robustness. Experts from both research and policy contributed to the thematic discussions. When necessary, additional research experts were consulted.
The revised set includes 25 Key-Indicators, replacing the original set of 20. Among the current Key-Indicators, 18 were retained. One (‘Sports participation 12x per year’) was removed, and two related to physical education were combined into a single metric with separate data per school level. Seven new Key-Indicators were introduced, covering subjects such as physical inactivity, inclusion, diversity, motor skills in children, and governance in sports. Eighteen Key-Indicators are ready for implementation; three require minor refinements, and four need further methodological development.
Conclusion: The updated Key-Indicators form a comprehensive monitoring framework, enabling policymakers to adapt sport and physical activity policies based on emerging trends. The Network will oversee ongoing development of new Key-Indicators and ensure consistency and quality over time
Sedentary Behaviour, Physical Activity, and Cardiovascular Health in Adults With Osteoarthritis: A Cross-Sectional Comparison With Healthy Controls
Full text linkPurpose: World-wide, osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of number of years lived with disability. Those with OA have poor adherence to physical activity (PA) guidelines and engage in high levels of sedentary behaviour (SB). More than eight hours a day of SB has independent health risks, negatively affecting cardiovascular health. The impact of PA and SB on cardiovascular health in osteoarthritic populations has not been explored. This study aimed to (1) compare differences between PA, SB, and cardiovascular health in individuals with lower limb OA to healthy controls and (2) establish relationships between these behaviours and cardiovascular health.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 37 participants over 45 years of age. The OA group, excluding rheumatoid arthritis, (n = 17) were diagnosed by a healthcare professional. The control group (n = 20) were age-matched, and all participants were free from cardiovascular disease. Blood pressure (BP), carotid artery intima thickness (CIMT), and brachial artery endothelial function using flow-mediated dilation (FMD) were assessed. Participants wore two activity monitors for seven consecutive days tracking moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), step count, and SB. Analysis utilised Student’s t-test and partial correlations.
Results: No significant differences were found between groups in MVPA (OA: 284 ± 157 min/week; Control: 314 ± 179 min/week; p > 0.05), total SB (OA: 9.1 ± 1.6 hours/day; Control: 8.6 ± 1.4 hours/day; p > 0.05), systolic BP (OA: 131 ± 18 mmHg; Control: 122 ± 15 mmHg; p > 0.05), CIMT (OA: 0.68 ± 0.15 mm; Control: 0.65 ± 0.10 mm; p > 0.05) or FMD (OA: 4.1 ± 3.0%; Control: 5.3 ± 2.7%; p > 0.05). Within the OA group, partial correlation analysis (controlling for age, sex, and body mass index) revealed significant associations between 1–2 hour sedentary bouts and systolic BP (r = +0.58, p = 0.04), and between MVPA and step count with CIMT (r = −0.68, p = 0.01 and r = −0.58, p = 0.03, respectively).
Conclusion: The lack of between-group differences in cardiovascular health markers could be due to similar activity profiles, particularly high MVPA. In the OA group, prolonged bouts of SB were associated with higher systolic BP, suggesting how SB is accumulated may be important for cardiovascular health. Despite meeting PA guidelines, this OA sample accumulated high levels of SB, to a level with known independent health risk. Future interventions should prioritise strategies to reduce SB
The Effects of a 48-Hour Fasting Period on Metabolic Markers During Exercise and Recovery in Male Combat Sports Athletes
Full text linkPurpose: Fasting strategies have gained increasing attention in sports science due to their potential effects on metabolic responses and athletic performance. However, limited research has examined the metabolic and performance-related consequences of a 48-hour fasting period followed by a 24-hour recovery phase in combat sports athletes. This study aims to investigate the effects of 48-hour fasting on metabolic markers, performance, and recovery in male combat sports athletes, emphasising the reversibility of fasting-induced metabolic changes after a 24-hour refeeding period.
Methods: A total of eight male combat sport athletes ([Mean ± standard deviation] Age: 25.1 ± 4.0 years, Height: 181 ± 6.7 cm, Body Weight: 83.3 ± 12.7 kg) participated in this interventional pre- and post- study. The research design included three assessment points: before fasting (baseline), after 48 hours of fasting, and after a 24-hour recovery period. The measured variables included: the resting metabolic rate (RMR), V̇O2max test data, lactate, glucose and ketone, free fat mass (FFM), body weight.
Results: Fasting significantly decreased FFM (–1.4 ± 10.8 kg, p < 0.008) and body weight (–2.1 ± 12 kg, p < 0.001). V̇O2max test load decreased significantly (13 Watts, p < 0.001) after fasting but returned to baseline after 24-hour recovery. Ketone levels increased significantly (1.04 ± 0.51 mmol/L, p < 0.001). Peak glucose levels also decreased significantly (0.8 ± 0.70 mmol/L, p < 0.028), along with glucose levels at the 2nd (0.7 ± 0.51 mmol/L, p < 0.001) and 15th (0.6 ± 0.70 mmol/L, p < 0.005) minutes of recovery. Lactate concentrations decreased significantly during peak performance (10.3 ± 4.03 mmol/L, p < 0.049) and 30-minute recovery (5.5 ± 1.60 mmol/L, p < 0.005).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that a 48-hour fasting period significantly alters metabolic markers and temporarily impairs V̇O2max performance. However, after a 24-hour recovery period, performance measures returned to baseline, suggesting that 48-hour fasting does not have long-lasting adverse effects on performance in combat sports athletes. These findings highlight the metabolic adaptability of trained athletes and the potential implications of fasting as a weight management strategy. Further research is required to explore the long-term physiological effects and potential applications in combat sports training and competition.
Support/Funding Source: This work was supported by the Research Council of Lithuania (Grant Number S-PAD-22-9)