Lithuanian Sports University e-Journals
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Project MOVE HEALTHY
Get PDFThe free training project MOVE HEALTHY, which started in Kaunas in 2013, was initiated by members of the public, and was later taken over by the Kaunas City Municipality, together with the city’s Public Health Bureau.
The idea behind the project was to give the citizens of Kaunas the opportunity to be maximally active, receiving free services in attractive and convenient locations in the city. Currently, Kaunas residents can participate in up to thirty training sessions per week organised by the project, which are suitable for everyone, regardless of their physical capacity. Every age group can choose classes of suitable intensity: from calm yoga or Pilates training, to intense functional, Zumba dance, or running training.
Free training and exercises are held all year round, all week, on weekdays. Training is conducted in different public spaces and micro-districts of Kaunas and annually attracts thousands of Kaunas people who love a healthy and active lifestyle. During the summer season, classes take place in the fresh air, in parks. The MOVE HEALTHY project, financed by the Kaunas City Municipality, also delights the citizens of Kaunas with various additional activities, such as orientation games, big sports events, or training on the roof of a building with a picturesque panorama of the city of Kaunas or training in the football stadium.
During the free training project MOVE HEALTHY, special attention is paid to the trainers, thus the classes are conducted only by professional trainers with many years of experience, who not only help to perform the exercises correctly, but also guarantee the participants a great mood and motivate them to move in mass training sessions full of positivity and energy.
Specialists of the Kaunas City Municipality Public Health Bureau, project coordinators, are trying to involve as many Kaunas residents as possible in the activities, therefore the project is constantly developing: the variety of training is increasing, more different age groups are included.
Project MOVE HEALTHY promotes a healthy lifestyle by ensuring free and inclusive access to physical activity. It provides long-term benefits to public health in Kaunas
S05-4: The Role of Movement in the Elderly: Dance as Prevention and Therapy for Neuro-Degenerative Diseases
Get PDFPurpose: Dance is a complex form of human movement that activates our body and brain. Recent reviews summarising epidemiological, cross-sectional, and interventional studies support physical activity, especially dance as a propitious method to induce neuroplasticity, physical fitness, and mental wellbeing in late adulthood. Cardiovascular fitness training, combined with coordinative exercise and cognitive training, have been shown to induce white and grey matter plasticity, enhance cognitive and physical functions in older adults. Therefore, we created three dance studies to analyse the effects of dance on: 1) healthy seniors, 2) seniors with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 3) seniors with dementia.
Methods: The studies were designed as an 18-month or a 6-month RCT intervention study. The studies were approved by the Ethics Committee of Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg. Study 1: Dance as promotion for healthy ageing; Study 2: Dance prevention for dementia (Diadem); Study 3: Dance for people with dementia for emotional balance. Healthy elderly individuals (aged 63–80), individuals with MCI (aged 58–80), and patients with dementia (aged 75–84) were recruited via announcements in local newspapers and were screened for the study.
Participants attended a newly designed training programme in which they were constantly asked to learn new movement sequences. These choreographies required the coordination of different body parts (i.e. legs, arms, trunk) under different conditions (physical strain, precision, situation and time pressure). The subjects had to learn choreographies independently or by following a model.
Cognitive and physical performance were assessed in pre- and post-test intervention design, including: an extensive battery of neuropsychological tests, CERAD test battery, MR images were acquired on a 3 Tesla Siemens MAGNETOM Verio (Syngo MR B17), balance master, spiroergometry, TMG measurements, fNirs, gait analysis, and other tests.
Results and Conclusions: As a main finding, we observed in the dancers that after six months of training, the volumes in the left precentral gyrus had increased, and after another 12 months of training, an additional volume increase was observed in the right parahippocampal gyrus. The cardiovascular fitness levels over the course remained constant. In sum, our results so far demonstrate that sportive dancing training can improve and/or stabilise muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness in older patients with MCI and dementia. Dance-based interventions enhance balance, mobility, strength, and quality of life in individuals with dementia, as highlighted by previous research (Bandaru et al., 2024).
Keywords: Degenerative diseases, dance intervention, neuronal flexibility, cognitive and physical functions, MCI, dementi
S09-1: Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!): Launching the Third Set of Country Cards
Get PDFPurpose: To present the key findings and global insights from the Third set of Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!) Country Cards.
Methods: Data on demographics, surveillance, policy, and research indicators were collected for 218 countries to create country-specific physical activity (PA) profiles. Using a standardised methodology, the GoPA! Working Group organised the indicators and launched a new online workflow system for review and approval that will be completed by December 2024. Potential contacts were identified in each country through databases and expert recommendations, invited to verify the Country Cards for accuracy, and encouraged to translate the cards into their native language. Indicators included country, capital, population, urban population, life expectancy, Gini Index, Human Development Index, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) mortality, overall PA prevalence estimates, policies, guidelines, surveillance, research, and country capacity for PA promotion. New measures, such as premature NCD mortality risk, Human Capital Index, Democracy Index, and PA estimates by domain (active leisure, transport), were introduced. New representations were added, including equiplots for gender inequalities in adult PA prevalence and research. The capacity pyramid for PA promotion was updated to reflect policy availability and implementation, as well as surveillance data and periodicity.
Results: Preliminary results show that for 163 countries (74.8%), Country Contacts confirmed the accuracy of information. These contacts were from academia (65.6%), government (20.7%), non-profit organisations (6.2%), national agencies (3.9%), or other (3.6%). PA surveillance, policy, and research data were available for 96.3%, 94.5%, and 90.8% of these countries, respectively. Gender equiplots highlighted significant inequalities in adult PA prevalence estimates and research outputs (first and senior authors), especially in low- and middle-income countries. The updated PA promotion capacity pyramid showed that while 70 countries reported standalone PA policies, only 33 demonstrated high implementation levels. All 218 Country Cards are available in English, with select cards translated into an additional 30 languages.
Conclusions: The new indicators and findings from the Third edition of the GoPA! Country Cards offer a more comprehensive picture of the global PA landscape and emphasise the importance of effective PA surveillance, policy, and research.
Support/Funding Source: Global Observatory for Physical Activity (GoPA!)
S10-3: Updating the German Recommendations for Physical Activity. Moving Beyond Quantitative Recommendations?
Get PDFBackground: Physical activity (PA) guidelines have traditionally focused on quantitative targets, such as recommending at least 150 minutes of PA per week. However, qualitative aspects (like exercising in green spaces or being active with meaningful others) may also contribute to the health benefits of PA but are rarely addressed in existing guidelines. The German Recommendations for Physical Activity and Physical Activity Promotion (Rütten & Pfeifer, 2016) are currently being updated. In this context, the study explores how the predominantly quantitative focus can be expanded to include qualitative dimensions of PA.
Methods: The guideline update follows the GRADE-ADOLOPMENT approach (Klugar et al., 2024). To incorporate qualitative aspects of PA, we first define the scope (Step 1) and prioritise relevant key questions, especially regarding PA quality – based on Vella et al. (2023) and expert consultation (Step 2). In Step 3, recent national PA guidelines are identified and assessed using the AGREE II instrument (with scores of ≥60% in domains 1–3 and an accompanying evidence update). Recommendations from these sources are then matched to the prioritised questions (Step 4) to identify existing relevant recommendations (Step 5). Where necessary, evidence updates are performed (Step 6).
Results: New German PA recommendations will be developed for several target groups, including children, adults, older adults, the oldest old, individuals with disabilities, and adults with non-communicable diseases (Step 1). Key questions regarding the quality aspects of PA (Step 2) include whether health-related outcomes differ by PA domain, individual preferences, or the social and physical environment. Of 66 guidelines reviewed, 11 were included (Step 3). An initial content analysis revealed that the only quality aspect addressed was the comparison between workplace PA and PA in other domains (Steps 4 and 5). The next step (Step 6) is to determine which evidence updates on PA quality aspects will be conducted.
Conclusion: This study analyses the evidence base for a potential shift of the German PA Recommendations from a purely quantitative approach towards a broader, more holistic perspective. While integrating qualitative aspects of PA presents challenges, it also offers significant potential to enhance future PA guidelines.
Funding Source: German Ministry of Health.
Keywords: Physical activity guidelines, quality, contex
S12-4: Physical Activity Patterns in Older Adults: From Steps to Context – Optimising Digital Phenotyping for Physical Activity Monitoring in Older Adults by Integrating Wearable Data and Ecological Momentary Assessment
Get PDFPurpose: Physical activity (PA) is essential for healthy ageing, yet accurately assessing PA in older adults remains challenging due to the biases and limitations of traditional clinical assessments. This study aimed to optimise digital phenotyping strategies for evaluating PA patterns in older adults by integrating ecological momentary assessment (EMA) with continuous wearable sensor data.
Methods: Over a two-week period, 108 community-dwelling older adults participated in the study. PA was continuously monitored using Garmin Vivo 5 wearable sensors, while participants provided real-time responses to EMA prompts. Feasibility was assessed based on adherence to EMA, and associations between psychological factors (motivation, self-efficacy) and PA intensity were analysed.
Results: The combined EMA and wearable sensor approach proved feasible, with 67.2% overall adherence to EMA prompts (morning: 68.1%; evening: 65.4%). PA was primarily of low (51.4%) and moderate (46.2%) intensity, with activity peaks around midday. Motivation and self-efficacy were significantly associated with low-intensity PA (R = 0.20 and 0.14, respectively), particularly in the morning. Notably, no correlation was found between objective step counts and self-reported PA (R = −0.026, p = 0.65), emphasising the importance of combining both data sources.
Conclusions: Integrating EMA with wearable sensor data within a temporal framework enhances the ecological validity and accuracy of PA assessment in older adults. This approach offers valuable, personalised insights that can inform targeted, time-sensitive interventions to promote PA in ageing populations.
Support/Funding Source: PXL University of Applied Sciences and Arts [2/DWO/2021/HC/P133] and by Flanders Innovation and Entrepreneurship [2/DWO/2022/HC/VL041].
Keywords: Physical activity, older adults, ecological momentary assessment, wearable sensor
S13-3: The French Version of Physical Literacy in Children Questionnaire (FR-PLC Quest): Translation and Internal Validation
Get PDFPurpose: Physical literacy is a key determinant of health-enhancing physical activity (HEPA), yet validated assessment tools remain limited in non-English-speaking contexts. The PLC-Quest, a 30-item pictorial questionnaire featuring a rabbit character, assesses children’s self-perceived physical literacy across four dimensions: physical, psychological, social, and cognitive. While validated in its original language and known for its child-friendly format, no French version has yet been validated. As physical literacy is embedded in the French school curriculum, an adapted tool should be needed. This study aimed to translate and validate the French version of the PLC-Quest and evaluate its psychometric properties.
Methods: The validation followed two main steps: translation and internal validation. The translation process adhered to the Beaton protocol. Two independent bilingual translators produced a French version of the questionnaire. A consensus version was then created and back-translated into English by two others. These back-translations were compared with the original to ensure conceptual and linguistic equivalence, ensuring the integrity of the French version. For the internal validation, 1,000 children aged 6–12 years from France completed the FR-PLC Quest. Construct validity was assessed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on four domains and an overarching physical literacy construct. Reliability was measured via Cronbach’s alpha and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients, ICC). Sensitivity was evaluated using Ferguson’s Delta.
Results: Following the Beaton protocol with translators consensus, the French PLC-Quest was edited. 902 children aged between 7 and 12 years were included. Goodness-of-fit indices confirmed the construct validity of the model, indicating an acceptable fit to the empirical data (χ2/df = 3.56). All items demonstrated significant standardised loadings on their respective latent dimensions (standardised estimates >0.40). The FR-PLC Quest also showed excellent test-retest reliability in a subsample (=103) of 12-year-old participants (ICC = 0.82) and high internal consistency (Pα = 0.88). Additionally, the instrument exhibited excellent sensitivity (0.98), reflecting a strong discriminative capacity.
Conclusions and Implications: The French PLC-Quest appears to be a valid and reliable tool for assessing physical literacy in children. It can guide the development and evaluation of HEPA-promoting interventions in French-speaking educational and community settings.
Support/Funding Source: None
Keywords: Psychometric evaluation, self-perception of competence, cultural adaptation, health enhancing physical activit
S14: Enhancing Opportunities for Girls and Women in Sport on the Island of Ireland: Míde
Get PDFParticipating in sport and physical activity provides multiple benefits for physical and mental health, and for quality of life. However, women and girls have long been an underrepresented group in sport, as participants, leaders, coaches, officials, administrators, athletes, and in the media (Cooky et al., 2021; Leabeater et al., 2023). In Ireland, a new all-island consortium has been established to conduct high-quality interdisciplinary research focused on women and girls in sport. It aims to understand, intervene on, and ultimately improve the health, wellbeing, participation, and performance of women and girls in and through sport, exercise, and physical activity. Our mission is that working together with practitioners, policymakers, and academics will help drive meaningful change for women and girls in and through sport, exercise, and physical activity.
This symposium will provide insights into the process of establishing a sustainable consortium of interdisciplinary researchers in the area of women in sport, and the benefits for policy, advocacy, and practical action. The symposium starts with an overview of the building of míde. The second presentation provides a perspective from a recent scoping review of research about women in sport from the island of Ireland. The third presentation provides an example of how to ensure the voices of participants are heard in project design. Finally, the symposium will conclude with a critical reflection on the importance of male allyship, and a discussion amongst participants on the potential to scale out míde activities in Europe
S14-2: A Scoping Review of Research About Women in Sport: A Perspective From the Island of Ireland
Get PDFPurpose: Women remain under-represented in many sport settings, and they are particularly under-represented in research. Between 2014 and 2020, only 34% of participants in sport and exercise science studies were female, with less than 10% of studies focused solely on females (Cowley et al., 2021). Additionally, there is often a lack of collective thinking and action across universities and the sport sector in research about women in sport, including on the island of Ireland.
Methods: To support the strategic development of research within this region, we conducted a scoping review to systematically identify, analyse, and synthesise existing literature about women in sport on the island of Ireland. Research about women in sport in Ireland has grown significantly over the last five years.
Results: Primary topics fell into five main areas: injury (k = 86), sport performance (k = 72), sport, health, and wellbeing (k = 65), society and culture (k = 38), and coaching and professional practice (k = 13). We identified numerous trends, including the dominance of cross-sectional research designs and quantitative methods, tendency to conduct research through a monodisciplinary lens, and inconsistent reporting of sex/gender in published literature.
Conclusion: While this review highlights research priorities specific to the island of Ireland, it offers a template for other regions to replicate and some relevant learning for researchers worldwide in their respective and collective efforts to improve the experiences of women in sport. We have developed our work into a public facing report and other dissemination materials to advocate for change
S18: Active Travel as a Sustainable Alternative in Promotion of Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA)
Get PDFRationale: This symposium explores the multifaceted role of active travel – walking and cycling – as an efficacious approach to addressing concurrent global challenges essential for climate action and urban environment for increasing physical activity in children. The symposium will highlight that both walking and cycling are accessible forms of transportation with significant physical, psychosocial, and environmental benefits. However, the adoption and sustainability of these behaviours depend on a complex interplay of individual competencies, environmental quality, perceived safety, and broader social and institutional support from diverse European contexts. It will feature specific case studies and analyses from Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, elucidating effective strategies and key findings related to the promotion of walking and cycling.
Purpose: Primary objectives encompass the synthesis of evidence regarding active travel’s efficacy for HEPA promotion, evaluation of impactful policies and infrastructure developments within the selected nations, discussion of contributions towards SDG targets, and identification of barriers and facilitators influencing adoption patterns.
Findings: The collection of studies reveal that while cycling interventions in schools can foster healthy habits and environmental awareness, their long-term success requires structural support and integration into daily routines, especially in diverse and underserved communities. Similarly, the quality of the walking environment shaped by factors such as security, lighting, and infrastructure significantly influences walking enjoyment and perceived safety, with seasonal changes presenting additional challenges for maintaining active travel habits throughout the year. Barriers to active transport, such as traffic hazards and unsafe neighbourhood settings, are common concerns, but systematic identification and targeted interventions can lead to improvements in safety and participation.
Conclusion: The symposium will also underscore the value of collaborative, cross-sectoral approaches – bridging health and mobility sectors and engaging local stakeholders – to address key barriers, co-design context-specific solutions, and promote equity in access to active travel. By embedding active travel and school-based intervention into daily life activities and urban policy, these initiatives demonstrate potential for reducing health inequalities, enhancing environmental sustainability, and supporting lifelong healthy behaviours among children and the broader communit
S20-1: A Rapid Review Examining the Impact of Public Policy on Equity in Physical Activity
Get PDFPurpose: Increasing population-level physical activity (PA) requires system-level policy action. However, public policies targeting the general population, without addressing socially disadvantaged populations, might unintentionally increase socioeconomic inequities in PA. This is particularly concerning since disadvantaged groups are less likely to meet PA recommendations. This rapid review assesses the evidence on the effects of public policies on equity in PA.
Methods: A literature search was performed in seven bibliographic databases up to May 7, 2024, in collaboration with a librarian. Studies were included if they: a) focused on changes in PA behaviour, PA proxies, or the PA environment as outcomes, b) examined public policy as the independent variable, and c) included a low socioeconomic status (SES) (sub)population. Screening was done in duplicate. Key data extracted included: the public policy, target population, and/or SES subgroup measures, PA outcomes and equity-related findings. Policies were grouped into domains aligned with the eight investments from the International Society for Physical Activity and Health and categorised based on their impact on inequities: reducing, increasing, no effect, or mixed effects.
Results: Out of 10,350 records screened, 83 studies were included. The results showed that 30% of the public policies reduced inequities, 39% had no effect, 10% increased them, and 21% had mixed effects. Fewest PA policies were identified in the healthcare (n = 2) and workplace (n = 0) domains and the most in the community-wide domain (n = 22). Overall, the education, transport, community-wide, and mass media policy domains showed the greatest potential to reduce inequities in PA and/or to benefit high and low SES populations equally. Policies that most consistently reduced inequities or had a neutral effect on inequities included: a) infrastructure policies, b) financial incentives supporting active transport, c) multi-component school-based PA and health policy programmes, d) school physical education policies, and e) policies supporting mass media campaigns. Conversely, urban design and sport for all policies varied with regards to their effects on inequities.
Conclusions: This review identified several types of policies, particularly in the education, transport, community-wide, and mass media domains, with the potential for promoting PA in an equitable way. These findings offer valuable insights for future policymaking.
Support/Funding Source: This is part of the project IMPAQT which is funded from Ireland, Health Research Board; Poland, National Centre for Research and Development; Germany, Federal Ministry of Education and Research; The Netherlands, The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development; Romania, Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding; Lithuania, Research Council of Lithuania, under the umbrella of the Partnership Fostering a European Research Area for Health (ERA4Health) (GA N° 101095426 of the EU Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme).
Keywords: Policy, review, physical activity, equit