Lithuanian Sports University e-Journals
Not a member yet
1390 research outputs found
Sort by
S15-2: Changes in Physical Activity and Sport Club Membership in Finnish Adolescents With Disabilities
Get PDFPurpose: It is well established that physical activity (PA) levels in people with disabilities are typically lower than in same age peers without disabilities, yet few studies have observed if there is a closing of the gap. The aim of this study was to analyse changes in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sport club membership of Finnish adolescents with disabilities.
Methods: Secondary data analyses (logistic regressions) from pooling Finnish School-age Physical Activity (FSPA) 2016, 2018, 2022, and 2024 studies. FSPA is a national monitoring study of PA of adolescents (11y-, 13y-, and 15y-olds), with questions on functional limitations, self-reported physical activity, and sport club membership. After establishing the year of data collection, disability type was entered into logistic regression models, one for PA using four categories with 0–2 days as the reference, and one for binary (reference = not member), after controlling for gender and age. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used.
Results: After pooling the data, 24,795 adolescents (51% female; 37% 11y-, 34% 13y-, 29% 15y-olds; 19% disabilities) were in the sample. Daily and 5–6 days of MVPA both increased between 2024–2016 (OR= 1.4, CI 1.1–1.8), and a decline in 3–4 days of MVPA (OR = 0.7, CI = 0.5–0.9) between 2018–2016 for adolescents with disabilities was observed. However, sport club memberships reduced each cycle from 2018, 2022, and 2024 (OR = 0.7–0.8, CI = 0.5–0.9) compared to 2016 for adolescents with disabilities.
Conclusions: Although PA levels have improved between 2016 to 2024, rates of sport club memberships have declined, suggesting daily PA for adolescents with disabilities takes place in other environments than sport clubs. More inclusive clubs are needed to ensure quality movement among adolescents with disabilities.
Support/Funding Source: Strategic Research Council at the Academy of Finland (320400 and 320403) co-funded the FSPA data collection. They were not involved in the analysts of the research.
Keywords: Organised sport, functional limitations, time trend
S19-1: The “City, Green, Go!” Toolkit for Sustainable Sport Events
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of the “City, Green, Go!” Toolkit is to promote environmental sustainability in the grassroots sport sector and empower the potential sport event organisers with knowledge and practical tips about green sport event organisation. With the use of the Toolkit, municipalities, local sport clubs, and sport professionals should gain more awareness and learn practical tools to organise more eco-friendly events, while also using the communicational power and capacity of a certain sport event to raise awareness of participants about environmental challenges.
Project Description: As an output of a 2-year-long Erasmus+ sport collaborative partnership project, five main partners and an associated municipality have developed the “City, Green, Go!” Toolkit, the Toolkit for eco-friendly grassroots sports initiatives in urban settings. This Toolkit is in-between a textbook that summarises the relevant information in the field of seven carbon footprint reduction principles, namely energy, biodiversity, catering, mobility, waste reduction, sustainable materials, water conservations, and a workbook that provides practical steps and a comprehensive checklist about the aspects that should be respected when organising an urban sport event. The partners (SandSI, IsInnova, ISCA, BSK, Sport&Citizenship) developed together the Toolkit and its checklist based on the “Checklist for climate friendly exercise programmes” by Karim Abu Omar from 2021, who, as a supporting expert, together with Krisztina Csobay, a sustainability expert from Green Zone Association, has contributed to finalise the Toolkit and the checklist which summarises all tips related to seven carbon-footprint reduction principles in an easy-to-handle sheet, as the practical essence of the project.
Dissemination of the Toolkit has been incorporated into the promotion of European Week of Sport in Hungary, as this EU wide campaign focuses also on the promotion of environmental sustainability in 2025. A follow-up project, to test the usability of the Toolkit and to finetune it based on the practical experiences, is under evaluation in the current Erasmus+ call.
Conclusions: While promoting physical activity and sporting opportunities, grassroots sport organisations need to respect eco-friendly organisation principles. The “City, Green, Go!” Toolkit is a proper tool to raise awareness and build capacities of the urban sport event organisers in this respect
S19-3: From Awareness to Action: Exploring the Role of Planetary Health in Organisations Working in Physical Activity Promotion
Get PDFPurpose: Nowadays, planetary health and climate change issues impact all areas of society. The alignment of physical activity promotion with planetary health has been a recurring topic at recent HEPA conferences, yet many organisations still hesitate to prioritise it on their agendas. To better understand the current landscape, opportunities, and barriers, the HEPA Working Group on Environmental Approaches to HEPA Promotion conducted a survey.
Methods: The Working Group developed a questionnaire to explore the relevance of planetary health in the context of physical activity promotion. The survey included questions on participants’ professional sectors, the perceived importance of planetary health both personally and within their organisations (rated on a scale from 1 to 10), as well as open-ended questions about perceived barriers and opportunities for integrating planetary health into their organisational agendas.
Results: Overall, 189 people participated in the survey. The majority of respondents consider planetary health highly important on a personal level, with 76% rating it 8 or higher out of 10. In contrast, when asked about the importance of planetary health for their organisation, only 43% rated it 8 or higher, while 29% felt the topic is not very important in their organisation, rating it 5 or lower. In respondents’ opinion, barriers to integrating planetary health in organisations are mainly due to political, financial, and institutional challenges, such as lack of political will, insufficient funding, competing priorities, and limited support or understanding at multiple levels. Cultural and behavioural obstacles also play a major role, including resistance to change, old habits, lack of awareness or training, and discomfort with shifting responsibilities or expectations.
Conclusions: These findings highlight a clear gap between personal commitment to planetary health and perceived organisational prioritisation. Addressing this disconnect will require not only structural and policy-level changes, but also cultural shifts, increased awareness, and strategic efforts to embed sustainability across all levels of organisational practice.
Support/Funding Source: No specific funding.
Keywords: Planetary health, climate change, sustainabilit
S20-2: Providing Guidance on Equity and Physical Activity Policy: The Development of the PA-EPI Equity Module
Get PDFPurpose: Equity in physical activity (PA) is a critical issue, with disadvantaged groups having the lowest PA levels and facing barriers to be physically active. The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasised equity as a guiding principle of its Global Action Plan, underscoring the need to embed this principle in PA policy and practice. In recent years, various tools have been developed to monitor and assess PA policies, aiming to contribute to future policy development. One of these tools is the Physical Activity Environment Policy Index (PA-EPI) that assesses the extent of policy implementation across 45 indicators. This study aimed to develop an equity module for the PA-EPI to systematically incorporate an equity perspective into its application.
Methods: The development of the PA-EPI equity module involved a four-step process: (1) Analysing key findings from a literature review on equity and PA to identify policy characteristics that affect inequities; (2) Conducting a search for additional scientific publications and key policy documents to extract equity-related guidance; (3) Drafting the PA-EPI equity module based on the extracted data, and (4) Refining and finalising the module through a series of expert workshops.
Results: The PA-EPI equity module provides specific guidance for 38 of the 45 PA-EPI indicators, and is currently based on 29 studies and 25 policy documents. This new component of the tool is embedded into the evidence document template to ensure that equity-related aspects are systematically considered when using the PA-EPI. This may include the identification of PA policies targeting vulnerable groups as well as assessing the extent of their implementation.
Conclusion: The PA-EPI equity module represents a novel approach to incorporating equity as a guiding principle into policy assessment tools. While it is particularly useful for researchers, stakeholders, and government officials utilising the PA-EPI, the module may also inform other initiatives by synthesising current guidance on equity and PA policy. Future research is needed to test the module’s applicability and its contribution to enhancing the equity focus in PA policy monitoring.
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: Physical activity, policy, equity, monitorin
KEYNOTE 2. Pillars, Doughnuts, Wedding Cakes: Multidimensional Models of Sustainability and Their Implications for Physical Activity
Get PDFPeter Gelius is a professor for physical activity and life-course at the Institute of Sport Sciences of Université de Lausanne [University of Lausanne] in Switzerland. He holds a PhD in political science and a research doctorate in sport science. His main areas of research are physical activity policy, participatory approaches in health promotion, and the interrelationship between physical activity and climate change. He has been involved in various international research projects investigating innovative interventions to promote physical activity in different population groups as well as physical activity policy at the local, regional, national, and international level. He has been consulting the German government, the European Commission, and the WHO Regional Office for Europe on physical activity policy development for more than a decade. He is a former co-director and current affiliated researcher at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Physical Activity and Public Health at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
Effectiveness of a 28-Day Digital Physical Activity Intervention on Physical Fitness and Behaviour Change in Sedentary Women: A 6-Month Follow-Up Study
Get PDFBackground: Sedentary behaviour in middle-aged women is associated with increased health risks. Short-term interventions may promote long-term behaviour change, particularly when supported by digital tools. This study evaluated whether a 28-day mobile-based physical activity (PA) programme could induce lasting improvements in physical fitness and activity levels among sedentary women.
Methods: A total of 21 sedentary women (mean age 47.20 ± 5.6 years) participated in a 28-day digital intervention delivered via smartphone. The programme included daily exercise sessions and motivational content. At the end of the programme, participants attended a 15-minute one-on-one consultation with an exercise physiologist to review their results and receive personalised feedback. Assessments were conducted pre-intervention, post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up. Outcomes included morphological measures (waist, hip, and abdominal circumference; body weight; fat mass) and physical fitness tests (squat repetitions, agility, handgrip strength).
Results: After 28 days, significant improvements (p < 0.05) were observed in squat performance (24.5 ± 2.74 vs 27.1 ± 2.8 reps), agility (2.44 m test: 5.55 ± 0.9 vs 4.95 ± 0.7 sec), and handgrip strength (26.01 ± 3.9 vs 30.0 ± 4.47 kg; p < 0.05). Morphological outcomes showed no significant changes. At 6-month follow-up, 19 participants were classified as physically active according to the IPAQ questionnaire: nine had joined gyms, and 10 reported maintaining an active lifestyle independently. Only two participants remained sedentary. Qualitative feedback highlighted the role of the physiologist consultation in sustaining motivation.
Discussion: This study suggests that short-term, mobile-based interventions, when combined with personalised feedback, can promote meaningful improvements in physical fitness and foster sustained PA in sedentary women. The high adherence to PA at six months reinforces the potential of digital health solutions as scalable, accessible strategies to target sedentary behaviour in middle-aged populations. Future research should explore the impact of longer intervention periods, integration with behavioural coaching, and the role of social support to maximise outcomes. Additionally, these findings may inform public health policies aimed at increasing PA through digital platforms, particularly in underserved or hard-to-reach populations.
Support/Funding Source: This work is supported by National Funds by FCT – Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the following project UI/04045
Gender Differences in Morphometric Predictors of Jumping Ability Among Ghanaian High School Athletes
Get PDFPurpose: This study examines gender-specific morphometric predictors of jumping ability in Ghanaian Senior High School athletes by: (1) creating gender-specific training models that boost performance while safeguarding musculoskeletal health, and (2) establishing safe anthropometric benchmarks for adolescent development. By analysing morphological factors (leg length, calf circumference, upper body dynamics), provides coaches with tools for talent identification for athletic performance and long-term physical wellbeing, for performance optimisation and health-aware training within Ghana’s school sports programmes.
Methods: A correlational design was employed with 420 athletes (210 males, 210 females; aged 16–22). Twenty-two morphometric variables (BMI, 5 body length, 7 body circumference, 1 body diameter, and 7 skinfolds) were measured using standardised tools (non-elastic tape, stadiometer, electronic weighing scale, sliding calipers, and skinfold calipers), while jumping ability was assessed via jump tests. Stepwise multiple regression analyses were used to analyse key predictors for each gender, with strict adherence to ethical protocols (UCCIRB/CES/2022/70).
Results: The results revealed that leg length, calf circumference, and pectoral skinfold thickness were predictors of jumping ability in female athletes, explaining 35% of the variance (R² = 0.35, p < 0.05), while for male athletes, upper arm extension/flexion and leg length emerged as significant predictors, accounting for 32% of the variance (R² = 0.32, p < 0.05). Gender-specific predictive equations were developed for females, jumping ability = 1.414 + (0.012 × leg length) – (0.006 × pectoral skinfold) – (0.007 × calf circumference); and for males, jumping ability = 1.781 – (0.050 × upper arm extended) + (0.009 × leg length) + (0.033 × upper arm flexed).
Conclusion: This study identifies gender-specific predictors of jumping performance (leg length, calf circumference, upper body dynamics) and provides coaches with tools to enhance athletic ability while safeguarding musculoskeletal health in adolescents. For females, lower-body morphology and body composition (pectoral skinfold) guide power development while monitoring growth-related stress. For males, upper-limb and leg length parameters support balanced development and injury prevention during peak growth. These findings enable: (1) performance optimisation through tailored training, (2) injury risk reduction via biomechanically sound programming and safe progression benchmarks for resource-limited settings. Future research should explore pubertal stage interactions to refine health-focused training protocols
More Than Just Moving: High-Level Physical Activity Leads to Self-Control and Life Satisfaction
Get PDFPurpose: Consistent involvement in sports-related pursuits enhances both psychophysiological health and social wellbeing. This study investigated the psychological pathways through which physical activity contributes to life satisfaction, focusing specifically on the mediating role of dispositional self-control. While the positive impact of physical activity on wellbeing is well documented, little is known about the psychological mechanisms behind this relationship, especially in relation to activity levels recommended by the World Health Organization. Drawing on prior findings on the interplay between self-regulation and wellbeing, we hypothesised that dispositional self-control would mediate the relationship between physical activity and life satisfaction, particularly at higher engagement levels.
Methods: The Satisfaction with Life Scale and the Brief Self-Control Scale were completed by 282 respondents (mean age = 23.2, standard deviation = 8.4). The participants also self-reported their average weekly minutes of physical activity over the past year. Based on WHO guidelines, they were categorised into four levels of physical activity. Mediation analyses were conducted to examine the indirect effects of physical activity on life satisfaction using self-control as a mediating variable.
Results: The effect of high-level physical activity (exceeding WHO recommendations) on life satisfaction was significantly mediated by dispositional self-control (estimate = 0.37; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.14; 0.59; β = 0.09). In contrast, the indirect effects were not significant for standard-level physical activity (meeting WHO recommendations; estimate = 0.08; β = 0.03) or low-level physical activity, which included both inactive individuals and those engaging below WHO standards (estimate = 0.16; β = 0.05). The full mediation model accounted for 19.7% of variance in life satisfaction. Only high physical activity levels had a significant indirect effect on life satisfaction through higher self-control.
Conclusion: This study highlights dispositional self-control as a key psychological mechanism connecting physical activity and life satisfaction, suggesting that health promotion strategies should emphasise consistent and high-level physical engagement. Our findings underscore the importance of meeting or exceeding WHO physical activity guidelines to promote not only physical health but also psychological wellbeing. Interventions aimed at enhancing mental health and subjective wellbeing through physical activity may benefit from a focus on the development of self-regulatory capacities fostered by regular exercise
Outdoor Environment is Associated With Physical Activity of Children After 24 Months of a Whole-Systems Trial: A Network Analysis of the JU:MP Programme
Get PDFPurpose: Promoting physical activity (PA) through whole-system approaches has been identified as effective and sustainable. However, most studies use analytical methods that assume isolated and linear effects to understand how correlates of behaviours evolve over time and whether differences emerge within a controlled trial design. There is a growing need for tools that apply a complex systems lens. This study used network analysis to examine associations between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and demographic, behavioural, and environmental variables in children, 24 months after the implementation of a whole-system PA intervention (JU:MP).
Methods: This study is part of a whole-system community-based physical activity programme, JU:MP, delivered at scale in Bradford, United Kingdom. This controlled trial with two-arms included 1,123 children aged 7–11 years from 33 primary schools. PA was measured via accelerometry. Demographic information, socioemotional difficulties, physical activity in school, out-of-school, home settings, environmental spaces such as parks and green spaces, and screen time were collected through questionnaires. Network models were estimated separately for intervention (n = 766) and control groups (n = 687) at baseline (B) and 24-month follow-up (F1). Network parameters included node centrality and edge weights. The extended Bayesian information criterion EBIC LASSO was used to regularise networks (γ = 0.25).
Results: At baseline, MVPA was strongly associated with lunchtime PA (0.333, 0.385) and participation in organised sport (0.401, 0.419) for both intervention and control groups, respectively. At F1, network density increased for both groups, and MVPA became strongly associated to green space (0.260, 0.297) and street PA (0.316, 0.287). However, MVPA was identified as more embedded in structured clusters of environmental and behavioural variables (such as screentime) in the intervention group. Additionally, PA before school emerged as a key central node (expected influence = 1.950).
Conclusion: After 24 months, the intervention strengthened connections between MVPA and green space use, street activity, and before-school PA. These results highlight the potential for policies that prioritise green space access and urban walkability to enhance PA in children. Network analysis offers a useful tool to assess systemic shifts and offer insights for whole-system approaches in understanding behaviour change.
Support/Funding Source: Sport England and Bradford Institute for Health Research
Preliminary Analysis of the Effectiveness of a Multi-Component Intervention at Reducing Sedentary Behaviours in the Home-Office
Get PDFPurpose: Home-office work has been shown to increase total, and prolonged bouts, of occupational sedentary time compared to the traditional office environment. High levels of sedentary time, particularly in prolonged bouts, is associated with many deleterious health outcomes, hence home-office work is a public health concern. To date, there has been no research into the effectiveness of interventions targeting a reduction in sedentary time in the home-office, which may have unique influencing factors. This study is the preliminary analysis at the 3-month time point of a 12-month multi-component intervention targeting a reduction in sedentary behaviours in the home-office.
Methods: A two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial. At baseline, 160 participants were recruited, with 128 participants at the 3-month time point. The intervention was conducted across four countries: Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, and Slovenia. The multi-component intervention included a wearable device, phone application, educational material, and organisational support and formed part of the Click2Move consortium. The primary outcome was occupational sedentary time, measured using the activPAL3™. Secondary outcomes included physical activity and sedentary behaviours (measured using activPAL3™ and self-reported). The effects of the intervention were assessed using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), whilst within group effects were analysed using either a paired samples t-test or Wilcoxon Signed Rank, depending on normality.
Results: Total occupational sedentary time (z = 903.0, p = 0.010, n = 50) and the total time of sedentary bouts greater than 60 minutes (z = 827.0, p = 0.033, n = 50) reduced significantly in the intervention group at 3-months. Although not significant, the total number of sedentary bouts greater than 60 minutes also trended towards significance (z = 773.5, p = 0.057, n = 50). However, no significant difference was observed between groups for any physical activity or sedentary behaviour variable at the 3-month time point.
Conclusion: Multi-component interventions are most effective at reducing sedentary time in the workplace in the long-term. While these preliminary results show promising signs of the effectiveness of this intervention on total and prolonged occupational sedentary behaviours, more time may be required to observe meaningful and significant change.
Support/Funding Source: Funded by the Cooperation Partnerships Programme of the European Commission (101050490 – ERASMUS-SPORT-2021-SCP)