767 research outputs found
Perception of Adequacy on Sports Facilities during Schools’ P.E. and Extra Leisure Activities in a Cohort of 1544 Teens
No full textThe aim of this qualitative study is to define the perception of adequacy on sport/s facility/ies (SF)
during physical education and school sports (PESS) and extra school physical activities (PA). The study
population consisted of 1544 students aged between 11 and 19 years old (F: 49.6%; M: 50.4%; height: 1.7±11.9 m;
weight: 55.7±12.4 kg; BMI: 20.2±5.1 kg/m2). The sample was randomized from eighteen secondary schools in
northern Italy, and was divided into two groups depending on the level of education attended: 11 to 14 years old,
lower grade (LG); and 15 to 19 upper (UG). Both groups were asked to fill a themed multi-area questionnaire
inquiring about the amount of time spent in PA on a weekly basis, the types of SF utilized, and a detailed
evaluation of the provided services whilst using the same facilities. Almost eight students out of ten (79.1%)
performed PA during extra PESS time. Ranking of SF assessed: 30.9% outdoor fields; 25.4% fitness & health
gyms; 21.6% sport halls; 11.2% pools; and 10.9% other facilities types. A total of 31.7% of students perceive their
own sports structure comprehensively similar compared with the others of the same category in which they
usually act, and 4.6% noticeably lower; highly significant is how, this last data, negatively increase by 88% from
LG to UG. Based on a 5-points Likert Scale, the overall perception regarding the adequacy on SF is at a more than
acceptable level with an average 3.68±1.1 about PESS, and a 4.0±1.0 for extra leisure PA. Nevertheless, SF could
run the real risk of becoming too outdated without good maintenance and focused investments in a short-medium
term. Additionally, 41.4% of the sample voted the quality of the SF as “essential” (10.7%), or “important” (30.7%)
to reach the personal PA aims
Aggression during PE lessons with Mini-Rugby and Fight
No full textThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a block of ten P.E. lessons on teenagers (n°= 46 experimental group, EG; and n°= 27 control group, CG) when playing mini-rugby and fights. Students completed the Aggression Questionnaire (AQ) before and after this period. The 29 items focused on the four aspects of aggression: physical (PA, 9 items), verbal (VA, 5), anger (A, 7) and hostility (H, 8). For each question, they wrote from 1 (false) to 5 (true). Regarding the Δ% an incremental % of EG on CG was found: 13.37% VA, 7.51% A, 5.15% H and 8.36% TOT AQ; the only value that decreased was PA (-1.76%). The Δ% average, of the four subscales, is positively equal to 10.63% for EG, while CG showed a -0.83%. With regards to the total score, the values obtained are the following: PA (EG) -1.43/PA (CG) +2.11 [average +0.34], VA (EG) -2.37/VA (CG) -0.63 [-1.5], A (EG) -2.06/A (CG) -1.67 [-1.87], H (EG) -0.25/H (CG) +0.37 [+0.06] and TOT AQ (EG) -4.82/TOT AQ (CG) -1.18 [-3]. The test showed that the aggression improved by 10% in EG
RISK FACTORS OF BACK PAIN IN PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN
No full textINTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to determine the impact of back pain in primary school children and identify any predisposing risk factors. We aimed to address two fundamental questions: 1) What percentage of primary school students suffer for back pain? 2) What are the main risk factors of back pain in this population? METHODS A group of 804 children aged from 5 to 11 years was tested. The sampling involved both sexes and was based on random sampling. Data were collected through a survey sent to the pupil’s parents and involved a questionnaire, SDQ-Ita (R. Goodman, 1997) concerning anthropometric data, ability/ difficulties (psychological /psychosocial) and lifestyle. Specific questions on pain and back diseases were asked only to those parents whose children had already encountered this problem. Data are expressed as Average and Standard Deviation, where appropriate. Graph data are expressed as a percentage. Descriptive Statistics was performed with the Microsoft Office Excel 2003 (Professional Edition). Inferential Statistics was performed with the statistical program Statview 5.0. implementing the Binary Logistic Multiple Regression, also calculating the Odds Ratio and Confidence Interval. RESULTS Risk factors considered were: female sex, the index of weekly lack of movement and family history of back pain. The incidence of back pain in the sample analyzed was 18%. The incidence of back problems steadily increased from the Year 1 (7.4%) to Year 5 (27.5%) of primary school. The difference between the sexes was 5.3%, (20.2% in girls versus 14.9% in males). Pathological familiarity with at least one family member presenting back pain, was found in 48% of sample examined. The data show for Years 1, 2 and 3 that, as the average time spent in sedentary activities increases from 24% in Year 1 to 40% in Year 3, reaching up to 50 hours per week in Years 4 and 5, the probability of back pain/disorders increases to 57% and 58%. DISCUSSION In correspondence with the literature, we found that there was no correlation between back pain and sleeping position during the night and between back diseases and psychological/ psychosocial factors identified by the questionnaire SDQ-Ita. Too much activity or the practice of a sport on a regular basis for more than twice a week does not seem to increase risk of back pain. The present findings warrant the implementation of programmes aimed at reducing physical inactivity among school children. The effectiveness of such programmes requires not only the involvement of coaches and educators but also family support. The best prevention of back pain and spine disorders should in fact start at an early ag
Erratum: Lack of immunity against rubella among Italian young adults. [BMC Infect Dis., 17, (2017) (199)] Doi: 10.1186/s12879-017-2295-y
No full textAfter publication of this article [1], the authors noted that the given names and family names of all authors had been inverted, and are therefore incorrect in the original article. In the original article, the author names appear as the following: Gallone Maria Serena, Gallone Maria Filomena, Larocca Angela Maria Vittoria, Germinario Cinzia and Tafuri Silvio. However, this is incorrect, and the author names should appear as per the below: Maria Serena Gallone, Maria Filomena Gallone, Angela Maria Vittoria Larocca, Cinzia Germinario, Silvio Tafuri. The author names have been corrected in the author list and the citation for this Erratum
Silvio Spaventa Filippi
No full textThe headword explains the biography and the contribution of the author Silvio Spaventa Filippi to the children's literatur
Coenzyme Q 10 and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss Patients.
No full textOBJECTIVES:: We investigated the association of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) with coenzyme Q (CoQ) and cardiovascular risk factors. STUDY DESIGN:: A prospective study. SETTING:: Hospital center. PATIENTS:: Thirty Italian patients with ISSNHL and 60 healthy Italian subjects. INTERVENTION:: Diagnostic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE:: Evaluation of serum CoQ levels and cardiovascular risk factors (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL], homocysteine [HCY]). The results were compared with variance analysis and Student's t test. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to evaluate the association between ISSNHL and CoQ, total cholesterol, LDL, and HCY levels. RESULTS:: In our series, we found a significant association between ISSNHL and high total cholesterol (p < 0.05), high LDL (p = 0.021), and low CoQ (p < 0.05) levels. We did not find a significant association between ISSNHL and HCY levels. In the univariate analysis, low levels of CoQ, high levels of total cholesterol, and LDL were found to be significantly associated with ISSNHL. In the multivariate analysis, only high levels of total cholesterol and low levels of CoQ remained significantly associated with a high risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. CONCLUSION:: The studies regarding the role of cardiovascular risk factors in ISSNHL are not conclusive. This is the first report regarding the association of ISSNHL and low serum levels of the antioxidant CoQ. Further studies are needed toinvestigate the role of antioxidants, including CoQ, in ISSNHL
PERCEPTION OF ADECUACY ON SPORTS FACILITIES DURING SCHOOLS' P.E. AND EXTRA LEISURE ACTIVITIES IN A COHORT OF 1544 TEENS
No full textIntroduction
The aim of this qualitative study is to define the perception of adequacy on sport/s facility/ies (SF)
during P.E. school classes and extra physical activities (physical activity/ies, PA).
Methods
The study population consisted of 1544 students aged between 11 and 20 years old (height,
1,7±11,9 m; weight, 55,7±12,4 kg; BMI, 20,2±5,1 kg/m2), and was divided into two groups: 11 to 14
lower grade (LG), 15 to 20 upper (UG). Both groups were asked to fill a multi-area questionnaire
inquiring about the amount of time spent in PA on a weekly basis, the types of SF utilized, a detiled
evaluation of the provided services whilst using the same facilities.
Results
Almost eight students out of ten (79,08%) performed PA during extra-school time. Ranking of SF
assessed: 30,9% outdoor fields, 25,4% fitness & health gyms, 21,6% sport halls, 11,2% pools and
10,9% others facilities types. Recorded order of the total scores achieved, the worst evaluations
provided are referred to: care and hygiene of the global spaces (3,55/5), functionality of locker
rooms (3,56/5) and structural state of wear (3,69/5). 31,7% of students perceive their own
structure comprehensively similar compared with the others of the same category in which they
act and 4,6% noticeably lower; highly significant is how this last data increase by 88% from LG to
UG. The 41,4% of the sample voted the quality of the SF as essential (10,7%) or important (30,7%)
to reach the personal PA aims, the 41,4% quantify as rather relevant.
Conclusion
The overall perception regarding the adequacy on SF is at a more than acceptable level with a
3.68/5 as regards school P.E. and a 4.03/5.00 for extra leisure sport activities. Nevertheless SF
could run the real risk of becoming too outdated without good maintenance and focused
investments
Ammirazione o rivalità? Silvio Pellico nei “Mémoires d’outre-tombe”
No full textIn certain chapters of his Mémoires d’outre-tombe, François-René de Chateaubriand extensively refers to Le mie prigioni by Silvio Pellico, where the author recounts his fate as a political prisoner under the Habsburg Empire. While undoubtedly testifying the Chateaubriand admiration for Pellico, these references also reveal an attempt to identify himself with the Italian writer and even to appropriate one of his characters
THE INFLUENCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOURS ON BODY MASS INDEX FROM CHILDHOOD TO ADOLESCENCE
No full textThe prevalence of overweight and obesity among children and adolescents is rising in the European region with an increase of the onset of risk factors associated with ill health (1). Time spent in sedentary (SED) behaviour and physical activity (PA) have been both associated with adiposity (2, 3). The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of physical activity and sedentary behaviours from childhood (CH) to adolescence (AD). METHODS: The study population consisted of 2828 students aged between 6 and 14 years old (height, 1,45±0,16 m; weight, 39,6±12,7 kg; BMI, 18,3±3,0 kg/m2) and was divided into two groups: CH and AD. Subjects were classified as normal weight (NW), overweight (OW) and obese (OB) according to Cole classification (4). Parents were asked to fill a questionnaire inquiring about time spent in PA, and SED behaviours outside school hours on a weekly basis. The amount of PA was evaluated adding leisure time PA, time spent playing sports and time spent in physically active commutes to and from school. SED activities included TV viewing, playing or working on a computer/playing videogames and any other sedentary activities. A multiple logistic regression analysis, adjusted for sex and age, was used to assess the association between BMI category and PA or SED; significance was set at p<0,05. RESULTS: 79,9% of the cohort was classified as NW, 17,1% as OW and only 3,9% as OB. Overweight and obesity significantly decreased from CH to AD
(X2=33,45; p<0,0001). The average amount of PA was 245,5±152,2 min/week and the SED time reached 1739,1±809,7 min/week, both significantly increasing from CH to AD (ANOVA; p<0,0001). PA was not significantly correlated with SED in neither CH nor AD (r=-0,031 and 0,024; respectively). Significant associations, were identified between SED (odds ratio (OR): 1,001; 95%CI: 1,000-1,001; p<0,001) and PA (OR: 0,997, 95%CI: 0,996-0,999; p<0,01) level and obesity. No associations persisted for overweight. DISCUSSION: According with Mitchell (2,3) this study’s data indicated that: I) more time spent in PA was negatively associated with obesity; II) spending more time in sedentary behaviour was associated with obesity. In conclusion, increasing the time spent in physical activities and reducing time spent in sedentary behaviours may help to reduce the prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity. REFERENCES: (1) Branca (2007). World Health Organization. (2) Mitchell (2013). Obesity, Mar;21(3):E280-93. (3) Mitchell (2013). Int J Obes, Jan;37(1):54-60. (4) Cole (2000). BMJ, May
6;320(7244):1240-3
Low-income workers’ financial participation in Italy: a proposal de iure condendo
No full textFollowing the acknowledgment of empirical evidence supporting the implementation of financial participation among all classes of workers, the Author assesses the Italian context and concludes that such systems have been poorly implemented, especially among low-income workers. By looking at the experience of other EU countries and taking into account the recommendations provided by the European Commission, the Author then argues for the implementation of a regulated dialogue between workers, employers and trade unions. The aim of such dialogue would be to boost the development of financial participation systems among low-income workers without endangering their income
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