Search

Background: The relationship between motor coordination and physical fitness in preschool children is of significant interest due to its implications for overall health and development. This study aims to investigate the correlation between gross motor coordination, as assessed by the Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK), and health-related physical fitness components., Methods: A cross-sectional study, involving 139 preschool-aged children, was conducted. Physical fitness was assessed using the PREFIT fitness test battery, which includes measures of flexibility, muscular strength, speed/agility, and cardiorespiratory fitness. Motor coordination was evaluated using the KTK test, comprising four subtests., Results: Pearson correlation analysis revealed weak to strong positive and negative correlations between motor coordination and various physical fitness measures, including flexibility (r = 0.402; p = 0.01), muscular strength (r = 0.178; r = 0.487; r = 0.601; p < 0.05), speed/agility (r = -0.742; p = 0.01), and endurance (r = 0.539; p = 0.01). Additionally, hierarchical regression analysis demonstrated significant influence of motor coordination on physical fitness, explaining a notable percentage of the variance across different fitness components (3.2-55%)., Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of motor coordination in shaping physical fitness levels in preschool children. Promoting motor coordination skills early in childhood may have long-term benefits for overall health and fitness.

Background: This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of a 12-week circuit training program in improving local muscular endurance in normal-weighted primary school students., Methods: The study involved a parallel-group randomized trial with 606 primary school boys assigned to an experimental or a control group. The participants underwent a 12-week circuit training program that involved multi-joint, total-body workouts using body weight, resistance bands, and medicine ball exercises. The study measured the participants' local muscular endurance during sit-ups, dynamic trunk extensions on a Roman bench (DTE), and push-ups., Results: After adjusting for the baseline, the treatment-grade interaction was significant for sit-ups ( F = 7.74, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.04), DTE ( F = 6.49, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.03), and push-ups ( F = 9.22, p < 0.001, η p 2 = 0.05), where the experimental treatment was more beneficial than the control. The treatment effect seemed to vary depending on the individual's baseline local muscle endurance capacity. As the baseline local muscular endurance values increased, the treatment and grade effects became less beneficial., Conclusion: A 12-week circuit training program involving body weight, resistance bands, and medicine ball exercises suits school-based programs and can improve local muscular endurance in normal-weighted primary school boys. The experimental treatment was more effective than the control, and the individual baseline muscular endurance should be considered when designing training programs.

The aim of this study was to establish the role of maturation on the development of physical performance in adolescent athletes and nonathletes. The total studied sample consisted of 231 participants (131 athletes: 72 boys with an average chronological age of 13.53 ± 0.7 and 59 girls with an average chronological age of 11.97 ± 0.8; 100 nonathletes: 47 boys with an average chronological age of 13.73 ± 0.47 and 53 girls with an average chronological age of 11.93 ± 0.33), distributed according to their biological maturity stage (Pre-, Mid-, and Post-Peak Height Velocity [PHV]) and to their gender. The assessment of physical performance was performed using the following tests: Countermovement jump (CMJ), countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJA), squat jump (SJ), five-jump test (5JT), 5 m sprint (5 m), 10 m sprint (10 m), 20 m sprint (20 m), T-test, Zig Zag, and Slalom. The differences in athletes according to biological maturity were identified in all variables except for 5 m ( p = 0.33) and Slalom ( p = 0.07), while in nonathletes the differences were found in 5JT ( p = 0.01), 5 m ( p = 0.02), 10 m ( p = 0.01), and 20 m ( p = 0.01) tests. Additionally, a significant interaction of gender and biological maturity was detected for CMJ ( p = 0.03), CMJA ( p = 0.01), and Zig Zag ( p = 0.05) in athletes. The findings of the current study confirm the importance of maturity status in the assessment of physical performance. As a consequence, a more rational selection of talented athletes could be provided, also enabling the timely development of physical performance in nonathletes as a "window of opportunity".

The current study aimed to investigate the effects of an after-school volleyball program on body composition in overweight adolescent girls. Forty-two girls were randomly divided into a volleyball group (VG) ( n = 22 age: 15.6 ± 0.5 years) and control group (CG) ( n = 20; age: 15.5 ± 0.7 years). Both groups continued with their usual physical education activities, while VG was included as small-sided games, two times a week, after school, on modified volleyball courts. Body mass, body mass index (BMI), body fat in kg, body fat percentage, and muscle mass were analyzed by a bioelectrical impedance method. There was a significant interaction of group (VG vs. CG) × time (pre-vs. post) for weight [F 1, 40 = 7.933; p = 0.004] and BMI [F 1, 40 = 5.764; p = 0.015]. Additionally, a significant main effect of time was found for body fat (kg) [F 1, 40 = 17.650; p < 0.001] and body fat (%) [F 1, 40 = 18.721; p < 0.001]. The results of the current study show that a twelve-week after-school volleyball program, including two sessions a week, can improve body composition in overweight adolescent girls.

Knee pads have become increasingly popular among volleyball players. Given the fact high-intensity activities that are crucial to successfully playing this sport lead to an increased risk of a knee injury, the primary use of knee pads is to prevent potential injury. However, no research has been carried out to explain the effects of knee pads on the most important physical abilities in volleyball players, thus directly affecting performance. This study was undertaken to determine the effects of knee pads on the explosive power of the lower extremities, linear speed, and agility in young female volleyball players. In two separated sessions, 84 female volleyball players (age: 14.83 ± 0.72 years; height: 163.19 ± 8.38 cm; body mass: 53.64 ± 10.42 kg; VE: 5.30 ± 3.39 years) completed squat jumps (SJ), countermovement jumps (CMJ) with and without arm swing, linear sprints at 5-m and 10-m, modified t -test, and 5-10-5 shuttle test. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, paired sample T -tests and use of effect size (ES). There was no statistical difference between the two conditions for SJ ( p = 0.156; ES = 0.18), CMJ ( p = 0.817; ES = 0.03), CMJ with arm swing ( p = 0.194; ES = 0.14), linear sprint at 5 m ( p = 0.789; ES = 0.03) and 10 m ( p = 0.907; ES = -0.01), modified t -test ( p = 0.284; ES = 0.13), and 5-10-5 shuttle test ( p = 0.144; ES = 0.19). Wearing knee pads has neither an inhibitory nor positive effects on explosive power of the lower extremities, linear speed, and agility in young female volleyball players.

The aim of the study was to examine changes in obesity prevalence among primary school children in Serbia between 2015 and 2019 rounds of the national WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI-Serbia). Cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2015 and 2019. The nationally representative samples of primary school children were measured for body height and weight, following the COSI protocol. Body Mass Index was calculated, and the IOTF and WHO definitions were used to classify children as overweight or obese. Participants were children of both sexes aged 7.00-8.99 years ( n = 6105). Significant differences in overweight (obesity included) prevalence between two COSI rounds were identified regardless of definitions applied. According to the WHO definitions, prevalence of overweight and obesity combined increased in 7-9-year-old children in Serbia from 30.7% in 2015 to 34.8% in 2019 (z = -3.309, p < 0.05), and according to the IOTF standards, the increase from 22.8% to 30% was registered (z = -6.08, p = 0.00). The childhood overweight/obesity rate is increasing in Serbia, which places monitoring and surveillance of children's nutritional status high on the public health agenda.

Background: Monitoring of physical activity within the educational institution is of great importance, primarily because of the orientation and content implemented in the daycare. This research aimed to examine the number of steps children took during their stay in daycare with regards to age, gender and the frequency of going out., Methods: The research was conducted in four daycares in the urban environment of Novi Sad (Republic of Serbia), where 231 children, aged 5 to 7, were monitored (129 boys and 102 girls). Data on the number of steps were obtained using the pedometers., Results: The result of the univariate analysis of the variance test confirmed a statistically significant difference in the number of steps in relation to the age of children ( p = 0.04). Boys were more active than girls in both age groups ( p = 0.001). Children who were going to the daycare yard three to five times a week took drastically more steps than children who went up to twice a week ( p = 0.001)., Conclusion: The results of the current study show that age, gender, and time spent outdoors are significant determinants of physical activity in preschool age. Therefore, interventions regarding physical activity should be made during early childhood in order to promote health and prevent disease.