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Introduction: Despite increases in research and implementation, physical literacy continues to be largely misinterpreted by practitioners. The purpose of this study was to devise, implement, and evaluate a professional development program that works in a primary school environment to enhance their knowledge and operationalization of physical literacy. Methods: Following a 3-month needs assessment phase, data were collected from structured observations, reflections, and semistructured interviews with the teachers, before, during, and after an introductory workshop and 6-month physical literacy intervention. Thematic analysis was used to evaluate perceptions of program effectiveness. Results: The needs assessment phase identified notable differences between teachers' classroom and physical education practice. Results of the physical literacy workshop and intervention detailed an increase in teachers' knowledge of, and operationalization of, physical literacy. Discussion/Conclusions: Applying established principles of effective professional development in a contextually sensitive manner was viewed as effective in enhancing primary school teachers' knowledge and practice regarding physical literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the central question of this study?What is the role of heart muscle function in the increased output of remodelled, larger hearts?What is the main finding and its importance?The greater stroke volume of endurance athletes is not associated with enhanced function of the heart muscle (i.e. left ventricular twist, torsion and twist‐to‐shortening) in normal and low‐oxygen environments. These data indicate that, in the process of cardiac adaptation, left ventricular twist may play an important role that is not related to generating a larger output. Since enlarged hearts with low output can develop in disease, the present findings may influence the future interpretation of heart muscle function in patients. Despite increased stroke volume (SV), 'athlete's heart' has been proposed to have a similar left ventricular (LV) muscle function – as represented by LV twist – compared with the untrained state. However, the underpinning mechanisms and the associations between SV/cardiac output and LV twist during exercise are unknown. We hypothesised that endurance athletes would have a significantly lower twist‐to‐shortening ratio (TwSR, a parameter that relates twist to the shortening of heart muscle layers) at rest, but significantly greater LV muscle function during exercise. Eleven endurance trained male runners and 13 untrained males were tested at rest and during supine cycling exercise in normoxia and hypoxia (increased cardiac output but unaltered SV). Despite the expected cardiac remodelling in endurance athletes, LV twist, torsion, TwSR, strain and strain rate ('LV systolic mechanics') did not differ significantly between groups (P > 0.05). Structural remodelling, as per relative wall thickness, and LV twist did not correlate (r2 = 0.04, P = 0.33). In normoxia and hypoxia, exercise increased LV systolic mechanics in both groups (P < 0.001), but with different relationships to SV and cardiac output. Conversely to our hypothesis, hearts of different size had similar LV systolic mechanics, suggesting that similar twist, torsion and TwSR at rest and during exercise irrespective of cardiac output may be an important mechanism in healthy hearts. We hypothesise that the regulatory 'purpose' of LV twist may be related to the sensing of maximal cardiac myofibre stress, which may act as a biologically purposeful limiter to contraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The concept of physical literacy has received increased research and international attention recently. Where intervention programs and empirical research are gaining momentum, their operationalizations differ significantly.Objective: The objective of this study was to inform practice in the measure/assessment of physical literacy via a systematic review of research that has assessed physical literacy (up to 14 June, 2017).Methods: Five databases were searched using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols guidelines, with 32 published articles meeting the inclusion criteria. English-language, peer-reviewed published papers containing empirical studies of physical literacy were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.Results: Qualitative methods included: (1) interviews; (2) open-ended questionnaires; (3) reflective diaries; (4) focus groups; (5) participant observations; and (6) visual methods. Quantitative methods included: (1) monitoring devices (e.g., accelerometers); (2) observations (e.g., of physical activity or motor proficiency); (3) psychometrics (e.g., enjoyment, self-perceptions); (4) performance measures (e.g., exergaming, objective times/distances); (5) anthropometric measurements; and (6) one compound measure. Of the measures that made an explicit distinction: 22 (61%) examined the physical domain, eight (22%) the affective domain; five (14%) the cognitive domain; and one (3%) combined three domains (physical, affective, and cognitive) of physical literacy. Researchers tended to declare their philosophical standpoint significantly more in qualitative research compared with quantitative research.Conclusions: Current research adopts diverse often incompatible methodologies in measuring/assessing physical literacy. Our analysis revealed that by adopting simplistic and linear methods, physical literacy cannot be measured/assessed in a traditional/conventional sense. Therefore, we recommend that researchers are more creative in developing integrated philosophically aligned approaches to measuring/assessing physical literacy. Future research should consider the most recent developments in the field of physical literacy for policy formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased left ventricular (LV) twist and untwisting rate (LV twist mechanics) are essential responses of the heart to exercise. However, previously a large variability in LV twist mechanics during exercise has been observed, which complicates the interpretation of results. This study aimed to determine some of the physiological sources of variability in LV twist mechanics during exercise. Sixteen healthy males (age: 22 ± 4 years, O2peak: 45.5 ± 6.9 ml∙kg-1∙min-1, range of individual anaerobic threshold (IAT): 32–69% of O2peak) were assessed at rest and during exercise at: i) the same relative exercise intensity, 40%peak, ii) at 2% above IAT, and, iii) at 40%peak with hypoxia (40%peak+HYP). LV volumes were not significantly different between exercise conditions (P > 0.05). However, the mean margin of error of LV twist was significantly lower (F2,47 = 2.08, P < 0.05) during 40%peak compared with IAT (3.0 vs. 4.1 degrees). Despite the same workload and similar LV volumes, hypoxia increased LV twist and untwisting rate (P < 0.05), but the mean margin of error remained similar to that during 40%peak (3.2 degrees, P > 0.05). Overall, LV twist mechanics were linearly related to rate pressure product. During exercise, the intra-individual variability of LV twist mechanics is smaller at the same relative exercise intensity compared with IAT. However, the absolute magnitude (degrees) of LV twist mechanics appears to be associated with the prevailing rate pressure product. Exercise tests that evaluate LV twist mechanics should be standardised by relative exercise intensity and rate pressure product be taken into account when interpreting results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study considers the physical activity (PA) and dietary habits of British young people according to socio-economic status (SES).Methods The PA and dietary habits of 98 boys and 101 girls (12.9 0.3 years) from two Welsh secondary schools (school 1 and school 2) were examined. Free school meal eligibility and Census 2001 data were used as indicators of SES. School 1 was designated high SES, while school 2 represented low SES. Participants were classified according to SES. Physical activity was estimated by seven-day recall and questionaire; dietary patterns were assessed using a seven-day food diary and questionnaire.Results Two-thirds of all participants had not taken part in vigorous activity over the last week. Furthermore, 83.8 per cent of participants did not meet the Health Education Authority's5 recommendation of one hour per day moderate activity. Boys were more active than girls, (P ≤ 0.05), but SES did not influence time spent in activity. Ninety-four percent of participants were taken to school via motorized transport. There were no significant differences in fat intake between the sexes or across SES. In addition, 93 per cent of the participants, irrespective of SES, exceeded the 10 per cent saturated fat cut off point recommended by the World Health Organization12Conclusion Physical activity and dietary patterns are modifiable through suitable lifestyle changes. The present data support the notion that preventative strategies for combating chronic diseases should begin early in life and across socio-economic statuses. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose. This study investigates cardiovascular disease risk factor response in adolescents following introduction of brisk walking into curriculum lessons. Design. Quasi-experimental. Setting. School-based. Subjects. An intervention group consisted of 115 (aged 12.4 ± 0.5 y) year eight participants, and 77 (aged 12.1 ± 1.1 y) year seven and year nine participants formed a control. Intervention. An 18-week cross-curricular physical activity intervention was implemented in one secondary school. Measures. Adiposity variables, blood pressure, lipids, lipoproteins, glucose, insulin, high- sensitivity C-reactive protein, high-molecular-weight adiponectin, aerobic fitness, physical activity behavior, and diet were assessed preintervention and postintervention. Analysis. Dependent and independent t-tests. Results. Prevalence of elevated waist circumference (9.8% vs. 6.9%), systolic blood pressure (3.3% vs. 0%), triglycerides (2.5% vs. 1.2%), and reduced high density lipoprotein cholesterol (3.7% vs. 2.7%) decreased in the intervention group. Significant improvements in high density lipoprotein cholesterol to total cholesterol ratio (mean ± SD: 2% ± 4% [confidence interval (Cl)0.05 = 1% to 2%], t80 = -3.5, p = .001) and glucose (-.1 ± .4 mmol/L [Cl0.05 = -.2% to 0%], t79 3.2, p = .002) were evident for the intervention group. Conclusion. The Activity Knowledge Circuit may prove to be a sustainable, effective, and cost-effective strategy to engage schoolchildren in physical activity on a daily basis. A longer- duration intervention is required to fully understand risk factor response in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]