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This study examined the effectiveness of a sports-club-led X-PERT Diabetes Programme, measuring changes to participants’ physical condition, knowledge of diabetes, psychological well-being, activity level, diabetes self-management and participants’ rating of the programme. In this mixed-method, repeated measures evaluative study, data were gathered at baseline (T0), six weeks (T1) and 6 months (T2) using the Diabetes Health Profile, General Practice Physical Activity Questionnaire, Diabetes Empowerment Scale – Short Form, Participant Evaluation Questionnaire and focus groups. Over three years, 260 individuals with type 2 diabetes provided data for the evaluation. The sports-club-led X-PERT Diabetes Education Programme was successful in achieving its targets with improvement in clinical outcomes including significant reductions in BMI, waist circumference, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and glycated haemoglobin by T2. Positive changes were also evident in relation to participants’ health profile, self-management and empowerment. This study illustrates the important role that European sports stadia can play in community health through delivering targeted programmes beyond general health promotion activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social isolation has been found associated with multiple sleep traits in conventional observational studies. However, whether this association is causal and if so, its direction is uncertain. We analyzed the association between social isolation and multiple sleep traits in 30 430 participants from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study. In bidirectional Mendelian randomization, we used 6, 17, and 11 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with attendance at sports club/gym, religious group, and pub/social club from the UK Biobank (n = 452 302), respectively, and 152 single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with insomnia from the combination of UK Biobank and 23andme (n = 1 331 010). Observationally in the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study, insomnia (yes/no) (beta = 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.10–0.16) and poor sleep quality (yes/no) (beta = 0.12, CI: 0.08–0.15), but not sleep duration and chronotype, were associated with a higher social isolation score (severe social isolation). In bidirectional MR, genetically predicted insomnia decreases the odds of attendance at sports club/gym (beta = 0.98, CI: 0.98–0.99) and religious groups (beta = 0.99, CI: 0.98–0.99), but not pub/social club. However, these 3 types of social activity were not associated with insomnia. Our results support the causal effects of insomnia on social activity. Further clinical investigations into the utility of insomnia treatment in alleviating social isolation are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clubs were a cornerstone of sporting activity in Britain, providing opportunities for play, sociability and competition for a range of participants, but little research has been undertaken on the ways in which they developed during the twentieth century. This study considers private bowls, golf and tennis clubs, sports that have received limited attention from historians in spite of their undoubted popularity. An attempt is made to chart the life cycle of this type of club to see how successful it was in adapting to changing economic and social circumstances: key issues such as membership, finance and social aspects are addressed. Another form of private sports club that has been largely overlooked is the often extensive facility provided within the workplace, not only in factory settings but also in the retail and service sectors of the economy. The impact of company sport on local areas is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clubs have become the basic unit of British grass-roots sport but have not been studied historically as a collective entity. This article offers a way forward by developing a working definition of a sports club using an ideal-type model, by outlining relevant theories that might be applied in a study of such clubs and by proposing typologies for the classification of sports clubs based on their non-sport level of associativity, ownership and facility provision. Brief discussions are made of four types of club: those that were workplace-based, those associated with a religion, those connected to political organisations and those developed by the alcohol trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents research which studied an outbreak of meningococcal disease in West Yorkshire, England, beginning in November, 1995. Attack and notification rate; No deaths; No carriers identified; Community intervention carried out; Links between cases through a rugby and football sports club; Cases after the initial outbreak; Uncommonness of social links in clusters of this disease.

Sports clubs run by their members account for a significant proportion of sports participation in England and are central to government policy to grow participation. A survey of clubs in the United Kingdom shows that clubs can be clustered into three groups reflecting different levels of formality. While it is not possible to make a definitive estimate of the proportions of English clubs in each of the three groups, the more formal types of clubs probably offer the most viable policy instrument for increasing sports participation. These are split into two groups: large clubs for adults and juniors, owning their own facilities; and clubs focused predominantly on junior participants and relying on hired facilities. These two types of clubs will require different types of support. The third group of clubs are small informal/traditional clubs, with only adult members. As a group they make an important contribution to participation growth but their informality probably makes them a less viable medium for this policy objective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate whether engagement in leisure activities is linked to measures of brain structure, functional connectivity, and cognition in early old age. Methods: We examined data collected from 7,152 participants of the United Kingdom Biobank (UK Biobank) study. Weekly participation in six leisure activities was assessed twice and a cognitive battery and 3T MRI brain scan were administered at the second visit. Based on responses collected at two time points, individuals were split into one of four trajectory groups: (1) stable low engagement, (2) stable weekly engagement, (3) low to weekly engagement, and (4) weekly to low engagement. Results: Consistent weekly attendance at a sports club or gym was associated with connectivity of the sensorimotor functional network with the lateral visual (β = 0.12, 95%CI = [0.07, 0.18], FDR q = 2.48 × 10–3) and cerebellar (β = 0.12, 95%CI = [0.07, 0.18], FDR q = 1.23 × 10–4) networks. Visiting friends and family across the two timepoints was also associated with larger volumes of the occipital lobe (β = 0.15, 95%CI = [0.08, 0.21], FDR q = 0.03). Additionally, stable and weekly computer use was associated with global cognition (β = 0.62, 95%CI = [0.35, 0.89], FDR q = 1.16 × 10–4). No other associations were significant (FDR q > 0.05). Discussion: This study demonstrates that not all leisure activities contribute to cognitive health equally, nor is there one unifying neural signature across diverse leisure activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people can face long waiting lists when accessing UK Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) with limited support whilst waiting. 'Safety Nets' was developed as a social prescribing intervention that includes physical activity and psychoeducation for young people with anxiety, depression and low mood on CAMHS waiting lists. This mixed methods service evaluation aims to show the acceptability and impact of 'Safety Nets' on the mental health and wellbeing of these young people. This study conducted a mixed-methods service evaluation of 'Safety Nets'. 24 young people on CAMHS waiting lists for support for anxiety, depression and low mood were recruited to an 8-week group intervention, 'Safety Nets'; delivered in five groups across four sites. Participants completed a Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) at the first and final session and completed a qualitative exit interview. Results showed good acceptability and engagement from all stakeholders and young people gave high satisfaction ratings. Paired WEMWBS scores in 24 young people showed an improvement of 11.6 with a 95% confidence interval 7.5–15.6. This service evaluation showed acceptability and positive impacts of 'Safety Nets'. A large-scale trial is warranted to test the clinical and cost-effectiveness of social prescribing for children and young people on CAMHS waiting lists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Loneliness has garnered significant attention globally, with extensive exploration of its association with cardiovascular disease. However, a notable research gap persists concerning loneliness and its potential link to atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: This prospective cohort study utilized data from the UK Biobank (UKB), encompassing 441,056 participants. Loneliness was assessed through self-reported questionnaires gauging feelings of isolation and willingness to confide. AF diagnoses were ascertained using hospitalization records and cause-of-death registry data. The association between loneliness and AF risk was analyzed through multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Over a median follow-up period of 13.9 years, 25,386 AF cases were identified. In comparison to individuals without reported loneliness, those in the loneliness group exhibited a significantly higher risk of AF (loneliness vs. non-loneliness: hazard ratio [HR]: 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.07–1.16). Subgroup analysis revealed that the association between loneliness and increased AF risk was significant solely in individuals without heart valve disease (HR: 1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.16). Additionally, significant associations between loneliness and heightened AF risk were noted across strata of genetic susceptibility to AF, with no observable impact on these associations by genetic susceptibility (P for interaction = 0.070). Conclusions: This study establishes a robust association between loneliness and an elevated long-term risk of AF. Notably, this association is particularly pronounced in individuals without valvular disease and does not appear to be influenced by genetic predisposition to AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It remains unknown how the patterns of change of social isolation and loneliness are associated with the onset of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. We aimed to investigate the longitudinal association of changes in social isolation and loneliness with incident CVD, all-cause mortality, CVD mortality and subsequent cardiac function. Methods: This prospective cohort study included 18,258 participants aged 38–73 years who participated in visit 0 (2006–2010) and visit 1 (2012–2013) using UK Biobank (mean age 57.1, standard deviation [SD] 7.4; 48.7% males). Social isolation or loneliness was categorized into four patterns: never, transient, incident, and persistent. Incident CVD, all-cause and CVD mortality were ascertained through linkage data. Cardiac function was assessed by cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in a subsample (N = 5188; visit 2, since 2014). Results: Over a median follow-up of 8.3 (interquartile range [IQR] 8.1–8.6) years, compared with never social isolation, persistent social isolation was associated with the higher risk of incident CVD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.17, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.33), all-cause (1.42, 1.12–1.81) and CVD (1.53, 1.05–2.23) mortality. Likewise, persistent loneliness was strongly associated with the greater risk of incident CVD (1.13, 1.00–1.27), all-cause (1.28, 1.02–1.61) and CVD mortality (1.52, 1.06–2.18). Conclusions: Persistent social isolation and loneliness posed a substantially higher risk for incident CVD, all-cause and CVD mortality, and cardiac dysfunction than other patterns. Persistent social isolation and loneliness, along with an increasing cumulative score, are associated with lower cardiac function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researchers are only beginning to understand how contextual variables such as date of birth and birthplace affect the development of elite athletes. This article considers the generality of birthplace and date-of-birth effects in varying sport contexts. The Study 1 examined how environmental factors associated with an athlete's date-of-birth and size of birthplace predict the likelihood of becoming an Olympic athlete in Canada, the United States of America, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Study 2 examined date-of-birth and birthplace effects among athletes playing in the first professional league in Germany. Study 2 also examined the validity of birthplace as a proxy for early developmental environment by comparing birthplace with the place of first sports club in four German sports leagues. Results from both studies showed no consistent findings for date of birth. Findings from Study 2 also suggested incongruence between birthplace and location of first sports club as proxies for early developmental environment. Although there was some consistency suggesting elite athletes are less likely to come from very small or excessively large communities, exceptions occurred both within and across sport contexts. These results suggest that any developmental effects of date and place of birth are buffered by broader socio-cultural factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand how psychological factors affect regular exercise in older adults, hypothesising that trait self-control mediates the relationship between motivation types (intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation) and exercise time. In this cross-sectional study, 430 older adults (mean age = 68.8 ± 6.72) completed questionnaires regarding their perceived trait self-control, motivation towards leisure activities, and level of physical activity. A Bayesian mediation analysis was performed, controlling for demographics. We documented positive direct (c′ = 0.021, 95%CI [0.001, 0.043]) and indirect (ab = 0.028, 95%CI [0.014, 0.043]) effects of intrinsic motivation on exercise, a fully mediated indirect effect of extrinsic motivation on exercise (ab = 0.027, 95%CI [0.011, 0.046]), and negative direct (c′ = −0.281, 95%CI [−0.368, −0.194]) and indirect (ab = −0.161, 95%CI [−0.221, −0.105]) effects of amotivation on exercise. There was no direct association between extrinsic motivation and exercise (c′ = 0.013, 95% CI [−0.013, 0.037]). In conclusion, trait self-control mediates motivation to influence exercise behaviour in older adults. Intrinsically motivated individuals resist sedentary living and show higher self-control, while extrinsically motivated ones rely on self-control and are more susceptible to non-adherence during mental fatigue. High amotivation is linked to less exercise and reduced self-control, suggesting potential non-compliance with structured exercise interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiometabolic diseases (CMDs) including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke have been linked to a higher risk of dementia. We examined whether high levels of cognitive reserve (CR) can attenuate the increased dementia risk and brain pathologies associated with CMDs. Methods: Within the UK Biobank, 216,178 dementia-free participants aged ≥ 60 were followed for up to 15 years. Baseline CMDs and incident dementia were ascertained from medical records, medication use, and medical history. Latent class analysis was used to generate an indicator of CR (low, moderate, and high) based on education, occupational attainment, confiding in others, social contact, leisure activities, and television watching time. A subsample (n = 13,663) underwent brain MRI scans during follow-up. Volumes of total gray matter (GMV), hippocampus (HV), and white matter hyperintensities (WMHV) were ascertained, as well as mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) in white matter tracts. Results: At baseline, 43,402 (20.1%) participants had at least one CMD. Over a mean follow-up of 11.7 years, 6,600 (3.1%) developed dementia. The presence of CMDs was associated with 57% increased risk of dementia (HR 1.57 [95% CI 1.48, 1.67]). In joint effect analysis, the HRs of dementia for people with CMDs and moderate-to-high CR and low CR were 1.78 [1.66, 1.91] and 2.13 [1.97, 2.30]), respectively (reference: CMD-free, moderate-to-high CR). Dementia risk was 17% lower (HR 0.83 [0.77, 0.91], p < 0.001) among people with CMDs and moderate-to-high compared to low CR. On brain MRI, CMDs were associated with smaller GMV (β -0.18 [-0.22, -0.13]) and HV (β -0.13 [-0.18, -0.08]) as well as significantly larger WMHV (β 0.06 [0.02, 0.11]) and MD (β 0.08 [0.02, 0.13]). People with CMDs and moderate-to-high compared to low CR had significantly larger GMV and HV, but no differences in WMHV, MD, or FA. Conclusions: Among people with CMDs, having a higher level of CR was associated with lower dementia risk and larger gray matter and hippocampal volumes. The results highlight a mentally and socially active life as a modifiable factor that may support cognitive and brain health among people with CMDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It remains unclear whether cognitive reserve can attenuate dementia risk among people with different genetic predispositions. Aims: We aimed to examine the association between cognitive reserve and dementia, and further to explore whether and to what extent cognitive reserve may modify the risk effect of genetic factors on dementia. Method: Within the UK Biobank, 210 631 dementia-free participants aged ≥60 years were followed to detect incident dementia. Dementia was ascertained through medical and death records. A composite cognitive reserve indicator encompassing education, occupation and multiple cognitively loaded activities was created using latent class analysis, categorised as low, moderate and high level. Polygenic risk scores for Alzheimer's disease were constructed to evaluate genetic risk for dementia, categorised by tertiles (high, moderate and low). Data were analysed using Cox models and Laplace regression. Results: In multi-adjusted Cox models, the hazard ratio (HR) of dementia was 0.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.61–0.70) for high cognitive reserve compared with low cognitive reserve. In Laplace regression, participants with high cognitive reserve developed dementia 1.62 (95% CI 1.35–1.88) years later than those with low cognitive reserve. In stratified analysis by genetic risk, high cognitive reserve was related to more than 30% lower dementia risk compared with low cognitive reserve in each stratum. There was an additive interaction between low cognitive reserve and high genetic risk on dementia (attributable proportion 0.24, 95% CI 0.17–0.31). Conclusions: High cognitive reserve is associated with reduced risk of dementia and may delay dementia onset. Genetic risk for dementia may be mitigated by high cognitive reserve. Our findings underscore the importance of enhancing cognitive reserve in dementia prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationship between neighbourhood level density of civil society organisations (CSOs), diversity, and deprivation. We compare the UK and Sweden, two countries with different civil society traditions and welfare state regimes. We use data on formal civil society organisations to examine whether diverse neighbourhoods have lower levels of civil society infrastructure. In the UK, contrary to what could be expected from Putnam's assertion that diversity has a negative effect on trust, thus limiting civil society activities at the neighbourhood level, we observe a positive relationship between the density of CSOs and diversity. In Sweden, we find different patterns. First, we observe a negative correlation between CSO density and diversity. Second, we find lower density of formal CSOs in areas with high diversity and high economic disadvantage and higher density in areas characterised by low diversity and high disadvantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent theorizing challenges the notion that leadership, and especially leader identities, is static. Yet, we know little about the dynamics that characterize how leader identities change within individuals across short periods of time. The current work integrates theorizing on temporal dynamics in leadership research with event systems theory to describe and predict day-to-day shifts (i.e., unidirectional, sudden changes) and dynamic ebb and flow patterns (i.e., multidirectional, potentially nonlinear changes over multiple days) of individuals' leader identities. Specifically, we argue that the experience of strong (i.e., novel, disruptive, extraordinary) daily events facilitates positive leader identity shifts, and that over time, the resulting identity ebb and flows are more pronounced in unfamiliar compared to familiar contexts. We collected experience sampling data from 69 young adults at a university in the UK across seven-day periods at three different time points during the academic year (1159 data points). Using dynamical systems modeling, we analyze the velocity (i.e., rate of change) and the acceleration (i.e., change in velocity) parameters of individuals' leader identity dynamics. We find that (a) on a daily level, strong events prompt positive shifts in leader identity, and that (b) over time, chains of stronger and weaker events provoke similar patterns of leader identity ebb and flows. However, these relationships are not stronger in unfamiliar compared to familiar contexts. Our research informs the theoretical understanding of events and short-term leader identity dynamics. We discuss implications for theory and research, in particular how events can trigger leader identity formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has focused on students' experience of banter in the general university setting. However, these experiences may differ when specifically focusing on university students' interactions in sports clubs and societies. The present study explored undergraduate students' understanding and experiences of banter in sports clubs and societies through five focus groups (n = 24; 18–23 years, 5 male, 19 female) at one UK university using semi-structured interviews and vignettes. Thematic analysis identified three key themes: "It's all part of the culture", banter to excuse inappropriate behaviour, and a question of boundaries. Discussions highlighted banter was accepted and expected, but there was a sense of 'banter fatigue'. There was awareness that banter could be used to mask harmful behaviour such as hazing and inappropriate sexual behaviour. Students also highlighted that boundaries were important when using banter, discussing how repetition can have a negative impact on the target of the banter. The study contributes to the limited literature exploring the use and perceptions of banter by students in extracurricular activities at university. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Professional sports clubs (PSCs) are potentially effective settings for health promotion; however, their role within policy is unclear. Potential reasons include lack of awareness about existing provision of health and wellbeing (H&W) programmes and adequacy of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices. This review aimed to: (i) map the provision of H&W programmes delivered by PSCs in the United Kingdom (UK), and (ii) explore current M&E practices of PSCs and consider the policy implications of this. Websites from eight professional sport leagues were hand-searched for programmes and impact reports. Suitable programmes were quantified, whilst impact reports were analysed via inductive documentary content analysis. Results identified 176 H&W programmes and 36 impact reports, as well as 43 H&W impact statements, but only 14 of these were aligned to specific H&W outcomes. The H&W aims of programmes were typically vague, measurement tools were rarely used, and evaluations were usually anecdotal case studies and based on engagement figures, which may not only limit the potential uptake of these programmes but also the relevance of PSCs to public policy. Further research is thus needed to build a stronger evidence base for the use of PSCs as vehicles of public health promotion and policy, and to better address the challenges faced when seeking to monitor and evaluate PSC programmes effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the development of modern sport in Tanzania and explores the agents and agencies through which British concepts of sport and athleticism were transferred to Tanzania. It also discusses how modern sport has served as a basis for modernization in the country. The article notes that British colonial administrations and missionaries played a significant role in the development of a British games culture in Tanganyika. It examines the development of sports clubs, leagues and tournaments in Tanganyika and discusses how sport continues to play a significant role in Tanzanian culture and politics.

Leisure activity plays a significant role in identity formation during the teens, both reinforcing previous developmental trends and shaping new ones. The context for leisure activity—youth club, church club, sports club, and so on—is important in signifying the probable social mix and interactions of the young people participating. This paper summarises findings from exploratory research using age-16 data from the 1970 British Birth Cohort Study (BCS70) to investigate the relation of age-16 leisure contexts to later adult outcomes, taking account of the family background and individual characteristics that predict participation in these contexts. Using logistic regression modelling, a range of binary outcome variables indicating experience of social exclusion at age 30 were regressed on variables measuring frequency of participation in different types of leisure activity, holding constant prior family circumstances and developmental characteristics. The analysis demonstrated the attraction of youth clubs, compared with other out-of-school activities, for young people with disadvantaged backgrounds and poor school achievement. Over and above these latter factors, youth club participation, compared with other forms of activity, was associated with increased probability of social exclusion outcomes, up to the age of 30, including lack of qualifications, unemployment, smoking, drinking, and crime. Other settings such as sports clubs and church clubs showed no associations of this kind or associations in the opposite direction. It was concluded that youth clubs are important settings for positive influence and inhibiting social exclusion processes, but more development of the provision in more structured directions is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the characteristics exhibited by volunteers in county youth cricket teams in Great Britain. Age, educational attainment, and average length of service of county youth cricket team managers; Motivations for volunteering; Major problems encountered by volunteers; Multi-functional role of the sports volunteer.

Obesity is one of the highest metabolic risk factors associated with morbidity and mortality in the UK, with two-thirds of adults in the UK classed as overweight or obese. Whole systems approaches can be effective in tackling this public health challenge through stakeholder and key partner engagement. This article describes the co-design process for a social marketing obesity prevention campaign taking a whole systems approach based on the COM-B model of behaviour change. Development of social marketing campaigns through Agencies is often hampered by rapid turnaround and short timescales; we highlight how drawing on existing knowledge and co-design with beneficiaries can support the design, delivery and implementation of a social marketing behaviour change campaign. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a Mendelian randomization study to evaluate the potential causal effects of attending religious groups on the prevalence of depression, generalized anxiety disorders, anxiety disorders, and suicide and self-harm. Data from the UK Biobank and the FinnGen project were processed by inverse variance weighting (IVW), weighted median, and MR-Egger regression methods. Despite certain pleiotropic risks, we found that attending religious groups was potentially associated with a reduced risk of anxiety disorders (OR = 0.213, p =.028). The pleiotropies were largely controlled and the effect on anxiety disorders became more significant in our sensitivity analysis (OR = 0.162; p =.006). Additionally, attending religious groups was associated with a reduced risk of suicide and self-harm (OR = 0.231, p =.0006). However, we did not observe any substantial protection against depression. In conclusion, our study adds to the existing literature and sheds light on the potential health benefits of religious activities from a novel perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescent sport participants, particularly girls, continue to drop out of sport at alarmingly high rates, which presents an opportunity for new sport programs to enter the marketplace to better cater to those participants. Starting new sport programs, however, presents significant challenges, including acquiring and mobilizing resources in innovative ways. Using theory in sport development and the resource-based view, the authors examined six emergent sport programs for girls within the United States and United Kingdom to identify the resources obtained and mobilized to create new and distinctive sport opportunities in a crowded marketplace. Following a case study approach, data from site visits and interviews with 137 individuals were analyzed using within- and across-case analysis. The findings reveal the resources needed to grow the programs, the ways in which those resources are attained, and strategies to mobilize resource bundles to maximize sport opportunities by differentiating programs from traditional, mainstream sport opportunities. The findings also highlight the distinctive opportunities and challenges for sport organizers in both top-down and bottom-up sport development systems. This study informs theory in sport development and provides insight for creatively designing and delivering sport opportunities that expand overall sport participation for adolescent girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This Participatory and Appreciative Action and Reflection (PAAR) investigation illustrates a leader's first steps in a "values-to-action" journey. Drawing on the interface between transformational leadership and organizational culture, this study focused on the birth of the Severn Stars—a professional netball club in the United Kingdom. In particular, this PAAR investigation explored how the leader's values were operationalized through the club's inaugural year. Fourteen operational managers, coaches, and players were individually interviewed in order to gain an appreciative gaze and subsequently reframe their lived experience. Results demonstrated how transformational leadership was manifested through the pragmatic deployment of club values and how the organizational culture was, in part, characterized by individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, idealized influence, and inspirational motivation. These behaviors and the organizational culture were shown to enhance prosocial relationships and social connections across the club, the influence of the Super Stars, and stakeholders' perceptions of autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports data from the evaluation of a coach education programme provided by a major national governing body of sport (NGB) in the UK. The programme was designed for youth sport coaches based on research evidence that suggests that CPD is most effective in supporting practitioner learning when it is interactive, collaborative and located in practice. At the same time, the NGB was keen to ensure that in order to meet the objectives of the organisation, there was some consistency in delivery across the various practice sites. The research aimed to investigate how the original CPD programme was enacted across eight professional sports clubs, and to understand how professional knowledge was interpreted and negotiated between participants at the NGB and sports club levels. Over a 2-year period, data were collected from a series of focus groups and extended individual semi-structured interviews. Participants were 7 senior managers, 8 coach educators, 8 Academy club directors and 12 sports club coaches. Data were initially analysed inductively and, drawing on the theoretical work of Bernstein [(1999). Vertical and horizontal discourse: An essay. "British Journal of Sociology of Education," 20(2), 157-173, (2000). "Pedagogy, symbolic control and identity: Theory, research, critique" (Rev. ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield], illustrate the numerous ways in which programme knowledge was interpreted, facilitated and blocked at different levels of the organisation. The paper adds new insights into the complexities of coach education settings and the inherent challenges faced when attempting to "roll out" a coach education intervention--even when it is "evidence-based."

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic and attendant lockdowns have had a substantial negative effect on alcohol consumption and physical activity globally. Pre-pandemic evidence in the adult population suggests that higher levels of physical activity were associated with higher levels of drinking, but it is unclear how the pandemic may have affected this. Therefore, this study aims to assess the association between alcohol consumption and physical activity in a UK cohort established during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Analyses utilized data from the Health Behaviours during the COVID-19 pandemic (HEBECO) study involving 2,057 UK adults (≥18 years). Participants completed self-report measures of alcohol consumption [frequency, quantity, frequency of heavy episodic drinking (HED) and AUDIT-C score] and physical activity [moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), frequency of muscle strengthening activity (MSA) and sedentary behaviour] between November 2020 and January 2021. Ordinal logistic regression models were conducted, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. Results: Fifteen percent of the sample reported abstinence from drinking. Overall, 23.4% of participants drank ≥4 times/week, 13.9% drank more than 6 units/single drinking occasion (HED), 7.5% reported HED daily/almost daily and 4.2% scored ≥11 on AUDIT-C. MSA 3 days/week compared with no MSA was significantly associated with higher odds of alcohol frequency [OR (95 CI%) = 1.41 (1.04–1.91)], quantity [OR (95 CI%) = 1.38 (1.02–1.87)], HED [OR (95 CI%) = 1.42 (1.05–1.94)] and possible dependence [OR (95 CI%) = 1.47 (1.05–2.06)]. The association of MVPA and sedentary behaviour with drinking measures was not significant (p>0.05). Conclusion: In contrast with previous research, MSA rather than aerobic physical activity was associated with increased alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is conceivable that during lockdown while drinking was used as a coping strategy, limited opportunities for aerobic exercise made MSA a more convenient form of physical activity. To guide public health interventions, more research is required to examine the temporal relationship between different forms of physical activity and alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social research consistently identifies education as a key driver of social capital, providing skills, experiences and values facilitating social interaction. This theory cannot explain, however, why indicators of social capital (such as social trust) have not increased despite the massification of higher education in Europe and America. Efforts to explain this paradox have suggested the sorting effects of education may be more important for understanding how it is related to social capital. Empirical applications of this theory have produced mixed results, however, and the literature is dominated by a US focus and methodological disputes that make determining generalizability beyond the US difficult. This research attempts to reconcile some of the methodological disputes and examines the sorting effect of education on social capital in the UK. It finds no evidence of educational sorting for behavioral indicators of social capital, but strong evidence for social trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Action Recognition is a challenging task used in many applications. It interacts with many aspects of Computer Vision, Machine Learning, Deep Learning and Image Processing in order to understand human behaviours as well as identify them. It makes a significant contribution to sport analysis, by indicating players' performance level and training evaluation. The main purpose of this study is to investigate how the content of three-dimensional data influences on classification accuracy of four basic tennis strokes: forehand, backhand, volley forehand, and volley backhand. An entire player's silhouette and its combination with a tennis racket were taken into consideration as input to the classifier. Three-dimensional data were recorded using the motion capture system (Vicon Oxford, UK). The Plug-in Gait model consisting of 39 retro-reflective markers was used for the player's body acquisition. A seven-marker model was created for tennis racket capturing. The racket is represented in the form of a rigid body; therefore, all points associated with it changed their coordinates simultaneously. The Attention Temporal Graph Convolutional Network was applied for these sophisticated data. The highest accuracy, up to 93%, was achieved for the data of the whole player's silhouette together with a tennis racket. The obtained results indicated that for dynamic movements, such as tennis strokes, it is necessary to analyze the position of the whole body of the player as well as the racket position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of university students experiencing mental health issues in the UK is increasing and a high number of students are dropping out of university as a result. Literature highlights a lack of knowledge regarding this topic and the significance in educating society. The aim of this qualitative study was to provide further insights as to why students are experiencing anxiety and into help-seeking behavior amongst university students. A thematic analysis was used to analyze a total of 118 blog entries of students discussing the impact of university on mental health. Findings highlighted three main themes: Balancing priorities, Fear of failure, and Critical incidents. These themes are discussed in terms of possible risk factors contributing to students experiencing anxiety while at university. Findings together with recommendations listed in this study offer higher education staff and institutions the opportunity to explore areas of focus and improve university students' mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mental health is an ever-increasing concern for UK Universities and is underreported. Creative and dynamic approaches to tackle student wellbeing are important. In 2018, Sheffield Hallam University (SHU) Student Wellbeing Service initiated a pilot study of a therapeutic running programme 'MINDFIT' that combined physical activity, led by a counsellor, alongside a psychoeducation approach to support student mental health. Methods: Mixed methods were used which included the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), evaluating low mood and depression, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7 (GAD-7), evaluating levels of anxiety. Results: A total of 28 students were triaged onto a weekly programme over three semesters. Overall, 86% of the participants completed the programme. A promising reduction in the scores for PHQ-9 and GAD-7 was found at the end of the programme. Focus groups, with student participants, were held to gather qualitative data for analysis. After thematic analysis, three main themes emerged: "Creating a safe community", "Making progress" and "Pathways to success". Conclusions: MINDFIT was an effective and engaging multi-layered therapeutic approach. Recommendations identified the importance and effectiveness of the triage process in recruiting students and sustainability of the programme through the continued engagement of students post programme. More research is required to identify the long-term effects of the MINDFIT approach and how applicable it is to higher education contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease and related dementias is a major public health burden–compounding over upcoming years due to longevity. Recently, clinical evidence hinted at the experience of social isolation in expediting dementia onset. In 502,506 UK Biobank participants and 30,097 participants from the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging, we revisited traditional risk factors for developing dementia in the context of loneliness and lacking social support. Across these measures of subjective and objective social deprivation, we have identified strong links between individuals' social capital and various indicators of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias risk, which replicated across both population cohorts. The quality and quantity of daily social encounters had deep connections with key aetiopathological factors, which represent 1) personal habits and lifestyle factors, 2) physical health, 3) mental health, and 4) societal and external factors. Our population-scale assessment suggest that social lifestyle determinants are linked to most neurodegeneration risk factors, highlighting them as promising targets for preventive clinical action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The 21st century has seen wide‐ranging changes in drinking locations in Great Britain, with on‐trade alcohol sales decreasing and off‐trade sales increasing. To better understand the underlying time‐trends in consumer behaviour, we examine age‐period‐cohort (APC) effects related to changes in the share of individuals' drinking occasions taking place in: (i) on‐trade versus off‐trade locations; and (ii) specific on‐trade or off‐trade locations, that is traditional/community pubs, modern pubs/bars/café bars, nightclubs/late‐night venues, restaurants/pub restaurants, social/working men's clubs, golf/other sports clubs/venues, at home (social setting) and at home (non‐social setting). Methods: Repeat cross‐sectional 1‐week drinking diary data, collected 2001–2019. APC analysis via negative binomial regression models for each gender (N = 162,296 men, 138,452 women). Results: A smaller/declining proportion of occasions took place in on‐trade compared to off‐trade locations. Recent cohorts tended to have a larger share of on‐trade occasions than previous cohorts, driven by their larger share of occasions in modern pubs/bars/café bars and nightclubs/late‐night venues. Meanwhile, occasions in social/working men's clubs, golf/other sports clubs/venues and traditional/community pubs tended to be popular among older men, but have declined. Finally, the growth of off‐trade drinking appears to be driven by a growth of off‐trade drinking in non‐social settings, in particular by older people/cohorts. Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings highlight the declining prominence of certain on‐trade locations, and increasing prominence of home drinking in non‐social settings, within British drinking practices. While rising non‐social home drinking is concerning, it is positive from a public health perspective that it does not appear to be shared by recent cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data analysis has become a fundamental aspect of the sports industry. It is used to improve performances and results, enhance experiences, and increase engagement. As technology has evolved, it has given rise to new means for data collection and analysis, and also new commercial applications for data. This article explores the interest shown by professional athletes in asserting their data rights and the data protection regulations of the United Kingdom as they relate to professional athletes. In particular, the article considers the extent to which the interests of sports clubs conflict with the rights of their players in respect of their special category data. This intervention piece argues that the current data regulations make it impracticable for sports clubs to carry out player special category data collection and analysis, to the extent required to be competitive in modern sport, without being exposed to potential claims from their players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using multilevel modelling, this paper investigates ethno-religious penalties in unemployment and inactivity among men and women using the Understanding Society survey. The paper confirms previous findings of a Muslim penalty and a British labour market hierarchized by colour (ethnicity) and religion (culture). However, by including a greater range of ethnic groups the paper provides a corrective to accounts in the sociological literature that being White is not a protection against the Muslim penalty. Rather, while affiliation with the Muslim White British group does not appear to be associated with penalization, Muslim Arabs who traditionally identify as White are found to experience significant disadvantage. This suggests that the Muslim penalty might also be moderated by a person's country of origin. The paper also finds that considerable penalties remain for Muslims even after adjusting for so-called "sociocultural attitudes", challenging the assumption that value orientations offer a suitable explanation for the Muslim penalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the evolving historiography of 'sport' vis-à-vis the British Society of Sports History (BSSH), as per fluid and shifting definitions of what the term 'sport' means. It begins by discussing broad themes within the previous historiography of UK sport. Afterwards, it roughly quantifies the content of articles the BSSH's journal The Sports Historian/Sport in History during the period 1993–2021, with an emphasis on sporting forms and emerging trends. Finally, the author provides a similar discussion of the topics of conference papers at annual meetings of the BSSH during the period 2011–21. Throughout this article, the author, Chair of the Society from 2017 to 2019, attempts to provide some causal explanations for why certain sporting forms are popular points of discussion, how others are pushing the envelope of the term 'sport', and issues therein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

University-based sexual aggression is an international public health issue; however, to date, there have been no formal assessments of the prevalence or psychological indicators associated with the proabuse behaviors of the most common perpetrators at UK universities: heterosexual male students. To facilitate the development of effective primary prevention interventions for domestic students who have sexually harmed, we assess across two empirical studies (N s = 259 and 295) the psychological risk factors associated with recent sexual aggression amongst two distinct samples of UK male university students. Cumulatively, results highlighted that one in nine participants (11.4%) self-reported recent sexual aggression. These participants could be statistically differentiated from their non-offending peers on various established indicators of general sexual offending, of which logistic regression analyses highlighted atypical sexual fantasies, general aggression, hostility toward women, and rape myth acceptance as being the most reliable predictors. Our data extend the international evidence base by providing the first detailed overview of sexual aggression amongst UK male university students, as well as the psychological risk factors associated with their proabuse behaviors. We discuss the importance of our findings for the development of more effective evidence-based reduction strategies and primary prevention interventions for male students who have sexually harmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business historians have led the way in research into company paternalism and the origins and development of welfare provision. Their work has focused on large-scale enterprises and has generally located welfare (‘sports and social’) within the broader framework of company culture. Whilst much of welfare provision is related to sport and recreation, sports historians have perhaps neglected this area in recent years. This paper will begin to redress this imbalance by examining the origins and development of work-based sport and recreational provision at four major employers – Robinson & Sons (textile & packaging manufacturers, Chesterfield), Raleigh (cycle manufacturers, Nottingham), Lyons, (food processors and caterers based in West London), and the Bank of England. Among business historians the prevailing view is that such provision was a management strategy designed to encourage loyalty to the firm. It will be argued here that it was more of a ‘bottom-up’ process with workers initiating, organising and sustaining clubs and societies, albeit with a good deal of financial and logistical support from their employers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sedentary behavior (SB) is associated with cardiometabolic disease and mortality, but its association with dementia is currently unclear. This study investigates whether SB is associated with incident dementia regardless of engagement in physical activity (PA). A total of 146,651 participants from the UK Biobank who were 60 years or older and did not have a diagnosis of dementia (mean [SD] age: 64.59 [2.84] years) were included. Selfreported leisure-time SBs were divided into two domains: time spent watching television (TV) or time spent using a computer. A total of 3,507 individuals were diagnosed with all-cause dementia over a mean follow-up of 11.87 (±1.17) years. In models adjusted for a wide range of covariates, including time spent in PA, time spent watching TV was associated with increased risk of incident dementia (HR [95% CI] = 1.24 [1.15 to 1.32]) and time spent using a computer was associated with decreased risk of incident dementia (HR [95% CI] = 0.85 [0.81 to 0.90]). In joint associations with PA, TV time and computer time remained significantly associated with dementia risk at all PA levels. Reducing time spent in cognitively passive SB (i.e., TV time) and increasing time spent in cognitively active SB (i.e., computer time) may be effective behavioral modification targets for reducing risk of dementia regardless of engagement in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisations funded by Sport England or UK Sport must work towards achieving standards for safeguarding and protecting children in sport as set by the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's Child Protection in Sport Unit (CPSU) and encourage a culture of listening to children. The present research was commissioned by the NSPCC CPSU to understand the practices of UK sports clubs regarding this objective. An electronic questionnaire was distributed through the national governing bodies of sport working with the CPSU. Some 64 clubs/squads representing 6,000+ juniors (under 18 years) responded. Quantitative data were analysed using simple statistics and qualitative data were themed utilising Foucault's theory of power and following Braun and Clark's six‐phase guide. Discourse, hierarchical judgement and docility were considered with reference to formal management and cultural environments. Semantic and latent themes were explored. The themes identified were: expectation awareness, reframing voice and preserving discourse. Clubs recognise the value of listening to children. However, existing power relations valorise adult knowledge fields over the experiences of juniors. Technology could provide an effective solution as it is remote, potentially anonymous and culturally accessible. As power is a productive force, problematisation of organisational culture could centralise children's voices and limit/prevent abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Media representations can have significant influence in shaping opinions and influence public response to certain communities or gender and ethnic representations around the world. Investigating semiotic representation in linguistic discourse as vehicles for meaning in culture has been a fruitful area of research over the past decades. This study explores how stereotypes of women feed into the representations of Saudi women in contemporary press in Britain and Saudi Arabia. The focus is on the newspaper genre. Data for this study have been gleaned from a particular set of British and Saudi newspapers. Using the Color Image Scale (CIS) as a research tool, this study yielded a number of findings, the main one of which is the discrepancy in Saudi women's representation in the journalistic discourse under study. In addition, variances in color choice and usage between the newspapers in the present study were apparent. The study provides an important opportunity to advance our understanding of Saudi women's representation in British versus Saudi newspapers. The present study also makes a major contribution to research on critical discourse analysis by demonstrating how power as well as orientalism impact Saudi women's representation. The findings of this study are important for scholars of gender, religion, media, and cultural diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How can the 'social capital' inherent in social networks provide contacts through which older people access practical and emotional support? What is the relative importance of kin and non-kin, and of participation in organisations and informal ties such as contacts with neighbours? Following a brief contextualisation that draws on previous literature, this paper addresses these questions through analysis of British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) data. It examines the extent to which people feel they can count on emotional and practical support from friends and relatives. A dependent variable was created that measures the outcome of the ' social capital ' residing in a respondent's social network. Relatively poor support was found amongst elders who were childless or had been continuously without a partner ; relatively rich support was found amongst those who had frequent contact with other people, who interacted frequently with neighbours, and who regarded their neighbourhood as a positive social environment. Being active in organisations had less effect on social support than informal social contacts. Amongst many different forms of organisational activity, the only ones that had a positive association with social support were being in contact with others through religious activities, and engaging in sports clubs. The social support of workingclass elders, even those 'well networked' in formal or informal ways, was strengthened less by their social capital than was that of the professional and managerial occupational groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality is a strong determinant for several health-related behaviours and has been linked to the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, the reports of personality's mediating role have been inconsistent with no data available from large population-based cohorts. The study aimed to create proxies for the Big Five personality traits, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, openness and neuroticism, to examine the longitudinal relationship between personality and myocardial infarction in the UK Biobank. The study sample comprised of 484,205 participants (55% female, 45% male, mean age 56.4 ± 8.1 years) from UK Biobank cohort with a mean follow-up of 7 years. The personality proxies sociability, warmth, diligence, curiosity and nervousness were created using self-reported data on psychological factors, mental health and social support, to match the facets of the Big Five traits. As neuroticism is the only Big Five personality trait available in the UK Biobank, it was included to validate the personality proxies. Myocardial infarction outcome information was collected from hospital records, death registries or was self-reported. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard regression were used to estimate odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratios (HR), respectively with 95% confidence intervals (CI) adjusted for demographics (age, sex, socioeconomic status, ethnicity), health-related factors (BMI, diabetes, systolic and diastolic blood pressure) and lifestyle factors (alcohol intake, smoking, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity). Diligence was found to be significantly associated with lower prevalent myocardial infarction [OR: 0.87; (CI 0.84–0.89)] and lower incident myocardial infarction [HR: 0.88; (CI 0.85–0.92)]. Sociability was also protective against prevalent [OR: 0.89; (CI 0.87–0.92)] and incident [HR: 0.90; (CI 0.87–0.93)] myocardial infarction. Conversely, nervousness inferred a higher risk for both prevalent [OR: 1.10; (CI 1.08–1.12)] and incident [HR: 1.07; (CI 1.04–1.09)] myocardial infarction during follow-up. Sex-stratified analyses revealed that nervousness significantly increases the risk for incident myocardial infarction among women [HR: 1.13; (CI 1.08–1.19)] compared to men [HR: 1.05; (CI 1.02–1.08)]. By using our created proxies, we were able to investigate the impact of personality on the development of myocardial infarction. Persons with higher levels of diligence and sociability mimicking predominantly conscientiousness and extraversion personalities respectively are less likely to experience myocardial infarction, while personalities predominantly characterised by nervousness pose higher risk for developing myocardial infarction. These initial findings invite further validation of the use of the personality proxies in UK Biobank cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]