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Background: Physical education (PE) can be considered the centrepiece of school physical literacy (PL) programs, but ineffective lessons or an absence of PE across the public primary school system has raised concern. This study aimed to evaluate the implementation, acceptability and impact of teacher delivery of PE as part of a multicomponent Physical Education Physical Literacy (PEPL) approach, designed to improve classroom teachers' provision of PE and PL opportunities within a cluster of suburban primary schools. Method: Within a pragmatic randomised cluster-based trial with mixed methods, a PEPL coach was appointed to seven schools for one school year, with another seven schools continuing their usual practice as the control group. The coach's role was to support and professionally develop classroom teachers to teach PE and to create opportunities that develop PL inside and outside the school environment. Focusing on Grade 5 teachers, the implementation, acceptability and teacher impact were assessed using direct observations of PE teaching style, a daily log kept by the coach and interviews with principals and teachers. Results: The PEPL coach visited each school on average once a week for the 33 available weeks of the school year. There were several positive effects for teachers and schools. With no classroom teacher initially taking PE or classroom physical activity breaks, all seven teachers regularly introduced a PE lesson and activity breaks into their weekly schedule. PE class instructional time increased (intervention; +4.8 vs. control; -3.5 min/lesson; [beta] = 1.69; SE = 0.76; p = 0.05), with lessons of greater duration (intervention; +8.6 vs. control +1.9 min/lesson; [beta] = 1.14, SE = 0.58, p = 0.05) and moderate and vigorous physical activity increased 5.7 min in intervention classes (p < 0.05). The PEPL coach introduced regular physical activities before and after school and linked the schools with a national sports coaching scheme. Interviews indicated that the PEPL approach was both valued and well-accepted by staff, that classroom teacher confidence to teach PE increased and that principals perceived a shift toward a school 'culture' of physical activity. Conclusions: Well-received by classroom teachers and principals, the PEPL approach resulted in classroom teachers introducing both PE and activity breaks into their weekly teaching program and schools were linked to external sport coaching programs. These effects suggest that the PEPL approach enhanced opportunities for the development of physical literacy in this suburban primary school setting.

Background: Health organisations such as the United Nations continue to place an expectation on school physical education (PE) programmes and wider school strategies to ensure students develop physical literacy and receive the well-established benefits of meeting physical activity guidelines. Barriers to meet this expectation such as lack of trained PE teachers, lack of time and greater emphasis on academic achievement are ongoing challenges to schools. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the multi-component Physical Education Physical Literacy (PEPL) intervention, designed to improve students' fundamental movement skill, perceived physical abilities and level of physical activity. Method: A qualified PE teacher implemented the PEPL intervention across seven schools, and another seven schools formed a control group as part of a randomised cluster-based trial. Grade 5 students (N = 318, age 10.4 years ± SD 0.4) completed assessments of physical activity, fundamental movement skill, attitudes towards PE, and self-perceptions of physical abilities before and after a 33-week intervention. Intervention effects were examined using general linear mixed models. Post-intervention focus groups with students were used to develop insights into experiences and outcomes. Results: With no significant gender interactions, the PEPL approach led to enhanced object control skills ([beta] = 1.62; SE = 0.61; p = 0.008), with little evidence of any other fundamental movement skill improvements in excess of those in the control group. There was also modest evidence for an effect on accelerometer measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) during school time ([beta] = 4.50; SE = 2.39; p = 0.058), but this was not accompanied by any significant intervention effect over the entire week. Questionnaires indicated students in the PEPL programme became less satisfied with their own sporting ability ([beta] = -0.20; SE = 0.08; p = 0.013) but qualitative data analyses suggested that they enjoyed the PEPL approach experience, becoming more motivated and confident in their physical abilities. Conclusions: Evidence of enhanced object control skill, increased confidence and motivation to be physically active, and moderate evidence of more MVPA during school time, indicate that the introduction of the PEPL approach contributed to the development of student physical literacy. A decrease in perceived sporting competence warrants greater attention on student's self-perceptions in future iterations of the intervention.

Physical activity may benefit mental health, yet the potentially protective role of elementary school physical education (PE) on childhood mental health is unknown. The aim of the current study was to determine the effect of a specialist-taught PE program on indicators of childhood mental health. In this cluster-randomized controlled trial, participants were initially 821 healthy children (8 years, 406 girls) from 29 schools. Thirteen schools were allocated to the 4-year intervention program of specialist-taught PE, with the remaining schools forming the control group. Mental health indicators of depression, body image, and stress were measured at ages 7, 8, and 12 years. Assessments of covariates included percent body fat (DEXA), physical activity (pedometers), puberty (Tanner stages), and socioeconomic status. After receiving 1 year of specialist-taught PE, children of the intervention group reported a -0.71-unit decrease in body dissatisfaction compared to a 3.01-unit increase in control group children (p = 0.042); and a mean decrease in depressive symptoms (ineffectiveness), which was -0.27 units more than the control group (p = 0.005). Mixed-model analyses investigating longer-term effects revealed that the early positive effect of the intervention on body dissatisfaction and depression was not sustained over time. In fact, there was evidence of an intervention effect of an overall increase in depressive symptoms over the 4 years of the study for girls only. While our specialist-taught PE intervention had a positive influence on girls' body dissatisfaction and boys' depressive symptoms in the first year, this was not sustained over the 4-year duration of the study.

Assessment of physical literacy poses a dilemma of what instrument to use. There is currently no guide regarding the suitability of common assessment approaches. The purpose of this brief communication is to provide a user's guide for selecting physical literacy assessment instruments appropriate for use in school physical education and sport settings. Although recommendations regarding specific instruments are not provided, the guide offers information about key attributes and considerations for the use. A decision flow chart has been developed to assist teachers and affiliated school practitioners to select appropriate methods of assessing physical literacy. School physical education and sport scenarios are presented to illustrate this process. It is important that practitioners are empowered to select the most appropriate instrument/s to suit their needs.

Purpose: The development of a physical literacy definition and standards framework suitable for implementation in Australia. Method: Modified Delphi methodology. Results: Consensus was established on four defining statements: Core--Physical literacy is lifelong holistic learning acquired and applied in movement and physical activity contexts; Composition--Physical literacy reflects ongoing changes integrating physical, psychological, cognitive, and social capabilities; Importance--Physical literacy is vital in helping us lead healthy and fulfilling lives through movement and physical activity; and Aspiration--A physically literate person is able to draw on his/her integrated physical, psychological, cognitive, and social capacities to support health promoting and fulfilling movement and physical activity, relative to the situation and context, throughout the lifespan. The standards framework addressed four learning domains (physical, psychological, cognitive, and social), spanning five learning configurations/levels. Conclusion: The development of a bespoke program for a new context has important implications for both existing and future programs.

This study aimed to investigate seasonal heat acclimatization in active adolescents following summer. Fifteen (5 females) active adolescents (14.6 ± 1.0 y) completed a 45-min heat response test (HRT) walking at 60% $\dot {\rm V}$ V ˙ O2peak in 40°C and 30% relative humidity before and after summer (i.e. November 2022 and March 2023). During the HRT, gastro-intestinal temperature (Tgi), skin temperature (Tsk), heart rate, local sweat rate (LSR) and whole-body sweat loss (WBSL) were recorded. Carbon monoxide rebreathing and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans determined resting hematological measures and body composition. Participants completed physical activity (PA) diaries and wore an accelerometer for two one-week periods (pre- and post-summer). Daytime wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) was calculated for each summer day. Data are presented as posterior mean and 90% credible intervals. Participants reported 7 ± 4 h·wk−1 of outdoor PA, and daytime WBGT was 21.2 ± 4.6°C. Following summer, resting Tgi and heart rate were reduced by 0.2°C [−0.3, −0.1; probability of direction = 99%] and 7 beats·min−1 [−10, −3; 100%], respectively. During the HRT, there was an earlier onset of sweating (−0.2°C [−0.3, −0.0; 98%]), an attenuated rise of Tgi (0.2°C [−0.5, 0.0; 92%]) and mean Tsk changed by −0.2°C [−0.5, 0.1; 86%]. There was minimal evidence for heat adaptations in LSR or WBSL, hematological parameters or perceptual measures. This is the first study to demonstrate seasonal heat adaptations in active adolescents. Reductions in resting Tgi and exercising Tsk and a lower Tgi at the onset of sweating were associated with a smaller rise in Tgi during the HRT following summer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of biological sex, independent of differences in aerobic fitness and body fatness, on the change in gastrointestinal temperature (ΔTgi) and whole body sweat rate (WBSR) of children exercising under uncompensable heat stress. Seventeen boys (means ± SD; 13.7 ± 1.3 yr) and 18 girls (13.7 ± 1.4 yr) walked for 45 min at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production per kg body mass (8 W·kg−1) in 40°C and 30% relative humidity. Sex and peak oxygen consumption (V̇ o 2peak) were entered into a Bayesian hierarchical general additive model (HGAM) for Tgi. Sex, V̇ o 2peak, and the evaporative requirement for heat balance (Ereq) were entered into a Bayesian hierarchical linear regression for WBSR. For 26 (12 M and 14 F) of the 35 children with measured body composition, body fat percentage was entered in a separate HGAM and hierarchical linear regression for Tgi and WBSR, respectively. Conditional on sex-specific mean V̇ o 2peak, ΔTgi was 1.00°C [90% credible intervals (Crl): 0.84, 1.16] for boys and 1.17°C [1.01, 1.33] for girls, with a difference of 0.17°C [−0.39, 0.06]. When sex differences in V̇ o 2peak were accounted for, the difference in ΔTgi between boys and girls was 0.01°C [−0.25, 0.22]. The difference in WBSR between boys and girls was 0.03 L·h−1 [−0.02, 0.07], when isolated from differences in Ereq. The difference in ΔTgi between boys and girls was −0.10°C [−0.38, 0.17] when sex differences in body fat (%) were accounted for. Biological sex did not independently influence the ΔTgi and WBSR of children exercising under uncompensable heat stress. NEW & NOTEWORTHY: Limited studies have investigated the thermoregulatory responses of boys and girls exercising under uncompensable heat stress. Boys and girls often differ in physiological characteristics other than biological sex, such as aerobic fitness and body fat percentage, which may confound interpretations. We investigated the influence of biological sex on exercise thermoregulation in children, independent of differences in aerobic fitness and body fatness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To determine (1) the effect of a 40-minute steady-state run on muscle membrane integrity of elite athletes as reflected by serum creatine kinase (CK), (2) whether antioxidant supplementation (AS) with vitamins E and C has a protective effect, and (3) if a minimal blood concentration of vitamin E or C is required for any such protection. Methods: Fifteen elite-level endurance athletes ( V ˙ O 2 max = 71.5 ± 1.2 mL · kg − 1 min − 1 ) were randomly assigned to 6 weeks AS (1000 IU·d−1 natural vitamin E and 1000 mg·d−1 vitamin C) or placebo. Using a double-blind crossover design and 4-week washout period, each treatment was followed by a 40-minute steady-state run at 3 mM blood lactate. Blood samples before and 0 and 24 hours after the run were assayed for serum and red cell α-tocopherol (α-TOH), serum ascorbate, and CK. Results: The AS produced a 2.5-fold, well-correlated (r =.84) increase in serum and red cell α-TOH (P <.001) that attenuated the increase in postrun CK (P =.01). There was no change in serum ascorbate with AS and no relationship with CK (P >.1). Curvilinear regression revealed some evidence that a critical level of serum α-TOH in the vicinity of 12 mg·L−1 was required to attenuate CK efflux, a level only achieved with AS. Conclusion: The muscle membrane integrity of elite-level athletes is compromised even during steady-state running of moderate intensity and duration. The AS provided a protective effect, with evidence that a serum α-TOH concentration of around 12 mg·L−1 is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A habitually active environment is a feature of past times, and in stark contrast with that experienced by our children today. Consequently, twenty-first century physical education (PE) assumes a position of great responsibility. This is especially true in primary schools; a premise recently strongly supported by published evidence from the Australian LOOK randomised controlled trial. This trial, consisting of an intervention of specialist-conducted PE over four years, extends on previous research to clearly demonstrate reduction in the early appearance of risk factors for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in boys and girls, together with evidence of beneficial structural development in the bone and left ventricle of girls. In addition, the children undertaking the specialist PE enjoyed a substantially increased progression in nationally assessed numeracy and literacy. Of concern, however, is that these benefits were in relation to a control group of PE taught by classroom teachers, who usually assume responsibility for PE in at least four days of the week. To address this, an economically realistic scheme is being trialled to provide primary schools with the means of delivering the quality and quantity of PE commensurate with the demonstrated benefits.

This study aimed to determine the effects of the Active Early Learning (AEL) childcare center‐based physical activity intervention on early childhood executive function and expressive vocabulary via a randomized controlled trial. Three‐hundred‐and‐fourteen preschool children (134 girls) aged 3–5 years from 15 childcare centers were randomly assigned to the intervention (8 centers; n = 170 children) or control group (7 centers, n = 144 children) in May 2019. Participants were mostly Australian (85%) and from slightly higher areas of socio‐economic status than the Australian average. There was an AEL intervention effect on inhibition (β = 0.5, p =.033, d = 0.29) and expressive vocabulary (β = 1.97, p =.001, d = 0.24). Integration of the AEL physical activity intervention into the daily childcare routine was effective in enhancing children's executive function and expressive language development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fifteen highly trained distance runners ([Vo.sub.2]max 71.1 [+ or -] 6.0 ml x [min.sup.-1] x [kg.sup.-1], mean [+ or -] SD) were randomly assigned to a plyometric training (PLY; n = 7) or control (CON; n = 8) group. In addition to their normal training, the PLY group undertook 3 X 30 minutes PLY sessions per week for 9 weeks. Running economy (RE) was assessed during 3 X 4 minute treadmill runs (14, 16, and 18 km x [h.sup.-1]), followed by an incremental test to measure [Vo.sub.2]max. Muscle power characteristics were assessed on a portable, unidirectional ground reaction force plate. Compared with CON, PLY improved RE at 18 [km x [h.sup.-1] (4.1%, p = 0.02), but not at 14 or 16 km.[h.sup.-1]. This was accompanied by trends for increased average power during a 5-jump plyometric test (15%, p = 0.11), a shorter time to reach maximal dynamic strength during a strength quality assessment test (14%, p = 0.09), and a lower [Vo.sub.2]-speed slope (14%, p = 0.12) after 9 weeks of PLY. There were no significant differences in cardiorespiratory measures or [Vo.sub.2]max as a result of PLY. In a group of highly-trained distance runners, 9 weeks of PLY improved RE, with likely mechanisms residing in the muscle, or alternatively by improving running mechanics. KEY WORDS. oxygen consumption, strength training, elite runners

Research was conducted to examine erythrocyte deformability in world-class endurance athletes. Ektacytometry was used to determine if red blood cell (RBC) deformability differed between elite road cyclists and sedentary controls. Other tests conducted were standard hematological measurements and density profiles. Results suggest that there is a larger proportion of young RBCs in the blood of elite cyclists and that the turnover of RBCs in endurance athletes is higher than in the general population.