Engagement In Sport Activities Research Articles

The mediating role of competence, autonomy, and relatedness in the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior

This study aims to explore the complex and multifaceted relationship between Behavioral Activation and Behavioral Maintenance in sports participation, delving into the underlying mechanisms to provide practical insights into how individuals initiate and sustain engagement in sports activities. Utilizing a combination of convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods, 378 sports participants from over ten provinces and cities in China were selected as survey subjects, and an intermediary model concerning the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior was constructed. Discriminant validity and mediation effect analyses were conducted using SPSS and AMOS 23.0. The results indicate that Behavioral Activation indirectly influences Behavioral Maintenance through Competence (ad = 0.39), with a 95% confidence interval [0.201, 0.642], excluding 0. Behavioral Activation also indirectly influences Behavioral Maintenance through Autonomy (be = 0.23), with a 95% confidence interval [0.109, 0.421], excluding 0. However, Behavioral Activation indirectly influences Behavioral Maintenance through Relatedness (cf. = 0.09), with a 95% confidence interval [-0.068, 0.336], which includes 0. The study reveals that both Competence and Autonomy significantly mediate the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior among athletes. However, Relatedness does not play a significant mediating role in the activation and maintenance of sports participation behavior among the participants.

Investigation Of the Relationship Between Pre-Service Teachers' Psychological Capital Levels and Emotional Communication Skills

The aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between the psychological capital levels and emotional communication skills of prospective teachers in terms of sports activities and various variables. In line with this purpose, the study was conducted with the participation of students (312 teacher candidates) from Kazım Karabekir Faculty of Education at Atatürk University, based on ethical approval and voluntary participation principles. The data collection instruments included a personal information form prepared by the researchers, a psychological capital scale, and a communication skills scale, all gathered through a questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 25.0 program. As a result of the statistical analyses, it was found that there were differences in the participants' engagement in sports activities and types of sports activities in the sub-dimensions of the psychological capital scale. However, no significant relationship was found between the sub-dimensions of the psychological capital scale and the sub-dimension of the communication skills scale.

We like to move it - patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders are impaired in estimating their physical fitness levels and benefit from individualized exercise.

People with schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD) engage less in physical activity than healthy individuals. The impact of subjectively assessed physical fitness levels on motivation for sports engagement and its relation to objective fitness parameters in SSD is unclear. 25 patients with SSD (P-SSD) and 24 healthy controls (H-CON) participated in a randomized controlled study. Individual anaerobic thresholds (AT) were determined by an incremental exercise test and on separate days, aerobic exercise (cycling at 80% of workload at AT) and non-exercise control (sitting on an ergometer without cycling) sessions were performed. Demographic, clinical and objective physical fitness data (i.e., weekly physical activity, workload at AT, heart rate) were collected. Subjective physical fitness parameters were assessed before and after exercise and control sessions. Weekly physical activity in P-SSD was lower than in H-CON (p < 0.05) attributed to reduced engagement in sport activities (p < 0.001). Workload and percentage of predicted maximal heart rate at AT were also reduced in P-SSD compared to H-CON (both p < 0.05). Although objective and subjective physical fitness parameters were related in H-CON (p < 0.01), this relationship was absent in P-SSD. However, during exercise sessions subjective physical fitness ratings increased to a stronger extent in P-SSD than H-CON (p < 0.05). The missing relationship between subjective and objective physical fitness parameters in people with SSD may represent a barrier for stronger engagement in physical activity. Accordingly, supervised exercise interventions with individually adjusted workload intensity may support realistic subjective fitness estimations and enhance motivation for sports activity in individuals with SSD.

Validation of the Chinese version of the exercise empowerment scale among college students (EES-C).

The escalating prevalence of physical inactivity among college students represents a significant public health challenge, particularly in light of its correlation with detrimental health outcomes. A growing body of evidence underscores the necessity of adhering to recommended levels of regular physical activity to thwart the onset of chronic diseases. One primary aim of school physical education initiatives is to elevate physical activity levels and bolster student motivation toward engaging in physical exercise. Engagement in sports activities has demonstrated efficacy in augmenting students' motor skills, elevating their self-efficacy, and enhancing cognitive competencies related to physical prowess, while also promoting sustained participation in physical activities. The Exercise Empowerment Scale (EES) has been formulated to quantitatively assess the degree of exercise empowerment. To date, no validated Chinese version of the EES has been reported in the literature. To address this, this present study developed and validated a Chinese version of the EES in a large sample of Chinese college students. A sample of Chinese college students (n = 885) was analyzed using Rasch analysis to examine the validity of the Exercise Empowerment Scale. In addition, physical activity and psychological resilience were used to investigate the potential associations with exercise empowerment. The EES-C was found to be a unidimensional scale, and the distribution of item difficulty was relatively even. The scale had good reliability (individual reliability of 0.87, and item reliability of 0.99). No differential item functioning (DIF) was observed across genders for any of the 13 EES-C items, suggesting equitable and unbiased applicability for both male and female respondents. The five-point scoring method of the EES scale was consistent with the overall distribution of the items and subjects. Exercise empowerment was positively correlated with autonomous physical activity and psychological resilience. The results of the study indicate that the EES-C possesses robust psychometric properties, rendering it suitable for application among Chinese college student populations. The adapted version of the EES-C provides a basis for further exploration of the predictive factors of physical activity in Chinese samples. The generalizability of our findings should be further verified in other populations in the future.

Impact of a Harmonious Sports Environment on Learning Interest

The study delves into the impact of sports equipment and facilities on students' learning interests within educational environments, with a particular focus on the positive influence observed among physical education (P.E) students. Through a qualitative approach employing the library method, the research explores this influence by dissecting existing literature on related topics, including cooperative learning efficiency in physical education and the motivational dynamics of student-athletes. The findings underscore the vital role played by a harmonious sports environment, marked by sufficient sports equipment and facilities, in fostering physical education, personality development, and lifelong engagement in sports activities. Notably, students with access to such facilities exhibit heightened participation in physical activities, correlating with improved academic performance and enhanced psychological well-being. The study highlights the pivotal role of a supportive sports environment in shaping students' learning interests, boosting academic achievements, and promoting psychological wellness within educational settings. It stresses the necessity of ensuring adequate sports equipment and facilities, coupled with the cultivation of a positive sports culture, to effectively nurture physical education, foster personal growth, and encourage sustained participation in sports activities. Furthermore, the research acknowledges and addresses socioeconomic disparities in sports participation, shedding light on the escalating income inequalities over time, especially among specific demographic groups such as women, middle and high school students, and adults. Moreover, it underscores the potential of group sport participation to mitigate such disparities compared to individual sports, suggesting avenues for fostering more inclusive sporting environments.

Implementation of Off-Campus Youth Sports Training Under the Background of “Double Reduction” Policy

In 2021, the Chinese Ministry of Education introduced the "Double Reduction" policy to ease students' academic pressure while promoting increased engagement in sports activities. This policy has opened up fresh prospects for the non-disciplinary training sector, particularly in sports training. This study examines the extent of implementation of off-campus youth sports training in Chengdu following the enactment of the "Double Reduction" policy. It delves into the challenges and obstacles faced in executing such training programs. The study utilized quantitative and qualitative methods, involving 72 coaches and 36 club owners from 36 clubs across 12 districts in Chengdu. It analyzed factors like sex and education to assess the correlation between sports training implementation and the "Double Reduction" policy. It also conducted interviews to investigate challenges in off-campus youth sports training in Chengdu. Consensus exists among coaches and club owners regarding implementing off-campus youth sports training in Chengdu, with no significant differences observed in various aspects. However, significant differences were noted in perceptions of Chengdu's "Double Reduction" policy implementation, particularly concerning regulatory processes, service provision, and industry development. The study underscores governmental ambiguity and industry disarray in management, emphasizing the need to address homogenized training, limited service variety, and inadequate systems. Solutions involve implementing robust frameworks, enhancing owner competencies, addressing staff shortages, improving service quality, and diversifying marketing approaches to bolster resilience against risks.

Qualitative Review On ‘Awrah Issue of Muslim Women Athlete In Malaysia

Sharī‘ah law has provided a specific ruling upon legal attire that requires every Muslim to cover their ‘awrah. The restriction of disclosing ‘awrah can be derived from the Qur’an and practices of the Prophet Muhammad and his companions. Nevertheless, covering ‘awrah is not an easy task for every Muslim, women in particular, when it comes to sports activities or competitions involvement. The reason is that several events require the athletes to wear non-Sharī‘ah compliant attire that goes against the basis of ‘awrah regulation. To address this challenge, Malaysian authorities actively participated in formulating standardized guidelines for their guidance. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the current guidelines and assess how their implementation influences the commitment of Muslim women athletes to adhere to Shari‘ah law during their engagement in sports activities. This study employs qualitative methods involving observation and document analysis. It identifies a conflict between the dress code of Muslim athletes and the necessity to adhere to the 'awrah regulation outlined in both the Qur’an and al-Sunnah. Consequently, the study aims to propose recommendations for enhancing existing guidelines in alignment with Shari’ah principles.

Physical exercise/sports ameliorate the internet addiction from college students during the pandemic of COVID-19 in China.

The rapid advancement of modern technology has significantly driven progress in various IT-related activities, resulting in a substantial increase in internet penetration rates, particularly among college students. The utilization of the internet has become one of the most essential tools in our modern society. However, internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a serious concern, particularly among college students, adversely affecting academic performance and having significant psychological and psychiatric implications. The aim of the current study was to determine the impact of physical exercise, gender and academic year on IA among college students. In the present study, we investigated internet usage, engagement in sports activities, and academic performance among college students from Western, Middle, and Eastern regions of Chinese universities. It's noteworthy that most of the respondents were freshmen. Our findings indicate that freshmen students were more susceptible to experiencing IA. Approximately 75% of students engaged in leisure sports activities, revealing an inverse correlation between sports activity and IA. This correlation aligns with the level of sports involvement, emphasizing the potential benefits of physical activity in mitigating IA. However, our study did not uncover any correlation between geographic location and the occurrence of IA, nor did it find differences between medical and non-medical students. Furthermore, our study revealed no significant variations in IA among students from different ethnic backgrounds. The underlying mechanism of IA is being currently determined. Our data suggest that physical exercise, gender, and academic year have a significant impact on IA among college students.

PECULIARITIES OF CORRELATION PATTERNS BETWEEN MUSCULOSKELETAL AND DENTOALVEOLAR SYSTEM DISORDERS AND ELEVATED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN CHILDREN

Introduction. The physical development and engagement in sports activities have a direct impact on the overall formation of the human body. Previous research on the impact of sports on orthopedic and dental conditions in children has primarily focused on factors and features related to injuries. While some studies have explored the influence of sports on orthopedic conditions, comprehensive research addressing orthopedic and stomatological pathology in connection with sports activities has been lacking.&#x0D; The objective of this study is to investigate the influence of physical activity on the status of both the locomotor and maxillofacial systems and to evaluate their correlation with fundamental anthropometric indicators.&#x0D; Materials and Methods. For this study, a cohort of 78 children (38 girls and 40 boys), aged 14 to 17 years with an average age of 15.5 years, underwent examinations in both 2019-2020 and 2023. A thorough statistical analysis of the gathered data was conducted to draw meaningful conclusions.&#x0D; Orthopedic pathology was observed in 37.21% of individuals engaged in sports and 22.86% of those who did not participate (p=0.263). Dental pathology was found in 23.26% of individuals involved in sports compared to 17.14% in those who did not engage in sports (p=0.581). Over a span of 3 years, individuals participating in sports experienced an average weight change of 14.82 kg, while those not involved in sports had an average change of 10.31 kg (p=0.02). The average height was 177.0 cm in individuals with orthopedic pathology and 170.0 cm in those without a diagnosed orthopedic condition (p=0.008). The mean growth over 3 years was 15.0 cm in individuals with orthopedic pathology and 9.0 cm in those without an established orthopedic diagnosis (p=0.032). Children with dental pathology gained an average of 8.34 kg of body weight over 3 years, whereas those without dental pathology gained 13.89 kg (p=0.019).&#x0D; Conclusions. Engaging in sports activities does not significantly impact the occurrence or development of orthopedic and stomatological pathology. Anthropometric indicators, specifically height and body weight, are associated with orthopedic and dental pathology, respectively. Children exhibiting greater and more intensive growth tend to have a higher frequency of orthopedic pathology. Dental pathology is more prevalent in children with lower body weight.

Physical activity and its impact on cardiovascular health in pediatric kidney transplant recipients

BackgroundCardiovascular (CV) morbidity after kidney transplantation (KTx) in childhood is of increasing importance. In light of a high prevalence of CV risk factors, protective measures such as physical activity (PA) come into focus. Our aim was to comprehensively assess PA in pediatric KTx recipients and evaluate its impact on CV health.MethodsForty-eight patients were assessed for frequency, duration, intensity, and setting of PA using the “Motorik–Modul” PA questionnaire. Walking-based activity was measured by accelerometer in a subgroup (n = 23). CV risk factors and subclinical CV organ damage were determined. The impact of PA on CV parameters was analyzed using linear regression models.ResultsFifty-two percent of pediatric KTx recipients did not reach WHO recommended PA level; 54% did not engage in PA with vigorous intensity (VPA). Twenty-nine percent indicated an extremely inactive lifestyle (< 120 min/week of moderate to vigorous intensity PA, MVPA). Compared to the healthy German KiGGS cohort, KTx recipients specifically lacked engagement in sport activities (KTx: 129 min/week; 95%CI, 97–162 vs. KiGGS, 242 min/week; 95%CI, 230–253). VPA was associated with lower systolic blood pressure (p = 0.024) and resting heart rate (p = 0.005), MVPA with fewer components of the post-transplant metabolic syndrome (p = 0.037), and better left ventricular diastolic function (p = 0.006).ConclusionsA considerable lack of PA, especially VPA, exists in young KTx recipients. PA was positively associated with important parameters of CV health. While long-term CV protection through PA seems promising in pediatric KTx recipients, specific educational approaches are most likely needed to increase patients’ engagement in sport activities.Graphical abstractA higher resolution version of the Graphical abstract is available as Supplementary information

THE ROLE OF AUTOLOGOUS HAMSTRING GRAFT IN IMPROVING FUNCTIONAL OUTCOME AFTER ARTHROSCOPIC ANTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION: PROSPECTIVE STUDY AT GGH, KURNOOL

Objectives: The prevalence of knee ligament injuries is on the rise due to increasing engagement in sports activities. Among the various ligaments present in the knee joint, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the most commonly injured. Several procedures have been described for the reconstruction of a torn ACL, ranging from open to arthroscopic techniques. In this particular study, we utilized an autograft from the hamstring muscle for ACL reconstruction. The graft was secured with an Endobutton on the femoral end and an interference screw at the tibial end. If necessary, cancellous screws or a suture wheel was used as well. Methods: This is a 2-year prospective study conducted between April 2021 and March 2023 at GGH, Kurnool, which included 20 cases of complete ACL tear. All patients underwent arthroscopic ACL reconstruction using a hamstring graft. Following the procedure, all patients were assessed using the lysholm knee scoring questionnaire and were monitored at specific intervals, including 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year, to evaluate their progress. Results: After 1 year, the lysholm knee scoring questionnaire was used to evaluate the results of the ACL reconstruction with the hamstring graft. The findings revealed that 30% (6 cases) of the cases reported excellent results, 50% (10 cases) of the cases showed good results, 15% (3 cases) of the cases showed fair results, and 5% (1 case) of the cases obtained poor results. In addition, 80% of patients achieved functional restoration to their pre-injury level. At 1-year follow-up, our study found that the average pre-operative lysholm score was 63.24, while the average post-operative score was 91.98, which showed a statistically significant improvement in the post-operative lysholm score compared to the pre-operative score (p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: Our study suggests that the use of a hamstring graft for the reconstruction of a torn ACL can result in excellent to good outcomes. However, it should be noted that proper patient selection and physiotherapy play a significant role in achieving favorable results.

Impact of college students&amp;#39; attitudes on their engagement in sports activities

Impact of college students&amp;#39; attitudes on their engagement in sports activities

Sports and Alzheimer’s Disease: The Role of Physical Activity in Cognition Health

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an advancing neurodegenerative condition distinguished by a gradual deterioration of cognitive functions, including memory impairment and diminished functional capabilities. The issue presents a substantial global public health concern, as there is a growing prevalence of affected persons annually. In the pursuit of innovative strategies to delay or mitigate the beginning of AD, scholars have turned their attention to the exploration of physical activity as a potentially fruitful area of study. This review aims to investigate the correlation between engagement in sports activities and the development of AD. It will analyze the potential advantages of physical exercise on cognitive well-being and discuss the significance of these findings for strategies related to the prevention and treatment of the disease. We integrate data derived from epidemiological investigations, clinical trials, and neuroscientific inquiries, thereby emphasizing the existing body of knowledge in this pivotal domain.

Positive youth development through sport and physical education: a systematic review of empirical research conducted with grade 5 to 12 children and youth

ABSTRACT Background Over the two last decades, the interest in personal and psychosocial youth development has been growing due to its engagement in sport activities. Furthermore, participation in sport has been referenced as a favourable mechanism and context for positive youth development (PYD). However, some studies and researchers continue to question the linearity of this association. Considering the place and importance of the practice of sports in and out of school in young people’s lives, it is necessary to systematically gather empirical evidence about the relationship between sports involvement and the development of children and young people attending school. This knowledge is important not only for teachers, coaches and professionals who work at schools, clubs and associations, but also for policymakers. Objective to study the relationship between the practice of sport and the positive development of children and young people attending school. This purpose was guided by the following research question: What is the relation between the practice of sports and positive development of grade 5 to 12 children and youth attending school? Method Conduct a systematic search in EBSCO, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Search for relevant studies with a quantitative, qualitative and mixed design that met previously established eligibility criteria. Quality was assessed and data were extracted from a previously elaborated template. Results The systematic review followed the PRISMA protocol and included 30 studies with quantitative (n = 14), qualitative (n = 12) and mixed (n = 4) designs. A wide variety of sports and two fundamental settings – physical education (PE) and extracurricular activities – in and out of school – were found, most of them framed in structured activities or intervention programmes. Results suggest that the practice of sports, especially when combining different sports and contexts, or including non-sport activities, seems to favour psychosocial development and the transfer of competences and values to other areas of life, ‘outside’ sports. This evidence appears to depend on several individual and contextual factors, such as psychological and physical security, presence and action of adults and mentors, positive social interactions, having a voice and participation in decision-making, leadership roles, opportunities for skills built in a meaningful activity and deliberately structured activities, but also on the interaction between individual and contextual factors. Conclusions The results suggest the importance of sports practice as a mechanism and a favourable context for the developmental outcomes of children and young people attending school. That relationship, however, seems contingent. Developmental outcomes might be related to multiple individual and contextual factors and to the interaction among them. Different activities afford different opportunities for children and young people to engage in adaptive relations with their ecology and positive development. The combination of different types of sports, in or out of school, especially when combined with non-sport activities, seems to bring greater benefits. Several factors were referenced as beneficial to PYD promotion in sport programmes, in and out of school.

Role of Sports Activities in Developing Decision Making Skill

In sports, decision-making-skill is extremely important as it is essential for the attainment of sportsmanship which is responsible for make real impact on real life. According to the author, decision-making is the process by which athletes take into account their context and choose a strategy that best suits their current sporting situation. Though efficacious managerial can achieve the definitive area of a assumed task, the process is intricate because it depends on an athlete's abilities to locate the correct information in environmental planning and to plan future actions and selects the most apposite rejoinder based on the specific situation. Sports are widely considered to be an important part of developing life skills and developing healthy early stages. The goal of this paper was to find out what student athletes thought about the importance of athletics in learning the key life skills of administrative. Time administration, planning, coping with adversities and adjusting to new situations were considered as managerial skills. This study, play will provide a great opportunity to the children to acquire the potential which will help them to take good and productive decisions and also found that active engagement in sports activities can help students develop time management skills, appropriate planning, adversity management and the ability to adjust to new situations.

The Influence of Professional Sport on Changes in the Athlete’s Cardiovascular System After the end of Career

The benefits of sports activities on almost all physiological systems are immense and of wide spectrum. However, a large number of recent studies deals with the consequences of long-term professional engagement in sports activities and present opposite results. The review was based on the assumption that intense physical activity to which top athletes are exposed brings with it changes in the cardiovascular system. The methodological procedure has included a review of previous research through the Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science search engines over the past twenty years. Athletes who have played endurance sports have lower blood pressure values compared to athletes who have played strength sports, as well as compared to the non-athlete population. Athletes who have been involved in strength sports have more pronounced left ventricular values. As a general conclusion, it can be pointed out that intense physical activity contributes to changes in the cardiovascular system, but further monitoring of the athlete’s condition is needed after a professional career, in order to obtain even clearer results, because sport is performed at an extremely intensive level, higher than 50-60 years ago.

Developmental and Behavioral Consequences of Intrauterine Anti-Seizure Medication Exposure.

In this cross-sectional study, whether there is a difference in the prevalence of developmental/behavioral problems in children of those who received mono/polytherapy during pregnancy; How Valproic Acid (VPA) exposure affects developmental/behavioral characteristics compared to other antiseizure medications (ASM) was also investigated. 64 children of 46 women with epilepsy (WWE) with children aged 0-18 years were included. Ankara Development and Screening Inventory (ADSI) for their children up to the age of six and The Child Behavior Checklist for Ages 4-18-CBCL/4-18 scale was applied for the ages of 6-18. Children exposed to prenatal ASM were divided into two groups as polytherapy and monotherapy. Children exposed to monotherapy were investigated by drug exposure, as well as exposure to VPA and other ASMs. Chi-square test was used to compare qualitative variables. When monotherapy and polytherapy groups were compared, a significant difference was found in the language cognitive development area of the ADSI (p=0.015) and in terms of the sports activity variable in CBCL/4-18 (p=0.039). When the VPA monotherapy and other ASM monotherapy groups were compared, a significant difference was found in terms of sports activity in CBCL-4-18 (p=0.013). It was found that language and cognitive development can be delayed, the level of engagement in sports activities can be reduced in children exposed to polytherapy. The rate of doing sports activities in valproic acid monotherapy exposure may decrease.

THE IMPACT OF AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ON DEVELOPMENT OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLE SKILLS FOR PREVENTION OF OBESITY IN ADOLESCENTS

The aim: To determine that nature of perception of an educational institution has on degree of risk as to development of bad habits in eating and daily routine. Materials and methods: We have conducted surveys among 1015 students of educational institutions, residing in a large industrial center through special questionnaire was developed by SI «ICAHC NAMS». According to answer to the question about their attitude towards school, schoolchildren have been divided into 6 groups. Results: Studying the health-shaping behavior of children has shown the greatest regularity of engagement in sports activities among students of the 1st group. Schoolchildren of the 4th group were characterized by the risk of development of obesity, due to the highest (among the other groups) level of consumption of chips, crackers, street food, sparkling water, against insufficient acquirement of key sources of protein and vitamins. The same groups also differed in self-esteem of their own health and perception of school environment. Conclusions: The most safe group as to development of obesity and other diseases has been the 1st group, students of which attended an educational institution with pleasure and had a high level of physical activity and had certain eating habits. Children of the 4th group with indifferent attitude towards any occupation should be included into the risk group. Outstanding remains the issue in-depth study of prevalence of healthy lifestyle skills and bad habits among various gender groups of adolescents.

Prevalence and co-occurrence of unhealthy lifestyle habits and behaviours among secondary school students in Tuscany, central Italy.

Unhealthy habits acquired during adolescence may persist in adulthood and eventually increase the risk of chronic illnesses. We reported on a survey conducted in 2013-2015 among secondary school students in Tuscany, central Italy. We compared the prevalence of self-reported lifestyle characteristics and overweight/obesity between genders and age groups (14-16 vs 17-21 years). We partitioned each gender- and age-specific stratum into groups based on cigarette smoking and engagement in sport activities, and compared the prevalence of other unhealthy lifestyles across groups using Poisson regression. Overall, 2167 students (53.3% males, mean age 16.8 years) were included. Males were more frequently overweight/obese than females. Cigarette smoking increased with age and did not differ by gender. Males were more likely to engage in sport activities, drink alcoholic beverages and adopt other unhealthy lifestyle habits, whereas females reported a more frequent use of painkillers. Cigarette smoking was the single lifestyle characteristic most consistently associated with other unhealthy habits. The prevalence and patterns of co-occurrence of unhealthy lifestyle habits varied by gender and age group among secondary school students in Italy. Our findings should be taken into account when planning public health initiatives aiming to combat obesity and tackle unhealthy lifestyles among secondary school students in Italy.

What Is the Relationship of Fear Avoidance to Physical Function and Pain Intensity in Injured Athletes?

Fear avoidance can play a prominent role in maladaptive responses to an injury. In injured athletes, such pain-related fear or fear avoidance behavior may have a substantial influence on the recovery process. Specifically, it may explain why some are able to reach their preinjury abilities, whereas others are unable to return to sport. (1) Is fear avoidance in athletes associated with decreased physical function after injury? (2) To what degree is fear avoidance associated with athletes' pain intensity? In a cross-sectional study, we recruited injured athletes-defined as patients with sports-related injury, weekly engagement in sport activities, participation in competitive events as part of a team or club, self-identification as an athlete, and a desire to return to sport after recovery-from an orthopaedic sports medicine center at a major urban university hospital. Of 130 approached patients, 102 (84% men; mean ± SD age 25 ± 8.5 years) met the inclusion criteria. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire, the Athlete Fear Avoidance Questionnaire, which assesses injury-related fear and avoidance behavior specifically in an athletic population, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and two Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System measures: Physical Function Computerized Adaptive Testing (CAT) and Pain Intensity CAT. After controlling for age, injury region (upper versus lower extremity), catastrophic thinking, and emotional distress, we found that an increase in athletes' fear avoidance was associated with a decrease in physical function (b = -0.32; p = 0.002). The model explained 30% of the variation in physical function with 7.3% explained uniquely by fear avoidance. After controlling for initial appointment/followup, surgery for the current condition, multiple pain conditions, history of prior sport-related injury/surgery, pain medication prescription, catastrophic thinking, and emotional distress, athletes' fear avoidance was not associated with pain (b = -0.14; p = 0.249). The model explained 40% of the variation in pain intensity and pain catastrophizing (b = 0.30; p = 0.001) uniquely explained 7.1% of this variation. In injured athletes, fear avoidance is independently associated with decreased physical function, whereas pain catastrophizing is associated with high pain intensity. Both level of an athlete's fear avoidance and catastrophic thinking about pain should be accounted for in clinical interventions aimed at helping athletes improve recovery and return to sport. Level II, prognostic study.