Non-competitive Sports Research Articles

The Effects of Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Abuse on Gingival Tissues

Anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) is the familiar name for synthetic derivatives of the male sex hormone, testosterone. A large number of young adults abuse AAS to enhance performance and physical appearance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of AAS abuse on the gingival tissues in a group of bodybuilders and weight lifters. The test group was composed of 24 athletes aged between 17 and 29 years who had been using AAS for >1 year. All subjects were clinically examined for plaque levels (plaque index), gingival inflammation (gingival index), and gingival enlargement. The results were compared to a control group of 20 bodybuilders who had never used AAS drugs and who matched for age, educational level, and oral habits according to the data obtained from the test group. Although there were no statistical differences between the plaque index (P>0.05) and gingival index (P>0.05) scores of the study group and the control group, the AAS abusers had statistically higher scores of gingival thickness, extent of gingival encroachment, and total gingival enlargement scores (P<0.001 each) compared to non-users. The results of this study have revealed that the prolonged use of AAS is closely associated with significant levels of gingival enlargement. Because recreational abuse and abuse in non-competitive sports seem to increase despite legislation, dentists and periodontists should be familiar with the adverse effects of these synthetic derivatives of testosterone on the gingival tissues.

Sports Participation during Adolescence: A Shift from Environmental to Genetic Factors

A twin design was used to assess the relative contribution of genetic and environmental influences on the variation in sports participation of Dutch male and female twins between the ages of 13 and 20 yr. Survey data from 2628 complete twin pairs were available (443 male and 652 female monozygotic twin pairs, 377 male and 434 female dizygotic twin pairs, and 722 opposite-sex twin pairs). Subjects were classified as participating in sports if they engaged in competitive or noncompetitive leisure-time sports activities with a minimal intensity of 4 METs for at least 60 min.wk. An overall main effect of age and sex was found on the sports participation dichotomy. Younger twins participated more in sports than older twins, and for each age group males participated more often than females. Genetic analyses of twin resemblance showed a shift in the factors contributing to sports participation from adolescence to adulthood. Between the ages of 13 and 16 yr, environmental factors shared by children from the same family largely account for individual differences in sports participation (78-84%), whereas genes are of no importance. At the age of 17-18 yr, genetic influences start to appear (36%), and the role of common environment decreases (47%). After the age of 18 yr, genes largely explain individual differences in sports participation (85%), and common environmental factors no longer contribute. Environmental factors shared by family members determine sports participation in young adolescence but cease to be of importance in adulthood when individual differences in sports participation are largely due to genetic variation.

Sports and recreation participation in three communities in Botswana

The purpose of this study was to assess sports and recreation participation of three communities in Botswana. A total number of 438 (228 men and 210 women) aged 18 to 40 years were randomly selected to participate in the study. A questionnaire was used to gather information about sports and recreation participation, participation in sports and recreation activities, using the integrated sports facilities and reasons for low participation in sports and recreation activities. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed that soccer, netball, watching TV and listening to music were the most popular non-competitive sports and recreation activities among both men and women. Furthermore, a low levels of participation that ranged from 0.0% to 47.4% in the other remaining non-competitive sports and recreation items were observed. Participation in sports using the integrated sports facilities was as follows: 17.7% for men and 11.8% for women in Molepolole, 23.2% for men and 2.9% for women in Serowe and 43.1% for men and 10.3% for women in Masunga. These low levels of participation were due to lack of awareness, lack of sports and recreation skills, lack of sports and recreation promotion, lack of sports and recreation facilities and lack of recreation personnel. For these low levels of participation to be addressed this study recommended the following: the introduction of various sports and recreation programmes, construction of additional sports and recreation facilities which should be accessible to all members of the community,, introduction of health and wellness programmes through sport and recreation, and training of personnel in sports and recreation programming. Key Words: Sports and recreation participation, communities, constraints, facilities, personnel, programmes, Botswana. AJPHERD Vol.10(4) 2004: 295-305

Sports Participation and Self-Esteem: Variations as a Function of Gender and Gender Role Orientation

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of gender, sports participation, and gender orientation in predicting individuals' domain-specific and global self-esteem. A sample of 100 Grade 11 students completed measures of self-perception, body image, gender orientation, and sports participation. The results showed that although boys reported greater satisfaction with weight and appearance, there were no gender differences in general self-worth. In addition, more feminine individuals who participated in competitive sports reported lower levels of perceived athletic competence and global self-worth, but reported higher self-esteem when they participated in more noncompetitive sports. Although sports participation does predict self-esteem, participants' gender orientation and the type of sports in which they participate are moderating factors.

Heart Transplantation in Neonates: Achievements, Controversies, and Challenges for the Future

After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Compare the results of pediatric heart transplantation with those of transplantation in adults, including the survival rates. 2. Compare and contrast the indications for pediatric heart transplant among those younger and older than 1 year of age. 3. List the common complications after pediatric heart transplantation. 4. Compare and contrast new immunosuppressive agents (tacrolimus, mycophenolate, humanized anti-Tac antibodies) and standard therapies (cyclosporine, azathioprine, prednisone, antithymocyte globulin). 5. Describe the controversy surrounding the proper management of infants who have hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Not long after the first successful human heart transplant was performed, the first neonatal heart transplant was attempted. In December of 1967, Kantrowitz and colleagues at Maimonides Hospital in New York transplanted the heart of an anencephalic infant into a 3-week-old who had tricuspid atresia. Although the recipient survived only 6.5 hours, the technical feasibility of cardiac transplantation in the pediatric patients was proven. Thirty-three years later, heart transplantation has gained widespread acceptance as a standard treatment modality for end-stage cardiomyopathy or noncorrectable congenital heart disease in infants and children. The 2 years following Barnard’s pioneering first transplant saw explosive growth in the field of adult heart transplantation, but poor 1-year survival dampened much of the initial enthusiasm and with it, any hope for bringing heart transplantation to the pediatric population. Most centers eventually abandoned the procedure, and many physicians denounced the concept. However, a few centers persisted, most notably Dr Norman Shumway and colleagues at Stanford, gradually improving survival through strong collaborations with basic immunologists and cardiac pathologists. By the mid-1970s, heart transplantation had been extended successfully to teenagers. The introduction of the “wonder drug” cyclosporine in 1980 so dramatically improved survival in adult cardiac transplant recipients that the extension of transplantation to even younger patients became feasible. Almost as important as …

Influencing Exercise Adherence in Physically Non-Active Young Women: Suggestion for a Model

The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical understanding of what could influence exercise adherence in physically non-active young women. Interviews with twelve physically nonactive young women were strategically selected and analyzed by grounded theory. The results were that several factors could influence exercise adherence in physically non-active young women, and that these factors can be regarded as a number of interrelated dimensions. The influence was coming either from the exercise or from the environment connected to the exercise. The participants wanted to feel enjoyment and to learn something during the exercise (recreation/learning influence). They also wanted to feel belongingness during the exercise (social influence). An influence that promotes health or builds skills (investment influence) could be a trigger to start exercising among the participants, but not to maintain exercise adherence. Influence coming from the environment (enabling influence) was both important and stimulating for physically non-active young women in establishing regular exercise. It is important to present the model developed in this study to communities, sports federations and other authorities working with health promotion activities so that they can explore innovative ways to promote exercise adherence among physically non-active young women. Good examples could be to offer non-competitive sports as well as to develop well-designed exercise programs for physically non-active young women.

Extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism and recreational choice

Over 300 men and women completed a personality questionnaire measuring extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism and an inventory attempting to ascertain recreational interests. There were numerous, predictable sex differences in recreational preference and a clear factor structure to the questionnaire measure of recreational interest. Pearson correlations and multiple regression showed extraversion to be the most powerful correlate of recreational preference. In the final analysis subjects were allocated to groups depending on whether they were active (exercisers) vs passive (non-exercisers); high vs low group oriented; and those who preferred competitive vs non-competitive sports. Extraversion and to a lesser extent neuroticism was clearly related to these groupings. The results are discussed in terms of Eysenck's theories and previous work on sports and recreational psychology.

Leisure and Delinquency

This paper derives and tests eight hypotheses regarding the relationship between leisure and delinquency. These hypotheses focus on 1) type of leisure activity (e.g., sports versus hobbies), 2) with whom the leisure activity is performed, and 3) the extent to which the leisure activity is liked by the respondent. Data from a random sample of 600 adolescents in a major metropolitan area indicate that delinquency is positively related to time spent in 1) unsupervised social activities, 2) leisure activities with peers, and 3) least favorite leisure activities with parents. Delinquency is negatively related to time spent in 1) organized leisure activities, 2) passive entertainment, and 3) noncompetitive sports. These data suggest that future research on delinquency should give more attention to leisure activities.

The Relationship of Competitiveness and Achievement Orientation to Participation in Sport and Nonsport Activities

The validity of the recently developed Sport Orientation Questionnaire (SOQ), a multidimensional measure of sport achievement orientation, was investigated with both high school and university students. Specifically, we examined the correlations of SOQ scores with other measures of competitiveness and general achievement orientation and we compared the relative abilities of SOQ scores and other achievement measures to discriminate participants and nonpar-ticipants in competitive sports, noncompetitive sports, and nonsport activities. The findings obtained with both high school and university students provided convergent and divergent evidence for the validity of the SOQ. SOQ scores were highly correlated with other competitiveness measures, moderately correlated with general achievement measures, and uncorrelated with competitive anxiety and social desirability. Competitiveness scores were the strongest discriminators between competitive sport participants and nonpar-ticipants, but SOQ scores were weaker discriminators for noncompetitive achievement choices. The findings confirm the value of a multidimensional, sport-specific achievement measure and provide good evidence for the validity of the Sport Orientation Questionnaire.

European Approaches and Innovations in Serving the Handicapped

During the last 30 years, there has been much progress in the treatment of the handicapped in a number of countries in Western Europe. Some of the advances that deserve international attention because of their high quality or uniqueness have occurred in the following areas: vocational training, sheltered workshops, the new educateur profession, the role of voluntary organizations, the normalization principle, the anthroposophic schools and villages, the lekoteks or preschool centers, special purpose institutions like the Beitostolen Health Sports Center and the Pestalozzi International Children's Village, instructional and architectural innovations, noncompetitive sports and outdoor activities, and the beautification of the schools through art. All countries have much to learn from each other.

Instant electrocardiography. Use in cardiac exercise programs.

Instant electrocardiograms before and after physical activity were recorded three times per week for three to six months in ten patients with postmyocardial infarction angina pectoris who engaged in a physical training program. Four patients developed ST-segment depressions of over 2 mm following exercise and one of the four had associated ventricular ectopia. Three other patients had asymptomatic runs of ventricular tachycardia. Two of the latter subsequently developed ventricular fibrillation during moderate physical activity and one subsequently died suddenly at home while engaged in yardwork. Instant electrocardiography represents a simple way to screen for patients prone to exercise-induced arrhythmias. It is felt that the latter should be on antiarrhythmic drugs and be limited to rather light physical activity such as certain flexibility exercises, noncompetitive team sports, and moderately brisk walking.