Pain In Girls Research Articles

Effect of 8 Weeks Foot Reflexology Massage on Balance, Foot Arc, and Pain in Girls Aged 14 to 18 Years With Flat Foot

Background and Aims A flat foot is associated with complications, such as pain, fatigue, and balance decline. The present study investigated the effect of 8 weeks of foot reflexology massage on balance, foot arch, and pain in girls aged 14 to 18 years with flat feet. Methods In this quasi-experimental research, 30 girls with flat feet (mean age: 15.1±1.1 years, mean height: 156.1±2.2, and mean weight: 47.3±2.2 kg) voluntarily and conveniently were selected and randomly divided into two equal experimental and control groups. The massage program consisted of eight weeks (three sessions per week) of foot reflexology massage on the entire sole of both feet, in which two to three relaxation techniques were used in each session, according to the subject’s condition, for six minutes. Twenty-four hours before and 24 hours after the end of the massage therapy protocol, foot arch, dynamic balance, static balance, and pain intensity were assessed using the index of navicular drop test, star excursion balance test, balance error scoring system, and visual analog scale, respectively. Data analysis was done with an analysis of covariance at a significance level of 0.05. Results The results showed that reflexology massage significantly affects static balance (P=0.0001) and pain intensity (P=0.0001) of young girls with flat feet. However, no significant effect was observed on the arch of the foot (P=0.38) and the dynamic balance (P=0.36). Conclusion Reflexology massage improves the proprioceptive information of the skin. Accordingly, it has improved static balance and reduced the pain intensity of girls with flat feet.

Increases in Sleep Difficulties and Psychological Symptoms are Associated With the Increase of Chronic Back Pain in Adolescents: The HBSC Study 2002 to 2018

Cross-national research using data from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) survey showed an increase in the prevalence of chronic back pain from 2002 to 2014. However, it is unknown if this trend has persisted beyond 2014. The aims of this study were to 1) determine if the prevalence of chronic back pain in girls and boys aged 11, 13, and 15 continued to increase from 2014 to 2018 and if this was the case, 2) examine whether this increase in the prevalence of chronic back pain between 2002 and 2018 was explained indirectly by increases in sleep difficulties and psychological symptoms. Data from 7,89,596 adolescents retrieved from 5 waves of the HBSC survey conducted in 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 in 32 countries/regions were used. Logistic regressions and path analyses were conducted. Results showed an overall increase of .5% in the prevalence of chronic back pain between 2014 and 2018, ranging from .4% for 15-year-old girls to 1.3% for 11-year-old boys, indicating a continued overall increase in chronic back pain in adolescents beyond 2014. For 13-year-old girls and for 15-year-old girls and boys, the increase in the prevalence of chronic back pain between 2002 and 2018 was partially mediated by increases in sleep difficulties, which in turn were associated with increases in psychological symptoms. The findings provide important information that may aid stakeholders in enhancing public health initiatives to prevent or reduce the increasing trend in the prevalence of chronic back pain in adolescents. PerspectiveThis study shows that chronic back pain prevalence continues to increase among adolescents, with sleep difficulties and psychological symptoms contributing significantly to this trend. The findings provide insights that may inform strategies to prevent or reduce the increasing trend of chronic back pain in adolescents.

Nocturnal Vulval Pain in Girls-A Subset of Vulvodynia?

The aims of the authors' case series were to outline the clinical features of prepubertal nocturnal vulval pain syndrome and to look at management and outcomes. Clinical details of prepubertal girls experiencing episodes of nocturnal vulval pain with no identifiable cause were recorded and analyzed. Parents completed a questionnaire to look at outcomes. Eight girls with age at onset of symptoms between 3.5 and 8 years (mean 4.4 years) were included. Each patient described intermittent episodes of vulval pain lasting between 20 minutes and 5 hours, starting 1-4 hours after falling asleep. They were crying and rubbing or holding the vulva with no obvious cause seen. Many were not fully awake and 75% had no recollection of the events. Management focused on reassurance alone. The questionnaire showed that 83% had full resolution of symptoms with a mean duration of 5.7 years. Prepubertal nocturnal vulval pain syndrome may be a subset of vulvodynia (generalized, spontaneous, intermittent) to be included in the clinical spectrum of night terrors. Recognizing the clinical key features should aid prompt diagnosis and reassurance of the parents.

Familial imperforate hymen among three sisters of varying ages from the same mother: Case report about an unusual family event

Imperforate hymen is a rare condition, occurring in 1 in 2000 females in childhood period. However, it is not an uncommon cause of lower abdominal pain in girls. Without careful history taking and a thorough examination, the diagnosis can easily be missed. We report three cases of girls aged 8 years, 6 years and 33 months born of the same mother with imperforate hymen, who presented with varying symptoms. It should be noted that the mother also had a history of imperforate hymen. The diagnosis of imperforate hymen was made by history, physical examination and abdominopelvic ultrasound scan. All girls had a successful hymenectomy followed by a complication free recovery. No other abnormalities were diagnosed. A high index of suspicion is paramount among girls born in families that have a history of imperforate hymen to ensure timely diagnosis and management. Exhaustive physical examination at birth or during puberty is mandatory which often guides the timing of hymenectomy and prevents the complications in this category of patients.

Pain in Rett syndrome: a pilot study and a single case study on the assessment of pain and the construction of a suitable measuring scale

BackgroundRett Syndrome (RTT) is a severe, neurodevelopmental disorder mainly caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene, affecting around 1 in 10,000 female births. Severe physical, language, and social impairments impose a wide range of limitations in the quality of life of the patients with RTT. Comorbidities of patients with RTT are varied and cause a lot of pain, but communicating this suffering is difficult for these patients due to their problems, such as apraxia that does not allow them to express pain in a timely manner, and their difficulties with expressive language that also do not permit them to communicate. Two studies, a pilot study and a single case study, investigate the manifestation of pain of patients with RTT and propose a suitable scale to measure it.Aims of this studyThe first aim was to describe pain situations of RTT by collecting information by parents; the second aim was to test and compare existing questionnaires for non-communicating disorders on pain such as Pain assessment in advanced demenzia (PAINAD), the Critical care pain observation tool (CPOT) and the Non-communicating Children’s Pain Checklist-Revised (NCCPC-R) to assess which of them is best related to the pain behavior of patients with RTT. The third aim was to identify the specific verbal and non-verbal behaviors that characterize pain in girls with Rett syndrome, discriminating them from non-pain behaviors.MethodNineteen participants, eighteen girls with RTT and one girl with RTT with 27 manifestations of pain were video-recorded both in pain and base-line conditions. Two independent observers codified the 90 video-recording (36 and 54) to describe their behavioral characteristics.ResultsThe two studies showed that the most significant pain behaviors expressed by girls with respect to the baseline condition, at the facial level were a wrinkled forehead, wide eyes, grinding, banging teeth, complaining, making sounds, crying and screaming, and the most common manifestations of the body were tremors, forward and backward movement of the torso, tension in the upper limbs, increased movement of the lower limbs and a sprawling movement affecting the whole body.ConclusionThe results of the two studies helped to create an easy-to-apply scale that healthcare professionals can use to assess pain in patients with Rett’s syndrome. This scale used PAINAD as its basic structure, with some changes in the items related to the behavior of patients with RTT.

Sedentary behavior is associated with musculoskeletal pain in adolescents: A cross sectional study

BackgroundHigh prevalence of back pain has been observed in adolescents. Sedentary behavior (SB) is considered a risk factor for musculoskeletal pain. The association between back pain and SB in the pediatric/adolescent population is not well established. ObjectiveTo investigate the association between SB and low back and neck pain in adolescents according to sex. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study with children and adolescents aged 10-17 years, randomly recruited from public and private schools in Presidente Prudente, Brazil. All students enrolled in the selected schools were eligible to participate. SB was evaluated by adding the number of hours of use of screen devices, such as television, computer, video game, and smartphone/tablet. To assess neck and low back pain, the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used. Physical activity and socioeconomic status were assessed by the Baecke Questionnaire and the Brazilian Criteria for Economic Classification (ABEP), respectively. Odds ratio (OR) from Binary Logistic Regression in the unadjusted and adjusted model (physical activity, abdominal obesity, and socioeconomic status) showed the relationship between musculoskeletal pain and SB. ResultsA total of 1011 adolescents (557 girls) with a mean ± standard deviation age of 13.2±2.4 years were included. Moderate (OR = 1.80; 95%CI: 1.00, 3.23) and high (OR = 1.91; 95%CI: 1.02, 3.53) SB were associated with neck pain in girls. In boys, moderate SB (OR = 2.75; 95%CI: 1.31, 5.78) were associated with neck pain. Moderate (OR = 2.73; 95%CI: 1.45, 5.02) and high (OR = 2.49; 95%CI: 1.30, 4.76) SB were associated with low back pain only in girls. ConclusionModerate and high SB were associated with neck pain in girls and boys, while moderate and high SB were associated with low back pain only in girls.

Decreased dysmenorrhea pain in girls by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory biomarkers following supplementation with oleoylethanolamide: A randomized controlled trial

This study aimed to evaluate the oleoylethanolamide (OEA) effects on oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in girls with primary dysmenorrhea. This double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was done on population consisted of female students who had dysmenorrhea pain based on the visual analogue scale (VAS) questionnaire. Patients were randomly allocated to groups consuming a capsule containing 125 mg of OEA per day (n=22) or placebo (n=22) for 2 months. The severity of the pain, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDA), C-reactive protein (CRP), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured at the beginning and the end of the study. In this study, SPSS software was used to analyze the data. According to the results, oral supplementation with OEA for 60 days significantly increased TAC (p=0.022) and decreased the menstrual pain (p=0.040), MDA (p=0.011), CRP (p=0.01), and TNF-α (p=0.038) compared to the placebo group. Also, intragroup changes were statistically significant on the mean of pain (p=0.042), TAC (p=0.032), MDA (p=0.023), CRP (p=0.027), and TNF-α (p=0.029) at the end of the study in the intervention group. Changes in the studied factors at the end of the study compared to the beginning of the study in the placebo group were not statistically significant. Considering the reducing effects of OEA on menstrual pain, using of this supplement can be introduced as an alternative medicine to reduce the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Emergency Department Evaluation of Abdominal Pain in Female Adolescents.

Evaluation of acute abdominal pain in an adolescent female patient should include consideration of all potential sources of pain, including gynecologic etiologies. The goal of our study was to determine the frequency of evaluation of gynecologic causes of abdominal pain in adolescent girls seen in a pediatric emergency department. A retrospective review was performed of girls between 12 and 21 years of age presenting to the emergency department or urgent care centers at a single pediatric institution with the chief complaint of abdominal pain during 2016. Frequency analyses of demographic and clinical characteristics are presented. A total of 1082 girls presented with a chief complaint of abdominal pain. Menarche was documented in 85% of patients, sexual history in 52% of patients, and assessment of contraception use in 28%. Pregnancy testing was performed in 77%. Sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing was performed in 31%, and in only 73% of patients who reported being sexually active. Imaging was performed in 52%. In the subgroup of patients who reported being sexually active and presented with abdominal pain and vaginal discharge, only 37% had a pelvic examination performed. In multivariable modeling, Black patients were significantly more likely than White patients to have STI testing performed (adjusted risk ratio [aRR]=1.39; confidence interval [CI]=1.13-1.70) and to undergo a pelvic examination (aRR=2.45; CI=1.34-4.50), and less likely to undergo imaging (aRR=0.69; CI=0.59-0.81). The assessment of abdominal pain in adolescent girls should include gynecologic etiologies. Our results raise concerns that there are deficiencies in the evaluation of gynecologic sources of abdominal pain in girls treated at pediatric facilities, and evidence of potential racial disparities.

Continuity of physical activity practice from childhood to adolescence is associated with lower neck pain in both sexes and lower back pain in girls.

The literature on physical activity practice through sports as a protective factor for back pain in adolescents is conflicting. However, few studies have aimed to verify if continuity of the practice of physical activity from childhood to adolescence may be related to lower chances of back pain in adolescents. The objective of this study was to analyze the association between physical activity practice from childhood to adolescence and back pain in adolescents. The random sample was composed of 870 adolescents with a mean age of 13.7 ± 2.0 years. The continuity of physical activity practice was assessed through the continuity of sports practice from childhood to adolescence. Pain in the neck and low back were evaluated through a questionnaire. The prevalence of neck pain and low back pain in boys was 17.5% and in girls was 20.9% for neck pain and 21.9% for low back pain. Physical activity practice during childhood to adolescence was a protective factor for neck pain (OR = 0.57 [CI = 0.35-0.94]) and low back pain (OR = 0.53 [CI = 0.33-0.86]) in girls and neck pain in boys (OR = 0.52 [CI = 0.30-0.90]), even after adjusting for confounding factors. Girls with physical activity practice during childhood to adolescence were less likely to develop neck pain and back pain when compared to girls who did not maintain practice of physical activity. Similar results were observed in boys considering neck pain.

Relationship between Impaired Functional Stability, Back Pain and Fatigue

Musculoskeletal dysfunctions are commonly diagnosed in children and teenagers and have the tendency to grow [1]. Epidemiological research shows that non-specific low back pain occurs in childhood and the incidence increases from 13 to 51% [2]. According to research, every fifth school-age child is complaining of back pain [3]. The aim of the research was to define relationship between impaired functional stability, low back pain and fatigue in 9–12-yearold children. Height, weight as well as functional stability of 121 children raging in age from 9 to 12 years were assessed using Matthiass test [3]. Prevalence and intensity of low back pain as well as fatigue during the day and its intensity were assessed using pain and fatigue scales for children. Just one-fifth of the children were diagnosed with functional stability. Back pain was experienced by more than half of the children. Back pain in girls was significantly higher than that in boys. Singificantly more girls felt fatigue during the day compared to boys. Back pain can be influenced by the emergence of poor functional stability – significantly more children who failed in functional stability test reported back pain. Also back pain in children can be related to tiredness during the day.Keywords: functional stability, back pain, children, fatigue.

Prevalence and associated psychosocial and health factors of chronic pain in adolescents: Differences by sex and age.

Chronic pain is a common issue in adolescents. Prevalence of pain and associated factors present differently in sex and age subgroups; however, the interaction of sex and age combined has not been thoroughly assessed. This study aimed to identify psychosocial and health factors associated with chronic pain in younger and older adolescent girls and boys. Students from five schools in grades 5-10 self-completed a pain survey. Participants were 2,280 adolescents (52% girls) aged 10-18years (M=12.95, SD=1.84). Data were analysed using multivariate logistic regression models. Chronic pain was present in 33% of participants. The risk of chronic pain increased by 29% in girls, compared to 16% in boys, per year of age (p=.039). Overall, depression (OR=2.05, p<.001), anxiety (OR=1.51, p<.001), lower school satisfaction (OR=1.41, p=.034) and sleep issues (OR=2.34, p<.001) were associated with chronic pain. Stratified analyses identified unique significant associations between chronic pain and psychosocial factors. In boys aged 10-13years, higher socioeconomic status (OR=1.76, p=.024) and poorer school performance (OR=1.60, p=.027) were uniquely important; in girls aged 10-13years, lower school satisfaction (OR=2.92, p=.003) was associated with pain, and in older girls aged 14-18years, anxiety (OR=1.74, p=.009) was significantly associated with pain. When these differences were assessed statistically, only lower school satisfaction had significant differences between subgroups (p=.049). Many psychosocial and health factors are similarly important, with few differences, for chronic pain in girls and boys at different stages of adolescence. We report evidence that negative psychosocial and health factors are related to a higher prevalence of chronic pain in adolescents. Furthermore, the relationships between anxiety, socioeconomic status, lower school satisfaction and lower school performance with pain may vary between adolescents of differing sexes and ages. Understanding how possible risk factors for chronic pain contribute differently to the pain experience of adolescent girls and boys is an important step towards lowering the prevalence of this common health condition.

Headache, abdominal and back pain in children and adolescents in Germany : Results from KiGGS Wave2 and trends

Pain not only causes suffering in children and adolescents, but also leads to school absenteeism, medication intake, medical treatment, and an increased risk of recurrent pain in adulthood. Based on data from the nationwide German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS Wave2, 2014-2017), the 3‑month prevalence of recurrent headache, abdominal and back pain in girls and boys is reported, and is compared with the prevalence from the KiGGS baseline survey (2003-2006). The consequences of recurrent headache were also explored. Data from >11,000 participants (KiGGS Wave2) and from >12,000 (KiGGS baseline) participants aged between 3 and 17years were analyzed. For 3‑ to 10-year-olds, parents/guardians answered the questions, while 11- to 17-year-olds provided information themselves. In 3‑ to 10-year-olds, recurrent abdominal pain was most prevalent, affecting one third of girls and one quarter of boys. Headache was the most frequent type of pain in 11- to 17-year-olds, affecting almost every second girl and about every third boy. The 3‑month prevalence of recurrent headache, abdominal and back pain has increased in girls and boys, especially in the age groups 7 to 10years and 11 to 13years. Among recurrent headache sufferers, adolescents take medication almost twice as often as children. Headache, abdominal, and back pain are still and with increasing prevalence very common symptoms in children and adolescents in Germany. Their prevention requires aholistic view of children's healthin the psychosocial living environment, and healthcare context.

Effect of Ginger and Novafen on menstrual pain: A cross-over trial

ObjectiveMenstrual pain is a periodic pain which happens during the days of menses. The menstrual disturbances as a health problem among young girls affect not only reproductive, but also psychical health and quality of life. This study was done with the goal of comparing the effect of Ginger and Novafen on the menstrual pain. Materials and methodsThis crossover clinical trial study was done in Iran on 168 single girl students 18–26 years old in Babol University of Medical Sciences with primary menstrual pain. The participants were randomly allocated to two groups receiving the drugs Novafen and Ginger. At the beginning of pain, in the two groups 200 mg capsule was given every 6 h for two serial cycles. Pain severity was measured by the visual scale before treatment, 1 h after consuming the drug (for 24 h) and 48 h after the onset of drug. ResultsThe mean age of participants was 21.83 ± 2.07 years. It has been reported that the intensity of pain from dysmenorrhea decreased in the Novafen and Ginger groups. Before treatment, the average pain intensity in Novafen and Ginger users were 7.12 ± 2.32 and 7.60 ± 1.84, respectively and after treatment pain intensity decreased to 3.10 ± 2.69 and 2.97 ± 2.69, respectively. Differences between two groups each time showed no statistical significance (p > 0.05). ConclusionBoth drugs reduced menstrual pain. Ginger as well as Novafen is effective in relieving pain in girls with primary dysmenorrhea . Therefore, treatment with natural herbal medicine, non-synthetic drug, to reduce primary dysmenorrhea is recommended.

Parental physical activity is associated with objectively measured physical activity in young children in a sex-specific manner: the GECKO Drenthe cohort

BackgroundPhysical activity (PA) is important in combating childhood obesity. Parents, and thus parental PA, could influence PA in young children. We examined whether the time spent at different intensities of PA and the type of parental PA are associated with the PA of children aged 4–7 years, and whether the associations between child-parent pairs were sex-specific.MethodsAll the participants were recruited from the Groningen Expert Center for Kids with Obesity (GECKO) birth cohort (babies born between 1 April 2006 and 1 April 2007 in Drenthe province, the Netherlands) and were aged 4–7 years during measurement. PA in children was measured using the ActiGraph GT3X (worn at least 3 days, ≥10 h per day). PA in parents was assessed using the validated SQUASH questionnaire.ResultsOf the N = 1146 children with valid ActiGraph data and 838 mothers and 814 fathers with valid questionnaire data, 623 child-parent pairs with complete data were analysed. More leisure time PA in mothers was associated with more time spent in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in children (Spearman r = 0.079, P < .05). Maternal PA was significantly related to PA in girls, but not boys. More time spent in maternal vigorous PA, in sports activity, and leisure time PA, were all related to higher MVPA in girls (Spearman r = 0.159, r = 0.133 and r = 0.127 respectively, Pall < .05). In fathers, PA levels were predominantly related to PA in sons. High MVPA in fathers was also related to high MVPA in sons (r = 0.132, P < 0.5). Spending more time in light PA was related to more sedentary time and less time in MVPA in sons.ConclusionsHigher PA in mothers, for instance in leisure activities, is related to higher PA in daughters, and more active fathers are related to more active sons. To support PA in young children, interventions could focus on the PA of the parent of the same sex as the child. Special attention may be needed for families where the parents have sedentary jobs, as children from these families seem to adopt more sedentary behaviour.

Dysmenorrhea and the Pediatric Adnexa

Pediatric surgeons are called upon to evaluate abdominal and pelvic pain in girls of all ages. Dysmenorrhea and adnexal pathology are important to consider in the evaluation and subsequent management of such patients. An understanding of not only the pathology and surgical management but also the long-term implications is absolutely crucial for pediatric surgeons and pediatricians alike. Careful diagnosis and an emerging commitment to ovarian preservation define treatment for pediatric dysmenorrhea and adnexal pathology. In this review, we discuss primary and secondary dysmenorrhea as well as adnexal pathology that may present in pediatric patients.

Surgical and nonsurgical interventions for vulvar and clitoral pain in girls and women living with female genital mutilation: A systematic review

Vulvar and clitoral pain are known complications of female genital mutilation (FGM). Several interventions have been used to treat these conditions. This review focuses on surgical and nonsurgical interventions to improve vulvar and clitoral pain in women living with FGM. To evaluate the impact of nonsurgical and surgical interventions for alleviating vulvar and clitoral pain in women living with any type of FGM and to assess the associated adverse events. The search included the following major databases: Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, and ClinicalTrials.gov. These were searched from inception until August 10, 2015 without any language restrictions. Study designs included randomized controlled trials, cluster randomized trials, nonrandomized trials, cohort studies, case-control studies, controlled before-and-after studies, historical control studies, and interrupted time series with reported data comparing outcomes among women with FGM who were treated for clitoral or vulvar pain with either surgical or nonsurgical interventions. Two team members independently screened studies for eligibility. No studies were included. Limited information exists on management of vulvar and clitoral pain in women living with FGM. This constitutes an important area for further research. CRD42015024521.

Pain Catastrophizing Predicts Menstrual Pain Ratings in Adolescent Girls with Chronic Pain.

The current study aimed to explore relationships among self-reported menstrual pain ratings, acute laboratory pain, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety sensitivity in a sample of girls without pain (No Pain group) and girls with a chronic pain condition (Chronic Pain group). A laboratory at an off-campus Medical School office building. Eighty-four postmenarchal girls (43 No Pain, 41 Chronic Pain) ages 10-17 participated in the study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing menstrual pain, pain catastrophizing, and anxiety sensitivity and completed a cold pressor task. Pain intensity during the task was rated on a 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain possible) numeric rating scale. After controlling for age, average menstrual pain ratings (without medication) were significantly correlated with cold pressor pain intensity for the No Pain group only. In the Chronic Pain group, menstrual pain ratings were significantly correlated with pain catastrophizing and anxiety sensitivity. In a multiple linear regression analysis, after controlling for age, only pain catastrophizing emerged as a significant predictor of menstrual pain ratings in the Chronic Pain group. Results demonstrate differences in relationships among menstrual pain, acute laboratory pain, and psychological variables in girls with no pain compared with girls with chronic pain. In addition, pain catastrophizing may be a particularly salient factor associated with menstrual pain in girls with chronic pain that warrants further investigation.

Surgical tactic in treatment of ovarian masses in adolescents

Ovarian lesions in children are most frequently diagnosed in pubertal period. That could be associated with increased gonadotropin stimulation in this period. Most of the andexal masses in adolescents are benign. Malignant tumors of the ovary account less than 2 % in girls. Every girl with ovarian tumor and acute abdominal pain requires urgent differential diagnostic intervention and/or surgical treatment. The proportion of ovarian torsion is 2-3 % of all cases of abdominal pain in girls. This condition is an emergent gynecological pathology. One of the main aim of surgical treatment in young is to preserve fertility. Different surgery tactics in cases of ovarian masses in adolescents are reviewed in the article. The reproductive status of women underwent treatment for ovarian masses in childhood requires further investigations.

Physical activity levels and energy expenditure in urban Serbian adolescents--a preliminary study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of PA and EE in Serbian urban adolescents, using an objective measure. In particular, we explored gender and weight status related differences in PA level and EE among Serbian adolescents. In addition, their PA and EE obtained during schooldays and weekends were compared. From the representative sample of elementary schools in Belgrade, one school was selected by random sampling for the purpose of the objective PA assessment. The sample included 115 students (53 boys and 62 girls) of the average age 14.0 (0.6) years. EE and the duration of PA levels were assessed by the Sense Wear PRO3 Armband device (Body Media Inc., Pittsburgh, PA, USA). IOTF cut-off points were used to define subjects as non-overweight, overweight or obese. Analysis of variance was applied to examine the impacts of gender and weight status on EE and PA duration. Adolescents spent most of the time in sedentary regime 241.7 ± 62.8 min/day, on average and they were totally physically active for 196.0 ± 73.5 min/day. Boys accumulated more PA than girls and during schooldays, the PA of all adolescents was higher than during weekend days. OW girls spent less time in total PA, MPA, and VVPA. On the other hand, NW and OW boys differed only in VVPA. Consequently, OW girls had lower energy expenditure compared with their NW peers, but no such differences in boys were found. The results of this study indicate that low PA activity might be a more important factor in propagation of overweight in girls than boys, at least in early adolescent period. PA in girls should be strongly encouraged, with a special focus on vigorous PA during weekends.

Can Internalization of Sociocultural Beauty Standards Predict Adolescents’ Physical Activity?

The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between the internalization of sociocultural standards of physical attractiveness and physical activity among adolescents of both genders. The participants of the study were 821 adolescents from 15 to 18 years of age. Internalization of general sociocultural standards of physical attractiveness was associated with significantly lower strenuous and moderate PA in girls, but not in boys. Internalization of athletic body image was associated with higher strenuous PA in both genders.