Sport Science Research Articles

Determining the relationship between physical activity and intuitive eating and mindful eating in university students

In this study, it was aimed to determine the relationship between physical activity and intuitive eating (IE) and mindful eating (ME) in university students. The “International Physical Activity Short Form”, “Mindful Eating Test (MET)” and “Intuitive Eating Scale (IES)” were applied by questioning the demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, health information and nutritional habits of 255 university students studying in Health and Sports sciences. Among the students whose mean age is 20.34±2.06, 86.7% of the students who are in health science are female, and 67.7% of them, who are in sports sciences are male (p<0.05). Students (51.4%) with normal Body Mass Index (BMI) consume three main meals and go on a diet for aesthetic reasons. Eating discipline (ED), emotional eating (EE), and intuitive eating total (IET) scores are higher in females, while control of eating (EC) scores are higher in males (p<0.05). Intuitive eating total score, reliance on hunger and satiety cues (RHSC), unconditional permission to eat (UPE) and EC cores are positively related to BMI. Students who are physically inactive have higher IET score, RHSC, body-food choice congruence, focusing and ED, and those who do adequate physical activity have higher eating control scores (p<0.05). Mindful eating total score and sub-dimensions are positively correlated with the score of all sub-dimensions except UPE, which is one of the sub-dimensions of IE (p<0.05). In addition, as the UPE score increases, the total scores of disinhibitions, ED, focusing, interference, EE, and ME decrease (p<0.05). In conclusion, ME and IE are positively related to each other. It is understood that adequate and balanced nutrition along with being physically active at the same time is quite important for younger individuals to be healthier.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Post-Exercise Inflammation, Muscle Damage, Oxidative Response, and Sports Performance in Physically Healthy Adults-A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Omega-3 is a family of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which have been used to treat a wide variety of chronic diseases, due mainly to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, among others. In this context, omega-3 could be post-exercise recovery agent and sports supplement that could improve performance by preserving and promoting skeletal muscle mass and strength. No conclusive evidence, however, exists about the potential effects of omega-3 on post-exercise biomarkers and sports performance in physically healthy adults. Based on the PRISMA in Exercise, Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, and Sports Science (PERSiST) guidelines, we systematically reviewed studies indexed in Web of Science, Scopus, and Medline to assess the effects of omega-3 on post-exercise inflammation, muscle damage, oxidant response, and sports performance in physically healthy adults. The search was performed on original articles published in the last 10 years up to 5 May 2024, with a controlled trial design in which omega-3 supplementation was compared with a control group. Among 14,971 records identified in the search, 13 studies met the selection criteria. The duration of the interventions ranged from 1 day to 26 weeks of supplementation and the doses used were heterogeneous. Creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the control group in 3 of the 4 studies where these markers were analyzed. C-reactive protein (CRP) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the control group of 2 of the 13 studies where this marker was analyzed. The delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) gave mixed results. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) showed improvements with supplementation, but tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) displayed no differences. The consumption of n-3 PUFAs improved some indicators of oxidative stress such as reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio. Additional evidence is needed to establish clear recommendations regarding the dose and length of n-3 PUFA supplements. These may benefit the post-exercise inflammatory response, mitigate muscle damage, and decrease oxidative stress caused by exercise. However, studies did not evaluate omega-3 status at baseline or following supplementation and therefore the observations must be treated with caution.

A Comparison of Glutathione and Malondialdehyde Concentrations in Athletes Engaged in Certain Sports

Sports stimulate the body to adapt to physical activity, causing biochemical and functional metabolic changes in various systems and organs of the body due to exercise. Antioxidants and free radicals affect the biological activity of living organisms, leading to physiological changes in all body systems due to exercise. This study, conducted from December 2023 to February 2024, included 120 blood samples from male basketball (40), football (40), and volleyball (40) players ages 18-27 years, from the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at Tikrit University. Blood samples were collected ten minutes before and ten minutes after 70 minutes of exercise on the same day. The study found no significant differences in glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations before and after exercise among the groups. The findings suggest that the type of sport (football, basketball, or volleyball) with an anaerobic system does not significantly affect antioxidant and fat peroxidation levels, though slight variations due to increased lactic acid in muscles were noted, leading to muscle fatigue and minor changes in GSH and MDA concentrations.

Impact of Pediococcus pentosaceus YF01 on the exercise capacity of mice through the regulation of oxidative stress and alteration of gut microbiota.

Using treadmill training, this study replicated human exercise conditions and triggered exercise-induced fatigue in mice to examine the potential of Pediococcus pentosaceus YF01 in delaying this fatigue by regulating oxidative stress and its impact on the exercise capacity and gut microbiota of mice. The exercise capacity of mice was tested by conducting exhaustion tests, determining histopathological changes in mouse tissues, detecting the levels of serum biochemical markers, and evaluating the mRNA expression levels of relevant genes. YF01 prolonged the exhaustion time of mice, increased the serum levels of oxidative stress-related markers T-AOC, CAT, and GSH, as well as GLU and LA levels in the mice. YF01 decreased the levels of hepatic-related markers AST and ALT, as well as exercise-related markers LDH, BUN, UA, and CRE in the mice. YF01 upregulated the mRNA expression of MyHc I, SIRT1, and PGC in muscle tissues, as well as SOD1, SOD2, and CAT in both liver and muscle tissues. YF01 also downregulated the mRNA expression of MyHc IIa, MyHc IIb, and MyHc IIx in muscle tissues. Furthermore, YF01 increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Lachnospiraceae in the gut microbiota of mice. In conclusion, P. pentosaceus YF01 may affect the exercise capacity of mice by modulating oxidative stress levels, thereby offering novel ideas for developing of sports science and human health.

Development of Flip Book-Based Learning Media for Sports Physiology in Physical Education Students at University

This study aimed to develop and validate flip book-based learning media for sports physiology at the Faculty of Sports Science, Medan State University, focusing on Recreational Health Physical Education students. The research utilized the ADDIE development model, encompassing Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate stages. Data collection involved media expert validation questionnaires, materials, and trials with small and large student samples. Quantitative descriptive analysis was employed to present product development results, validate the tool, and assess its feasibility. Initial validation by a linguist resulted in a 76% suitability score, which improved to 89% after revisions, categorizing it as very feasible. Similarly, media experts rated the first stage at 76%, increasing to 89% post-revision. Small sample trials among students yielded a 76% suitability score, while large sample trials achieved 89%, both in the very feasible category. The findings indicate that flip book-based sports physiology learning media are highly suitable for use by physical education, health, and recreation students at Medan State University.

Differences in anthropometric and vertical jump force-time characteristics between U16 and U18 female basketball players.

Considering the importance of body composition and lower-body strength and power for basketball players' on-court performance, as well as a lack of sports science research focused on female athletes, the purpose of the present investigation was to record the anthropometric and countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) characteristics of top-tier U16 and U18 female basketball players and examine between-group differences in the aforementioned tests. Thirty-two athletes who were a part of the national basketball academy volunteered to participate in the present investigation. Following the body composition assessment conducted via a segmental multifrequency bioimpedance analyzer, athletes performed three CMJs while standing on a force plate system sampling at 1000 Hz. Independent t-test and Mann-Whitney U-test were used to examine between-group differences. The findings reveal significant differences in body composition and lower-body neuromuscular performance characteristics between female basketball players ages 16 and 18. Although no differences were observed in muscle and body fat percentages, the U18 group had significantly greater height, overall body mass (both muscle and fat mass), as well as greater segmental fat-free mass (trunk, both legs and arms), intracellular and extracellular water, and body mass index when compared to their U16 counterparts. On the other hand, the U18 group demonstrated longer eccentric, concentric, and braking phase duration, as well as overall contraction time when compared to the U16 players. In addition, the U18 athletes exhibited higher eccentric mean force and power, concentric impulse, peak power, and mean and peak force.

Enhancing Pencak Silat Education through Application-Based Learning Media: A Comparative Study on Teaching Effectiveness and Student Outcomes

This examination is advancement research that expects to configuration learning media that contains appraisals in hand to hand fighting contests, particularly combative techniques and particularly aiding the field of sports science, particularly in the field of refereeing and sports accomplishments in North Sumatra. An application that contains assessments in both legal and illegal pencak silat competitions is the form of the developed media. These assessments are presented in the form of videos and match scoring. Additionally, the application includes a useful assessment of fundamental martial arts and martial arts techniques for use in classes. This thought emerged when specialists wanted to expect to discover that was more viable and proficient, as well as valuable for selecting contender for combative techniques and hand to hand fighting officials. The distribution of training materials for martial arts referees can also benefit from this application, particularly in the field of refereeing. The information displayed in this study is a correlation of the viability of the learning model for every mark of the evaluation of the new learning model (in the wake of utilizing the application) more successful than the old learning model (prior to utilizing the application). The new learning model has an efficiency of 85.71 percent, while the old learning model has an efficiency of 60 percent. The old learning model's average effectiveness of implementation indicators was 50%, while the new model's average effectiveness was 70%. Therefore, it can be concluded that the new learning model is superior to the old learning model (previous to using a drill machine) after using a drill machine.

The Menstrual Health Manager (MHM): A Resource to Reduce Discrepancies Between Science and Practice in Sport and Exercise.

Inadequate research on female health and performance; the complexity of the research; low menstrual health literacy of athletes, coaches, and support staff; and ethical and cultural sensitivities are all recognized as barriers to effective health monitoring for females in sports. Frameworks have been developed for academics to follow to help improve the quality of female-specific research. However, a similar resource that enables correct terminology, and use of health monitoring techniques has not been provided for sporting organizations, coaches, support staff or athletes. Therefore, this critical commentary presents a new resource, the Menstrual Health Manager. This resource may be used to determine the level of menstrual health monitoring detail that may be used by organisations, coaches or athletes, and specifies what reproductive health details the data will provide. This resource aims to provide organizations and coaches with a means of understanding the data that inform their decisions for female athletes. Utilization of this resource may aid in the consistent use of terminology and methods for female-specific health monitoring in both sports and research.

Selected Abstracts of the 24th International Scientific Students' Conference held at the Hungarian University of Sports Science, April 24–26, 2024, Budapest, Hungary

Selected Abstracts of the 24th International Scientific Students' Conference held at the Hungarian University of Sports Science, April 24–26, 2024, Budapest, Hungary

Effects of the Menstrual Cycle and Hormonal Contraceptive Use on Metabolic Outcomes, Strength Performance, and Recovery: A Narrative Review.

The effects of female sex hormones on optimal performance have been increasingly recognized as an important consideration in exercise and sport science research. This narrative review explores the findings of studies evaluating the effects of menstrual cycle phase in eumenorrheic women and the use of hormonal contraception (oral contraceptives and hormonal intrauterine devices) on metabolism, muscular strength, and recovery in active females. Ovarian hormones are known to influence metabolism because estrogen is a master regulator of bioenergetics. Importantly, the menstrual cycle may impact protein synthesis, impacting skeletal muscle quality and strength. Studies investigating muscular strength in eumenorrheic women report equivocal findings between the follicular phase and luteal phase with no differences compared to oral contraceptive users. Studies examining recovery measures (using biomarkers, blood lactate, and blood flow) do not report clear or consistent effects of the impact of the menstrual cycle or hormonal contraception use on recovery. Overall, the current literature may be limited by the evaluation of only one menstrual cycle and the use of group means for statistical significance. Hence, to optimize training and performance in females, regardless of hormonal contraception use, there is a need for future research to quantify the intra-individual impact of the menstrual cycle phases and hormonal contraceptive use in active females.

Iron nanowire/carbon microsphere composite flexible fabric strain sensor for human motion monitoring

People pay more and more attention to sports and health, especially the goal of sports recovery and scientific sports is more and more clear. In order to avoid human injury caused by unreasonable sports, it is necessary to carry out real-time detection of human motion state. In this paper, the motion state of human body was taken as the test object, a flexible strain sensitive material combining iron nanowires and carbon microspheres was proposed, and polyester fabric was introduced as the sensor substrate to construct a sandwich structure flexible fabric strain sensor. Then a mechanical test platform was built to carry out mechanical property testing and practical application verification research. The mechanical test results show that the iron nanowires/carbon microspheres flexible fabric strain sensor has good linearity, the response time is 42 ms, and the hysteresis error is approximately 8.7 %. Finally, the flexible fabric strain sensor is fixed on the part of the human body that needs to be detected, and the electrical signal curve of the response is output by the electrochemical workstation. Through the analysis of the response curve, it can be seen that the iron nanowires/carbon microspheres flexible fabric strain sensor prepared in this paper has great potential in human movement health monitoring.

Early sedentary behavior symptoms investigation on nutrition, physical fitness, and behavioral setting for novice sports science students

Early sedentary behavior symptoms investigation on nutrition, physical fitness, and behavioral setting for novice sports science students

Mental health issues among unemployed and employed sports science graduates in Tunisia post-revolution

Mental health issues among unemployed and employed sports science graduates in Tunisia post-revolution

Evaluating the Influence of the ACTN3 rs1815739 Gene Polymorphism on the Performance of Physically Active Adult Males in the Arrowhead Agility Drill Test

The alpha actinin-3 gene (ACTN3) is a significant candidate gene among genetic markers that determine athletic ability. The ACTN3 gene is responsible for the creation of the actin protein in fast-twitch muscle fibers, which is associated with muscle power and speed. The objective of this study was to analyze the changes in performance of the arrowhead agility drill test and the distribution of genotype variants in the ACTN3 rs1815739 gene polymorphism in physically active adult males after a 6- week training period. The research will focus on a cohort of 58 male students, aged 19-24, who are enrolled in the Faculty of Sports Sciences and participate in swimming activities. Genomic DNA was extracted from swab samples obtained from participants using the Buccalyse DNA Extraction Kit from Isohelix, following the manufacturer's supplied technique. The study findings revealed that there was no statistically significant difference between all three genotypes when comparing the pre-test and post-test values of the sample group in terms of left and right foot characteristics. Within this framework, it is acknowledged that the outcomes derived from our investigation could potentially influence the research findings. These aspects include the restricted sample size and the incapacity to regulate individual variances such as concentration and motivation during the pre-test and post-test sessions. Nevertheless, it is believed that the results obtained from our study could potentially enhance future research and literary works in the same field.

StereoThermoLegs: label propagation with multimodal stereo cameras for automated annotation of posterior legs during running at different velocities

In sports science, thermal imaging is applied to investigate various questions related to exercise-induced stress response, muscle fatigue, anomalies, and diseases. Infrared thermography monitors thermal radiation from the skin’s surface over time. For further analysis, regions of interest are extracted and statistically analyzed. Although computer vision algorithms have grown in recent years due to data-driven approaches, this is not the case for detailed segmentation in thermal images. In a supervised manner, machine learning optimizations require a large amount of training data with input and ground truth output data. Unfortunately, obtaining annotated data are a costly problem that increases with the complexity of the task. For semantic segmentation, pixel-wise label masks must be created by experts. Few datasets meet the needs of sports scientists and physicians to perform advanced applications of thermal computer vision during physical activity and generate new insights in their fields. In this paper, a new method is introduced to transfer segmentation masks from the vision domain to the thermal domain with a stereo-calibrated time-of-flight camera and high-resolution mid-wave infrared camera. A post-processing procedure is then utilized to obtain dense pixel masks for the posterior legs during walking and running on a treadmill. The developed StereoThermoLegs dataset is based on 14 participants and includes 11 subjects for training with 12,826 thermograms and the remaining three individuals for testing with 3433 images. A deep neural network was trained with the DeepLabv3+ architecture, the AdaBelief optimizer, and Dice loss as a benchmark. After 29 epochs, the test set achieved an average intersection over union of 0.66. The analysis of the posterior leg region, specifically the left and right calf, offered the most insights, with values of 0.83 and 0.83, respectively. The first multimodal stereo dataset containing synchronized visual and thermal images of a runner’s back provides a starting point for data-driven segmentation tasks in sports science and medicine. Our technique allows for automatic production of customized datasets for deep learning, accelerating the implementation of baseline outcomes for newly identified areas of interest in thermal imaging, while bypassing the requirement for extensive manual annotation. The approach is not exclusive to stereo rig and segmentation tasks utilizing RGBD and thermal cameras, but can be applied to other imaging tasks and modalities.

Control of the physical and technical fitness of elite professional rugby union players

Background. Rugby is one of the most popular sports abroad, that must have good physical, psychological, physiological, functional, technical condition for every athlete. The search for set of tests for monitoring the physical and technical fitness to achieve the successful performance of an athlete or a team in major competitions in Elite Professional Rugby Union Players continues to be an urgent problem. Purpose. This study aims to substantiate and develop a set of tests for monitoring the physical and technical fitness of rugby players aged 17-18. Material and Methods. There were eighty-seven male rugby players aged 17-18 from Ukrainian National team U18. All athletes volunteered to participate in the research. The following research methods have been used to solve the tasks of the research: analysis and synthesis of literature of the research topic; pedagogical observations; testing the technical, tactical and physical fitness; methods of mathematical and statistical analysis which are scientifically based and are widely used in sports science (correlation and factor analysis). The object of research is the indicators of the technical, tactical skills and physical fitness of 17-18 years old rugby players. Results. The authors offer the unified testing program and general quantitative criteria in the tests. Two approaches have been used as the main criteria for the informative tests – logical one, based on the explanation of physiological mechanism that determine high efficiency of players in the conditions of gaming activities, and empirical approach, based on the information about the factor structure and the validity of the tests used for these purposes. Information on the level of fitness of players at each stage can be used selectively in connection with aims and objectives that contribute to the management of the training process in general. Conclusions. With the help of motor and ergonomic tests, a general set of guidelines has been substantiated, which allowed to assess the state of technical, tactical and physical fitness of rugby players aged 17-18.

Assessing Iraqi ESL Fourth Year College of Physical Education and Sport Sciences Students' Writing Anxiety

يعد القلق من الكتابة مؤشرا هاما قد يعيق القدرات الكتابية ويؤدي إلى عدم كفاءة الأداء. تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى تقييم القلق الكتابي لدى طلاب السنة الرابعة في كلية التربية البدنية وعلوم الرياضة العراقيين دارسي اللغة الإنجليزية كلغة ثانية (ESL) , حيث واجهوا صعوبات وعقبات في هذا المجال. ان تصميم الدراسة الحالية هو تصميم وصفي واداة القياس لهذه الدراسة تتالف من مقياس مكون من (20) فقرة. ان عينة الدراسة الحالية مختارة بطريقة عشوائية من كلية التربية البدنية وعلوم الرياضة في جامعة بغداد من طلاب السنة الرابعة وتتالف من (300) طالب , واحتسب الصدق والثبات, و تشير نتائج هذه الدراسة إلى أن طلاب الجامعات العراقية واجهوا، للاسف ، تحديات وقضايا حقيقية في هذا المجال. ومن ثم تم تحديد الاستنتاجات والتوصيات. الكلمات المفتاحية: مهارة الكتابة، القلق

SYNERGY OF PHYSIOLOGY, PSYCHOLOGY AND TACTICS: KEY TO SUCCESS IN HANDBALL

This article highlights the unique experience of the development of handball in Australia. The study focuses on the participation of the Sydney Uni Handball Club team in the “Europe Tour 2024”, which is an important step towards international recognition and exchange of experience with leading European clubs. The purpose of the study is to assess the relationship between physiological training, psychological stability, tactical flexibility and their contribution to the sports performance of the team. The object of study is the process of training in handball at the professional level. The subject of the study is the physiological aspects of training in the context of the specifics of the training process in handball. Research methods: theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological sources on the topic of the research, pedagogical observations. Research results. The authors analyze key aspects that influence team performance, including adaptation to new conditions, tactical flexibility, fatigue and recovery management, and the effectiveness of finishing attacks. Particular attention is paid to the impact of jet lag on the physical and cognitive functionality of the athletes, emphasizing the need to develop strategies to adapt to flights and time zone changes. The proposed measures are aimed at minimizing the negative impact of jet lag and increasing the competitiveness of the athletes at international competitions. The study highlights the role of tactical flexibility and cognitive adaptation in dynamic gaming environments. Attention is focused on how important it is for the athletes and the coaching staffs not only to develop a variety of tactical plans, but also the ability to reassess quickly the game situation and adapt to the strategies of the opponents in real time. This requires players not only to have a high level of physical fitness, but also to developed cognitive abilities such as attention, concentration under stress, pressure and uncertainty. Conclusions. Success in international competitions requires not only a high level of technical, tactical and physical preparation, but also the development of effective recovery strategies, adaptation to various competition conditions and psychophysiological stress management. The study contributes to the understanding of how little-known sports can develop and achieve significant success on the international stage, highlighting the importance of intercultural and sporting exchange in the globalized world. Thus, to achieve optimal results, teams need to implement training programs that stimulate the development of both physical and mental qualities of the athletes, preparing them for the high demands of competitive activity. The results of the study are of interest not only to specialists in the field of sports science, but also to coaches, sports psychologists and managers involved in the development of handball and other sports in conditions of limited popularity and resources.

Ground Reaction Forces and Joint Moments Predict Metabolic Cost in Physical Performance: Harnessing the Power of Artificial Neural Networks

Understanding metabolic cost through biomechanical data, including ground reaction forces (GRFs) and joint moments, is vital for health, sports, and rehabilitation. The long stabilization time (2–5 min) of indirect calorimetry poses challenges in prolonged tests. This study investigated using artificial neural networks (ANNs) to predict metabolic costs from the GRF and joint moment time series. Data from 20 participants collected over 270 walking trials, including the GRF and joint moments, formed a detailed dataset. Two ANN models were crafted, netGRF for the GRF and netMoment for joint moments, and both underwent training, validation, and testing to validate their predictive accuracy for metabolic cost. NetGRF (six hidden layers, two input delays) showed significant correlations: 0.963 (training), 0.927 (validation), 0.883 (testing), p &lt; 0.001. NetMoment (three hidden layers, one input delay) had correlations of 0.920 (training), 0.956 (validation), 0.874 (testing), p &lt; 0.001. The models’ low mean squared errors reflect their precision. Using Partial Dependence Plots, we demonstrated how gait cycle phases affect metabolic cost predictions, pinpointing key phases. Our findings show that the GRF and joint moments data can accurately predict metabolic costs via ANN models, with netGRF being notably consistent. This emphasizes ANNs’ role in biomechanics as a crucial method for estimating metabolic costs, impacting sports science, rehabilitation, assistive technology development, and fostering personalized advancements.

The Impact of Using the Trainings of Mental Visualization on Learning Crawl Swimming

Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the impact of using mental imagery exercises in teaching crawl swimming. Methods: The experimental approach was adopted for its suitability to the nature of the study. The study sample consisted of 30 male students enrolled in the swimming course (1) for the second semester of the academic year 2020-2021 at the College of Sports Sciences, Mu'tah University. They were purposefully selected and randomly assigned to two equally matched groups. The experimental group, comprising 15 students, utilized a proposed educational program accompanied by mental imagery exercises, while the control group, also consisting of 15 students, followed a standard educational program. The implementation of the educational program lasted for 8 weeks, with two instructional sessions per week and a total of 16 instructional units. Results: There were statistically significant differences at a significance level (≥ α 0.05) in teaching crawl swimming between the two groups in dimensional measurement, in favor of the experimental group, indicating the impact of using mental imagery exercises in teaching prone crawl swimming compared to the control group. The effect size ranged from 25.31% to 15.77%. The results also showed no statistically significant differences at a significant level (≥ α 0.05) between the two groups according to the "arm movements" test. Conclusions: It is recommended to incorporate mental imagery exercises into the instructional program for teaching the front crawl swimming technique, as they have a positive impact on improving and expediting the learning process. The use of mental visualization exercises for motor skills requiring more precise motor coordination and conducting studies and scientific research on different types of swimming and more complex skills, is recommended.