Is growth inhibited in non-elite competitive female gymnasts?

PURPOSE
We asked: 1) is statural growth inhibited in non-elite competitive female gymnasts?; and 2) if growth is reduced, is the effect similar for legs and spine?

METHODS
Height(Ht), sitting height(StHt) and leg length(LL) were measured in gymnasts and controls at baseline and every 12 mths for 2 yrs. Pubertal status was assessed by Tanner stage. Gymnasts were from USGF levels 4–10 and trained 7.5 to 22.5 hrs/wk. Age-adjusted Z-scores were determined for gymnasts on the anthropometric measures and based on linear regression analyses of data for 45 controls.

RESULTS
At baseline, pre-(N=40), peri-(N=16) and post-pubertal(N=11) gymnasts were shorter than controls(-0.9 to -1.3 SD, p < 0.01). In pre- and peri-pubertal gymnasts, this was due to a reduction in StHt (-0.8 to -1.3 SD) and LL (-0.8 to -1.1 SD)(p < 0.01). In post-pubertal gymnasts, StHt (-0.8 SD) was reduced (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in z-score deficits between pubertal groups, nor were there any differences in StHt and LL deficits. During 12 mths follow-up in 39 gymnasts, deficits in Ht z-scores were reduced further in pre-pubertal gymnasts (-0.2 SD, p < 0.001) due to a greater increase in the deficit in LL (-0.3 SD, p < 0.001). While the magnitude of z-score deficits for peri-pubertal gymnasts remained unchanged, Ht z-scores improved in post-pubertal gymnasts(+0.2SD, p < 0.05) due primarily to an increase in StHt (+0.4 SD, p < 0.01). Similar results were found in 16 gymnasts followed for 2 yrs.

CONCLUSION
Although small size may relate to self-selection for gymnastics, some non-elite female gymnasts may experience attenuated growth during early puberty due mainly to reduced leg growth. The increased growth observed in post-pubertal gymnasts is consistent with catch-up growth associated with delayed maturation.

Women primary principals : leadership between the flags

The purpose of this paper is to outline my research project and share some of the perspectives that have emerged during the process of analysis and reflexivity. This is a case study of twelve female primary school principals in the independent sector in Victoria. Independent schools are generally referred to as the private sector or non-government schools to distinguish them from the government sector. Also the reference to primary principals’ is generally used to refer to a ‘Junior School Head’ position within a K – 12 School. Many schools often combine the role of the Junior Head’s position and / or the Deputy Principal or Assistant Principal’s position.

This paper introduces the work narratives of successful professional women in senior leadership positions in independent schools. The analysis of the narrative process itself and how these women shape and are shaped by their cultural discourses about leadership provides the focus for this study. In particular how the context and discursive strategies they use to tell their stories are instrumental in their construction of professional identity and its relationship to subjectivity. Thus professional work narratives offer insights into subjectivity and identity as the women tell their leadership stories. Initially Clandinin and Connelly’s (1994) ‘narrative inquiry’ approach provided a useful conceptual basis from which to gather the written responses to a questionnaire collected during 2004, interviews (taperecorded and transcribed) and my reflexive journal maintained during and after the interview process.

Intervention programmes to recruit female computing students : why do the programme champions do it?

This paper looks at intervention programmes to improve the representation of female students in computing education and the computer industry, A multiple case study methodology was used to look at major intervention programmes conducted in Australia. One aspect of the research focused on the programme champions; those women from the computing industry, those working within government organisations and those in academia who instigated the programmes. The success of these intervention programmes appears to have been highly dependent upon not only the design of the programme but on the involvement of these strong individuals who were passionate and worked tirelessly to ensure the programme's success. This paper provides an opportunity for the voices of these women to be heard. It describes the champions' own initial involvement with computing which frequently motivated and inspired them to conduct such programmes. The research found that when these types of intervention programmes were conducted by academic staff the work was undervalued compared to when the activities were conducted by staff in industry or in government. The academic environment was often not supportive of academics who conducted intervention programmes for female students.

A culturally appropriate diet and lifestyle intervention can successfully treat the components of metabolic syndrome in female Pakistani immigrants residing in Melbourne, Australia

This study was designed to test the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate diet and lifestyle intervention to treat metabolic syndrome in female Pakistani immigrants residing in Melbourne, Australia. Forty Pakistani women with metabolic syndrome (aged 20-50 years) completed a 12-week culturally appropriate diet and exercise program. Results indicate that, before intervention, participants were sedentary, taking 4000 ± 22.6 steps per day, and had an obese-classified body mass index (BMI) of 29.2 ± 0.46 kg/m2 (BMI was categorized in accordance with guidelines specifically designed for Asians) and high waist circumference of 132 ± 25.95 cm. Participants were hypertensive (systolic, 135 ± 1.3 mm Hg; diastolic, 86 ± 0.68 mm Hg), were dyslipidemic (total cholesterol, 6.8 ± 0.15 mmol/L; triglycerides, 2.9 ± 0.09 mmol/L), and had elevated blood glucose (6.4 ± 0.33 mmol/L) and fasting blood insulin (45 ± 6.3 μU/mL) levels. After the 12-week culturally appropriate intervention, activity increased (8600 ± 596.7 steps per day, P < .05); and BMI (27.8 ± 0.45 kg/m2), blood pressure (systolic, 125 ± 1.4 mm Hg; diastolic, 80 ± 0.6 mm Hg), cholesterol (5.5 ± 0.1 mmol/L), blood glucose (5.9 ± 0.33 mmol/L), and blood insulin (24.14 ± 1.8 μU/mL) levels were all significantly reduced (P < .05). This study revealed that the Pakistani female migrants who had metabolic syndrome and its components can successfully be treated via a culturally appropriate diet and lifestyle intervention. The success of the current program raises the possibility that other high-risk ethnic groups can also be treated with a culturally appropriate program.

Predicting female depression across puberty : a two-nation longitudinal study

Objective: To prospectively examine the relation between pubertal stage and the onset and course of depressive symptoms.

Method: The design was a three-wave longitudinal study of health and social development using statewide community samples in Washington, United States, and Victoria, Australia. Approximately 5,769 students initially ages 10 to 15 years were assessed for depressive symptoms with the Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire. Pubertal status was assessed using a self-report version of the Pubertal Development Scale.

Results: Advancing pubertal stage carried higher risks for depressive symptoms in female subjects in all of the three study waves. The pubertal rise in female depressive symptoms was due to both higher risk for incident cases and an even greater effect on risks for persistence of depressive symptoms. Report of poor emotional control 12 months earlier carried a twofold higher risk for incident depressive symptoms and largely explained the pubertal rise in female incident cases. High family conflict and severity of bullying also predicted persistence of depressive symptoms. Preexisting depressive symptoms were not associated with later increases in the rate of pubertal transition.

Conclusions: Advancing pubertal stage carries risks for both the onset and persistence of depressive symptoms in females. Social adversity around puberty predicts the persistence of symptoms but does not account for a pubertal rise in female depression. A report of poor emotional control may be a useful marker of girls at risk for depressive symptoms and as a target for preventive intervention.