Longitudinal relations of perceived availability of neighborhood sport facilities with physical activity in adolescents: an analysis of potential moderators

<b>Background</b><br /> Little is known about the longitudinal relations of environment attributes and leisure-time physical activity (PA) in adolescents, and the moderating effects of individual characteristics. This study examined the longitudinal association of the perceived availability of neighborhood sport facilities with leisure-time PA, and the potential moderating effects of age, past PA behavior, and weight status in adolescents.<br /><br /> <b>Methods</b> <br />Among 20,933 follow-up subjects (60.9% of 34,369 baseline subjects), 9993 from 32 Hong Kong secondary schools were successfully matched with baseline (mean duration 16 months; SD 1.7) and had complete information. At baseline and follow-up, respondents reported their leisure-time PA, weight, height, and the presence of sport facilities in the neighborhood.<br /><br /> <b>Results</b><br /> Increased perceived availability of sport facilities from baseline to follow-up predicted more leisure-time PA at follow-up (&beta; = 1.029; 95% CI: 1.011&ndash;1.047) overall. This effect was modified by baseline PA, with a significant effect observed only among those who had engaged in leisure-time PA more than 3 times a week.<br /><br /> <b>Conclusions</b><br /> Increasing awareness of neighborhood sport facilities or building more such facilities may help active adolescents maintain or increase their leisure-time PA. However, more comprehensive multilevel interventions that aim at enhancing potential social, personal, and environmental PA-related factors may be needed to motivate inactive adolescents.

Adolescents��� physical activity : competition between perceived neighborhood sport facilities and home media resources

Objective. To examine the independent, competing, and interactive effects of perceived availability of specific types of media in the home and neighborhood sport facilities on adolescents&rsquo; leisure-time physical activity (PA). <br /><br />Methods. Survey data from 34 369 students in 42 Hong Kong secondary schools were collected (2006&ndash;07). Respondents reported moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time PA, presence of sport facilities in the neighborhood and of media equipment in the home. Being sufficiently physically active was defined as engaging in at least 30 minutes of non-school leisure-time PA on a daily basis. Logistic regression and post-estimation linear combinations of regression coefficients were used to examine the independent and competing effects of sport facilities and media equipment on leisure-time PA. <br /><br />Results. Perceived availability of sport facilities was positively (ORboys = 1.17; ORgirls = 1.26), and that of computer/Internet negatively (ORboys = 0.48; ORgirls = 0.41), associated with being sufficiently active. A significant positive association between video game console and being sufficiently active was found in girls (ORgirls = 1.19) but not in boys. Compared with adolescents without sport facilities and media equipment, those who reported sport facilities only were more likely to be physically active (ORboys = 1.26; ORgirls = 1.34), while those who additionally reported computer/Internet were less likely to be physically active (ORboys = 0.60; ORgirls = 0.54). <br /><br />Conclusions. Perceived availability of sport facilities in the neighborhood may positively impact on adolescents&rsquo; level of physical activity. However, having computer/Internet may cancel out the effects of active opportunities in the neighborhood. This suggests that physical activity programs for adolescents need to consider limiting the access to computer-mediated communication as an important intervention component.

Sport fishing in Cachoeira de Emas in Mogi-Gua��u River, State of S��o Paulo, Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient��fico e Tecnol��gico (CNPq)

Correlates of sports practice, occupational and leisure-time physical activity in Brazilian adolescents

Coordena����o de Aperfei��oamento de Pessoal de N��vel Superior (CAPES)

Assessment of leisure-time physical activity for the prediction of inflammatory status and cardiometabolic profile

Objectives: Associations of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), commuting and total physical activity with inflammatory markers, insulin resistance and metabolic profile in individuals at high cardiometabolic risk were investigated. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 193 prediabetic adults were compared according to physical activity levels measured by the international physical activity questionnaire; p for trend and logistic regression was employed. Results: The most active subset showed lower BMI and abdominal circumference, reaching significance only for LTPA (p for trend = 0.02). Lipid profile improved with increased physical activity levels. Interleukin-6 decreased with increased total physical activity and LTPA (p for trend = 0.02 and 0.03, respectively), while adiponectin increased in more active subsets for LTPA (p for trend = 0.03). Elevation in adjusted OR for hypercholesterolemia was significant for lower LTPA durations (p for trend = 0.04). High apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A ratio was inversely associated with LTPA, commuting and total physical activity. Increase in adjusted OR for insulin resistance was found from the highest to the lowest category of LTPA (p for trend = 0.04) but significance disappeared after adjustments for BMI and energy intake. No association of increased C-reactive protein with physical activity domains was observed. Conclusions: In general, the associations of LTPA, but not commuting or total physical activity, with markers of cardiometabolic risk reinforces the importance of initiatives to increase this domain in programs for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases. (C) 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Progettare l'ospitalit��: turismi e turisti della citt�� contemporanea

La ricerca si pone come obbiettivo principale quello di individuare gli strumenti in grado di controllare la qualit�� di una progettazione specifica che risponde alle forti richieste della domanda turistica di un territorio. Parte dalle pi�� semplici teorie che inquadrano una costante condizione dell���uomo, ���il VIAGGIARE���. La ricerca si pone come primo interrogativo quello definire una ���dimensione��� in cui le persone viaggiano, dove il concetto fisico di spazio dedicato alla vita si �� spostato come e quanto si sposta la gente. Esiste una sorta di macroluogo (destinazione) che comprende tutti gli spazi dove la gente arriva e da cui spesso riparte. Pensare all'architettura dell���ospitalit�� significa indagare e comprendere come la casa non �� pi�� il solo luogo dove la gente abita. La ricerca affonda le proprie tesi sull���importanza dei ���luoghi��� appartenenti ad un territorio e come essi debbano riappropriarsi, attraverso un percorso progettuale, della loro pi�� stretta vocazione attrattiva. Cos�� come si sviluppa un���architettura dello stare, si manifesta un���architettura dello spostarsi e tali architetture si confondono e si integrano ad un territorio che per sua natura �� esso stesso attrattivo. L���origine terminologica di nomadismo �� passaggio necessario per la comprensione di una nuova dimensione architettonica legata a concetti quali mobilit�� e abitare. Si indaga pertanto all���interno della letteratura ���diasporica���, in cui compaiono le prime configurazioni legate alla provvisoriet�� e alle costruzioni ���erranti���. In sintesi, dopo aver posizionato e classificato il fenomeno turistico come nuova forma dell���abitare, senza il quale non si potrebbe svolgere una completa programmazione territoriale in quanto fenomeno oramai imprescindibile, la ricerca procede con l���individuazione di un ambito inteso come strumento di indagine sulle relazioni tra le diverse categorie e ���tipologie��� turistiche. La Riviera Romagnola �� sicuramente molto famosa per la sua ospitalit�� e per le imponenti infrastrutture turistiche ma a livello industriale non �� meno famosa per il porto di Ravenna che costituisce un punto di riferimento logistico per lo scambio di merci e materie prime via mare, oltre che essere, in tutta la sua estensione, caso di eccellenza. La provincia di Ravenna mette insieme tutti i fattori che servono a soddisfare le Total Leisure Experience, cio�� esperienze di totale appagamento durante la vacanza. Quello che emerge dalle considerazioni svolte sul territorio ravennate �� che il turista moderno non va pi�� in cerca di una vacanza monotematica, in cui stare solo in spiaggia o occuparsi esclusivamente di monumenti e cultura. La richiesta �� quella di un piacere procurato da una molteplicit�� di elementi. Pensiamo ad un distretto turistico dove l���offerta, oltre alla spiaggia o gli itinerari culturali, �� anche occasione per fare sport o fitness, per rilassarsi in luoghi sereni, per gustare o acquistare cibi tipici e, allo stesso tempo, godere degli stessi servizi che una persona pu�� avere a disposizione nella propria casa. Il percorso, finalizzato a definire un metodo di progettazione dell���ospitalit��, parte dalla acquisizione delle esperienze nazionali ed internazionali avvenute negli ultimi dieci anni. La suddetta fase di ricerca ���tipologica��� si �� conclusa in una valutazione critica che mette in evidenza punti di forza e punti di debolezza delle esperienze prese in esame. La conclusione di questa esplorazione ha prodotto una prima stesura degli ���obbiettivi concettuali��� legati alla elaborazione di un modello architettonico. Il progetto di ricerca in oggetto converge sul percorso tracciato dai Fiumi Uniti in Ravenna. Tale scelta consente di prendere in considerazione un parametro che mostri fattori di continuit�� tra costa e citt��, tra turismo balneare e turismo culturale, considerato quindi come potenziale strumento di connessione tra realt�� spesso omologhe o complementari, in vista di una implementazione turistica che il progetto di ricerca ha come primo tra i suoi obiettivi. Il tema dell���architettura dell���ospitalit��, che in questo caso si concretizza nell���idea di sperimentare l���ALBERGO DIFFUSO, �� quello che permette di evidenziare al meglio la forma specifica della cultura locale, salvandone la vocazione universale. La proposta progettuale si articola in uno studio consequenziale ed organico in grado di promuovere una riflessione originale sul tema del modulo ���abitativo��� nei luoghi di prossimit�� delle emergenze territoriali di specifico interesse, attorno alle quali la crescente affluenza di un���utenza fortemente differenziata evidenzia la necessit�� di nodi singolari che si prestino a soddisfare una molteplicit�� di usi in contesti di grande pregio.

What does professionalisation mean? Perceptions of professionalisation in swiss sport federations

Introduction: Organisational changes in sports federations are often associated with a drift from a volunteer driven to an increasingly business-like phenomenon (Shilbury & Ferkins, 2011). This process of transfor-mation is be called as ���professionalization���. Accordingly, professionalization seems to be an appropriate strategy for sport organisations in order to meet organizational pressure due to challenges of a more complex and dynamic changing environment adequately. Despite the increasing research interest and the attempts for systematization on the phenomenon of professionalization it still remains unclear what does the term professionalization exactly mean (Dowling et al., 2014). Thus, there is a lack of a consistent concept of professionalization that is needed in order to explore different facets and perspectives of this phenomenon more validly. Against this background following question emerged: What is the suitable concept of professionalization for analyzing the actual ongoing processes of change, adaption or transformation in sport federations? Methods: Dealing with this question, following two-step approach was choosen: (1) In a first step a scholar���s perspective at professionalisation of sport organisations will be displayed in order to explore both the common ground as well as divergences and inconsistencies in previous approaches. Therefore, a literature review is indicated. (2) In a second step, and in contrast to previous studies we will consider a practical point of view by a so called second-order observation of experts to gain valuable insights into current thinking and acting towards professionalization in sport federations. In doing so, a hermeneutical approach is used, which is about understanding the meaning of contexts by grasping the everyday world, and draw insight and meaning from it (Shilbury et al., 2013). Accordance with hermeneutics, the explorative interpretive knowledge of expert interviews was used. The interviews were conducted with a sample of six selected experts, who have both dedicated insider knowledge and the overall view of all Swiss sport federations. Results and discussion: The summaries of literature review could be categorized into two research currents. The one defines professionalization as a structural process towards professional status of occupations. The other defines it in a broader sense as an organisational change towards a business-like approach. Whereas the first perspective there is a broad scientific consensus that second isn���t that clear, however. Explorative analysis of interview data reveals different themes in relation to professionalization of sports federation. First theme deals with a changed philosophy as more strategic alignment towards for-profit, efficiency and quality orientation. Second theme refers to paid work associated with more competence orientation and balanced governance between paid and voluntary work. Third theme deals with acting shift towards more rationalization and efficiency by implementation of innovative management and communication tools. Based on findings of both our review of scholar`s perspective as well insights from experts we will provide ��� in the sense of synthesis ��� a more clear understanding of what does professionalization mean that can be useful in terms of further studies. References: Dowling, M., Edwards, J. & Washington, M. (2014). Understanding the concept of professionalisation in sport management research. Sport Management Review, 17 (4), 520���529. Shilbury, D., Ferkins, L. & Smythe, L. (2013). Sport governance encounters: Insights from lived experiences. Sport Management Review, 16,349���363. Shilbury, D., & Ferkins, L. (2011). Professionalisation, sport governance and strategic capability. Managing Leisure, 16, 108���127.

Sudden cardiac arrest in sports - need for uniform registration: A Position Paper from the Sport Cardiology Section of the European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation

There are large variations in the incidence, registration methods and reported causes of sudden cardiac arrest/sudden cardiac death (SCA/SCD) in competitive and recreational athletes. A crucial question is to which degree these variations are genuine or partly due to methodological incongruities. This paper discusses the uncertainties about available data and provides comprehensive suggestions for standard definitions and a guide for uniform registration parameters of SCA/SCD. The parameters include a definition of what constitutes an 'athlete', incidence calculations, enrolment of cases, the importance of gender, ethnicity and age of the athlete, as well as the type and level of sporting activity. A precise instruction for autopsy practice in the case of a SCD of athletes is given, including the role of molecular samples and evaluation of possible doping. Rational decisions about cardiac preparticipation screening and cardiac safety at sport facilities requires increased data quality concerning incidence, aetiology and management of SCA/SCD in sports. Uniform standard registration of SCA/SCD in athletes and leisure sportsmen would be a first step towards this goal.

Sudden cardiac death among general population and sport related population in forensic experience

PURPOSE: The goal of the study was to assess the causes and analyze the cases of sudden cardiac death (SCD) victims referred to the department of forensic medicine in Lausanne, with a particular focus on sports-related fatalities including also leisure sporting activities. To date, no such published assessment has been done nor for Switzerland nor for the central Europe. METHODS: This is a retrospective study based on autopsy records of SCD victims, from 10 to 50 years of age, performed at the University Centre of Legal Medicine in Lausanne from 1995 to 2010. The study population was divided into two groups: sport-related (SR) and not sport-related (NSR) SCDs. RESULTS: During the study period, 188 cases of SCD were recorded: 166 (88%) were NSR and 22 (12%) SR. The mean age of the 188 victims was 37.3 +/- 10.1 years, with the majority of the cases being male (79%). A cause of death was established in 84%, and the pathology responsible for death varied according to the age of the victims. In the NSR group, the mean age was 38.2 +/- 9.2 years and there was 82% of male. Coronary artery disease (CAD) was the main diagnosis in the victims aged 30-50 years. The majority of morphologically normal hearts were observed in the 15-29 year age range. There was no case in the 10-14 year age range. In the SR group, 91% of victims died during leisure sporting activities. In this group the mean age was 30.5 +/- 13.5 years, with the majority being male (82%). The main cause of death was CAD, with 6 cases (27%) and a mean age of 40.8 +/- 5.5 years. The youngest victim with CAD was 33 years old. A morphologically normal heart was observed in 5 cases (23%), with a mean age of 24.4 +/- 14.9 years. The most frequently implicated sporting activities were hiking (26%) and swimming (17%). CONCLUSION: In this study, CAD was the most common cause of death in both groups. Although this pathology most often affects adults over 35 years of age, there were also some victims under 35 years of age in both groups. SCDs during sport are mostly related to leisure sporting activities, for which preventive measures are not yet usually established. This study highlights also the need to inform both athletes and non athletes of the cardiovascular risks during sport activities and the role of a forensic autopsy and registries involving forensic pathologists for SR SCD.

The British Influence in the Birth of Spanish Sport

Sports started to gain relevance in Spain around the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century as a leisure and health option of the upper classes imported from Britain. Its early development was intertwined with the spread of other kinds of physical activities with much more tradition on the continent: gymnastics and physical education. First played by the ruling classes ��� aristocracy and high bourgeoisie ��� sports permeated towards petty bourgeoisie and middle classes in urban areas such as Madrid, Barcelona, San Sebasti��n and Santander. This pattern meant that the expansion of sports was unavoidably tied to the degree of industrialisation and cultural modernisation of the country. Since 1910, and mainly during the 1920s, sport grew in popularity as a spectacle and, toa much lesser degree, as a practice among the Spanish population.

Sighted volunteers��� motivations to assist people with visual impairments in freetime sport activities

Since the changing of the political and economic system in 1989-1990 in Hungary, volunteer movements have appeared all over the country. Volunteers of different ages and socioeconomic backgrounds are engaged in a wide range of activities, wishing to add values to the lives of others in need, hoping to improve their micro or/and macro environment. Volunteering has also appeared in the field of sport, and the work of a large number of nongovernmental sport organisations is strongly dependent on volunteers��� participation. In the socialist era disability sports were neglected by the state. The new democratic state has been paying increasing attention to disability sports and volunteers have been a great asset in improving the accessibility of spare time sport activities. The present empirical research investigates which factors motivate sighted volunteers to join Hungarian Sports and Leisure Association for the Visually Impaired (L��t��ss��r��ltek Szabadid��s Sportegyes��lete, L��SS). Results confirm that joining L��SS was in few cases (N=3) attributed to having parental or other family relations with blind or partially sighted people. Respondents unanimously admit to have a wish to share the joy of physical activity with their visually impaired peers.

Involving Immigrants in Youth Sport Coaching: Part 1. A Literature Review and Quantitative Profile

Little, if any, previous research has investigated the involvement of immigrants in sport coaching. This is the first of a series of two articles that focus on this issue. In this article, following a general literature review, structured retrospective interviews (n = 29) are used to construct a profile of immigrant youth sport coaches. Two distinct profiles were identified: (a) leisure-oriented coaches, who had not coached prior to immigration; and (b) career-oriented coaches, who had coached prior to immigration Statistically significant differences (p < .05) were found between groups relating to athletic experience, sport-related education, time between immigration and initiation of coaching, and coaching of their own children Separate pathways to coaching involvement after immigration were identified for both profiles.

Engaging Immigrants in Youth Sport Coaching: Part 2. A Qualitative Analysis of the Barriers, Facilitators and Motivators for Involvement

Although research in the area of immigrants and their physical activity patterns has been steadily growing, there is still much to learn. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers, facilitators and motivators facing recent Canadian immigrants as they relate to involvement in coaching youth sport. The quantitative information presented in the first article of this series served as a framework for conducting semi-structured qualitative interviews with 28 immigrant youth-sport coaches. Results of these interviews support the notion that there are two distinct groups of immigrant coaches - the ���leisure-oriented coach��� (those without coaching occupational aspirations) and the ���career-oriented coach��� (those with coaching occupational pursuits). Despite sharing several of the same barriers, facilitators and motivators, each group showed marked divergence from the other on a number of aspects in each of these three categories.

Listening to young people's voices: Youth sports leaders' advice on facilitating participation in sport

This article reports on a study that accepts the proposal that we listento the voices of young people in relation to sport and physical recreation.The study sought the advice of young sports leaders on what can be done to facilitate young people���s involvement in sport. The study used group interviews (Nominal Group Technique) with over 600 14���18-year-olds toelicit responses to a single question, ���What can be done to help young people participate in sport?��� This article focuses on young people���s views on issues to do with climate and conditions. We argue that, while their advice offers support for some current initiatives in youth sport, it also provides new insights and challenges and suggests a reordering of existing priorities for youth sport and leisure provision.