Effects of COVID-19 lockdown on physical, mental and emotional parameters among sportspersons

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown was a strange and new occurrence, which left many individuals ill-equipped to cope with the new way of living. Sportspersons had to adapt to a new training style within a new environment, both physically and mentally. Aim: The purpose of this study was to understand the physical, mental and emotional parameters among sportspersons during the COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Setting: The study consisted of 105 regular sportspersons (from South Africa). Methods: This was a quantitative research study design using an online questionnaire. An online questionnaire was adapted and distributed via online social platforms (WhatsApp, Twitter and Instagram) to collect data in which sportspersons (n = 105) answered questions about the effects that they experienced during lockdown on their physical, mental and emotional well-being. Results: Sportspersons participated in cardiovascular training, flexibility training, strength training and bodybuilding exercises during pre-lockdown. During lockdown, more than 74% of sportspersons had adequate training space, equipment and the time to perform physical activity. However, more than 43% of these sportspersons experienced a decrease in flexibility, muscle mass and muscle strength. Exercise was used as a form of stress relief by 77.1% of sportspersons throughout lockdown. In addition, sportspersons who used exercise as a form of stress relief continued to experience an increase in stress throughout lockdown. Conclusion: The outcomes from this study demonstrated how the COVID-19 lockdown had adverse effects on the overall health and well-being of most sportspersons. Other outcomes included the effects that physical inactivity had among sportspersons, including changes in diet and sleep. Contribution: This study highlights the urgency for the sports fraternity to adopt measures to provide various methods of stress relief (as well as opportunities for physical activity) during similar periods of lockdown (or exercise restrictions) for those who rely on exercise as their daily physical, mental and emotional outlet.

Physical and Psychological Factors Influencing Maternal Non-Compliance with Immunization Schedule

"The study examined the physical and psychological variables influencing maternal non-compliance with immunization schedules of children 0-2 years. The descriptive survey research design was used for the study. A questionnaire tagged ""Maternal Non-compliance with Immunization Schedule Questionnaire (MNCWISQ) was used for data collection. Three hypotheses were tested; using pearson product moment correlation. The study established that there was a significant relationship between physical factors (location of immunization services/access to immunization centres/distance to immunization centres) and non-compliance with immunization schedule (r- .47; df = 298; p.05). Psychological factor (mothers' knowledge about immunization) was also found to be significantly associated with non compliance with immunization schedule (r"

Relationships between Overweight; Obesity and Physical Fitness of Nine- 12-Year-Old South African Children

Background: South African children show the same tendencies in overweight and obesity as children in developed countries a decade ago. Childhood overweight is associated with chronic diseases; early mortality in adulthood and psycho-social effects with lifelong consequences. This study aimed to determine relationships between overweight; obesity and physical fitness of nine- to twelve-year-old South African children. Methods: Anthropometric (body-mass index [BMI]; fat percentage) and physical fitness (cardiovascular endurance; body composition; muscle strength; muscle endurance; flexibility) measurements were obtained from 280 children aged nine to twelve years (128 boys; 152 girls) using the Fitnessgram and Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency II. International cut-off points were used to categorise children into normal-weight; overweight or obese categories. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics; Spearman rank order correlation and variance of analysis. Results: One in five children was overweight or obese; while girls were twice as likely as boys to be obese. Aerobic capacity and muscle strength; especially leg strength; decreased progressively with an increase in BMI. A progressive but nonsignificant decline was found in muscle endurance with increasing BMI; while flexibility showed the poorest relationships with various degrees of weight. Variance of analysis indicated significant relationships between BMI; cardiovascular endurance and strength (p 0.05); while different relationships were found when gender was taken into consideration. Conclusions: Health-enhancing physical fitness of young children is negatively affected by overweight and obesity; and intervention strategies are recommended to improve the quality of life of such childre;n but also to prevent early mortality during adulthood

Physical Fitness; Nutritional Habits and Daily Locomotive Action of 12-Year-Old Children with Different Body Mass Index

OJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in physical fitness; daily nutritional habits and locomotive behaviour among pupils with varying body mass index (BMI) in the 5th and 6th grades of primary school. DESIGN. The sample consisted of 480 pupils (229 boys and 251 girls); who participated in specific Eurofit tests and completed questionnaires probing their physical activity and nutritional habits. They were divided according to their BMI into normal; overweight or obese children. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES. 18and 8of the pupils were categorised as overweight and obese; respectively. RESULTS. From the data analysis (two-way ANOVA); with BMI and gender as independent variables; it was found that the obese and overweight pupils had lower performance in long jump; in 30-m speed and in 20-m shuttle run. They adopted sedentary daily habits; such as many hours of TV watching and unhealthly nutritional habits. CONCLUSIONS. The results of this study support the need for intervention at school through physical education and health education lessons; to inform pupils about the health risks associated with limited physical activity and unhealthy nutritional habits. Another goal should be to motivate and create behaviours that are conducive to better lifestyle habits

Valeurs erythrocytaires des jeunes footballeurs en période de compétition et de trêve au Bénin

Les valeurs erythrocytaires et le statut martial varient en fonction des periodes de la saison chez le sportif de haut niveau. Ces variations chez les pratiquants beninois n'ont jamais ete evaluees. La presente etude a pour objectif de comparer le niveau des parametres erythrocytaires entre de jeunes footballeurs et des non sportifs; en periode de competition et a la fin d'une treve de 2 semaines. Il s'agit d'une etude prospective et analytique; realisee sur 20 jeunes footballeurs de troisieme division (FB); engages dans deux competitions differentes (scolaire et civile) et 25 jeunes non sportifs (NS). Les parametres erythrocytaires ont ete mesures en simple aveugle; suite a 14 semaines d'entrai-nement et de competition (1er prelevement); puis apres une treve de 2 semaines succedant a 7 autres semaines de competition (2eme prelevement). Apres les 14 semaines d'entrainement et de competition; les parametres etudies etaient plus eleves chez les footballeurs que chez les non sportifs (p 0;05). Apres les 2 semaines de treve; les variations entre test et retest ont ete non significatives dans le groupe FB; de meme que les differences entre les groupes FB et NS (p 0;05). Les valeurs erythro- cytaires des joueurs de football etudies different de celles des non sportifs en periode de competition; mais pas en fin de trêve

Aptitude physique aerobie dans la drepanocytose de l'adulte jeune

"Le but de l'etude etait de mesurer l'aptitude physique de l'adulte jeune ivoirien (18 a 30 ans) de sexe masculin porteur d'une hemoglobinopathie majeure homozygote (HbSS) ou double heterozygote (HbSC). 109 sujets volontaires (45 HbAA; 31 HbSC et 33 HbSS) ont accepte de se soumettre au protocole. Le protocole consistait en une epreuve d'effort triangulaire exhaustive sur cyclo ergometre en position couchee. Les resultats ont montre un handicap physique de l'ordre de 19pour cent chez les drepanocytaires a HbSC et 44pour cent chez les drepanocytaires a HbSS; handicap globalement lie a l'anemie et a la frequence cardiaque de reserve. Cette inaptitude physique reduit d'autant les capacites d'insertion des sujets drepanocytaires dans le monde professionnel notamment lorsque les charges de travail sont superieures aux normes dites ""d'effort d'intensite moderee"". Ce travail montrait l'interet d'utiliser les valeurs specifiques a chaque groupe de drepanocytaires; en particulier les valeurs pics des parametres cardioventilatoires."