The effect of matinal active walking on cognitive, fine motor coordination task performances and perceived difficulty in 12-13 young school boys

The current study examined the relationship between cognitive performances (executive function, selective attention and reaction time), fine motor coordination skills and perceived difficulty after active transport to school. Method: Fifteen right-handed children's underwent session, 15-min walking session at 30% (WS1) and 15-min walking session (WS2) at 50% of maximal aerobic speed. Subjects performed tests to evaluate executive function, reaction time and selective attention. After each trial, a questionnaire of perceived difficulty (PD) was completed. Results: Average time in TMT part A (F(2,22) = 4.44; p = 0.024; η2= 0.288) and TMT part B (F(2,22) = 4.54; p = 0.022; η2= 0.292), and committed errors (F(2,22) = 7.78; p = 0.003; η2= 0.414) was improved after walking sessions in comparison by CS. The mean scores were significantly higher after walking sessions for both long and short-distance throws (p < 0.05). Moreover, a significant negative correlation was found between committed errors (TMT part B) and both dart throwing consistency and accuracy (r = - 0.6; r = - 0.64; p < 0.05) (respectively). Post-hoc analysis showed that PD was better after walking sessions with low intensity for both short and long throwing distance. However, it seems that walking session with sustained intensity allows speed and accuracy improvement of cognitive processing. Conclusion: Thus, active walking to school with low intensity was sufficient to produce positives changes in psychomotor performance and decrease in perceived difficulty scores. By including individual differences in gross motor coordination as well as physical activity level, the exact nature of the link between psychomotor skills and cognitive performance could be more addressed.(AU)

[Prevalence of the staturo-ponderal deficit of Northern and Southern Tunisian boys]

Malnutrition is owing to an alimentation regarding quantity and quality food. To examine the different forms of malnutrition among Tunisian boys of the north and south regions, to form an idea about the state of their health and their living conditions. Our empirical investigation was carried out on 1082 northern boys and 1016 southern boys, aged from 10 to 14 years including 1057 non pubescent boys and 1041 prepubescent boys. Age, weight and height were recorded for the entire population according to the norms of the standard World Health Organization and the nutritional status of these young was described by two indices: Height for age and body mass index for age. The classification used to describe the build is the Cachera Rolland, Malnutrition are significantly more pronounced among the southern boys than their counterparts in the North. Particularly, short stature [19.2% vs 14.4%] and underweight [28% vs 22.5 %]. However, the risk of overweight and obesity is more pronounced among the northern boys. However, the comparison between non pubescent and prepubescent boys shows that the prevalence of stunting increases with age. The mechanisms responsible for these inter-individual differences beings regions appear related to living conditions during the first year after birth, particularly, socio-economic status, family size, type of housing, and the education level of parents

optimal time of day for training during Ramadan: a review study

Literature concerning the effects of Ramadan fasting on sports performance presents conflicting results. In this context, some studies reported a significant impairment of sports performance during the month of Ramadan. However, other studies suggested that Ramadan fasting has no significant effect on physical performance. The discrepancies between the studies could be explained by time-of-day variations in testing. In this regard, recent studies reported that Ramadan negatively affects the afternoon sports performance; however, the morning and the evening [after breaking the fast] performances were not affected by fasting. This suggests that the optimal time of day for training during Ramadan is the morning or the evening. Therefore, coaches should schedule the training sessions in the morning or evening during the month of Ramadan. However, further studies should investigate the effect of training at a specific time of day on sports performance during Ramadan

Biochemical responses to level-1 Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test in young Tunisian football players

The aim of this work was to investigate the metabolic and muscle damage responses after the level-1 Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test [YYIRT] in young football players. Fifteen male football players [17.42 +/- 0.2 yrs, 69.91 +/- 4.4 kg, 178.64 +/- 3.8 cm; mean +/- SD] participated in this study. Fasting blood samples for various biochemical parameters [i.e. lactate [Lac], glucose [GLC], triglycerides [Tri], creatine kinase [CK], uric acid [UA]] collected from a forearm vein after 5-min of seated rest and 3-min after the test. Moreover, rating of perceived exertion [RPE] and maximal heart rate during and after the YYIRT were recorded. Mean levels of the selected biochemical markers were raised after the YYIRT exercise [P<0.001 for the other markers]. Moreover, lipid parameters increased significantly after the test [P<0.01 for Tri and P<0.001 for HDL]. These findings confirm the higher metabolic demand of aerobic as well as anaerobic metabolism and reflect a significant mobilization of purine cycle during the YYIRT. The increase of muscle damage markers also reflects the higher anaerobic solicitation. From these findings, we can conclude the importance of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism during soccer-specific endurance performance [i.e. YYIRT, soccer match]

effects of music on high-intensity short-term exercise in well trained athletes

The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of listening to music during warm-up on short-term supramaximal performances during the 30-s Wingate test in highly trained athletes. Twelve young male athletes [20.6 +/- 1.8 yrs, 177 +/- 4.4 cm and 72.3 +/- 5.3 kg] underwent two Wingate tests in separate sessions with a recovery period of 48 h in-between, either after a 10 min of warm-up with [MWU] or without [NMWU] music. High tempo music [> 120 to 140bpm] was selected for the study. Heart rate [HR] and rate of perceived exertion [RPE] were recorded after the warm-up [for HR = average of warm-up] and immediately after the Wingate test. HR, RPE and the fatigue index during the Wingate test are not affected by the incorporation of music during warm-up. However, power output [P[peak] and P[mean]] was significantly higher after MWU than NMWU [p < 0.05]. The relative increases were 4.1 +/- 3.6 and 4.0 +/- 3.7 W·kg[-1] for P[peak] and P[mean] respectively. These findings demonstrated the beneficial effect of music during warm-up on short-term supramaximal performances. As it's a legal method and an additional aid, music may be used during warm-up before performing activities requiring powerful lower limbs' muscles contractions during short-term supramaximal exercises

Effect of short-term maximal exercise on biochemical markers of muscle damage, total antioxidant status, and homocysteine levels in football players

Prolonged physical exercise results in transient elevations of biochemical markers of muscular damage. This study examined the effect of short-term maximal exercise on these markers, homocysteine levels [Hcy], and total antioxidant status [TAS] in trained subjects. Eighteen male football players participated in this study. Blood samples were collected 5-min before and 3-min after a 30-s Wingate test. The results indicated that plasma biochemical markers of muscle injury increased significantly after the Wingate test [P<0.05]. Moreover, significant increase of white blood Cells and their main subpopulations [i.e. monocytes, neutrophiles, and lymphocytes] [P<0.001] has been observed. Likewise, uric acid, total bilirubin, and TAS increased significantly after exercise [P<0.05]. However, Hcy levels were unaffected by the Wingate test [for 3-min post-exercise measurement]. Short-term maximal exercise [e.g. 30-s Wingate test] is of sufficient intensity and duration to increase markers of muscle damage, and TAS; but not Hcy levels. Increases in the selected enzymes probably come primarily from muscle damage, rather than liver damage. Moreover, increase of TAS confirms the Wingate test induced oxidative stress

Diurnal variations in physical performances related to football in young soccer players

This study investigated the effects of time-of-day on aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, repeated sprint ability [RSA] and the Wingate tests in young soccer players. In a counterbalanced and a random order, twenty junior male soccer players completed the Yo-Yo, the RSA, and the Wingate tests at two different times-of-day: 07:00 and 17:00 h. During the Yo-Yo test, the total distance [TD] covered and the estimated maximal aerobic velocity [MAV] were determined. The peak power [PP] during each sprint, the percentage of decrement of PP [PD] and total work [Wtotal] during the RSA test were, also, measured. In addition, during the Wingate test, the peak [P[peak]] and mean [P[mean]] powers were recorded. During the Wingate test, P[peak] and P[mean] were significantly higher at 17:00 than 07:00 h [P<0.05] with diurnal gains of 3.1 +/- 3.6 and 2.9 +/- 3.5% respectively. During the RSA test, PP during the first two sprints, Pdec and Wtotal were, also, higher in the evening [P<0.05] with amplitudes of 4.8 +/- 4.6, 3.1 +/- 3.0, 13.1 +/- 32.1, and 4.1 +/- 2.5% respectively. Likewise, TD and MAV during the Yo-Yo test were higher at 17:00 than 07:00 h with diurnal gains of 13.1 +/- 10.7 and 4.2 +/- 3.3 respectively. The present study confirms the daily variations of both aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, the RSA, and the Wingate tests in trained young Tunisian soccer players

Effect of acute maximal exercise on circulating levels of interleukin-12 during Ramadan fasting

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Ramadan fasting on circulating levels of interleukin-12 [IL-12] after a brief maximal exercise. Nine subjects performed a Wingate test on three different occasions: [i] the first week of Ramadan [1WR], [ii] the fourth week of Ramadan [4WR], and [iii] three weeks after Ramadan [AR]. Blood samples were taken before, immediately and 60 min after the exercise. Plasma concentrations of IL-12 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Variance analysis revealed no significant effect of Ramadan on Ppeak and Pmean during the three testing periods. Considering the effect of Ramadan on plasma concentrations of IL-12, analysis of the variance revealed a significant Ramadan effect [F[2, 16]=66.27 ; P<0.001] as well as a significant time effect [F[2, 16]=120.66; P<0.001]. However, no significant [Ramadan time] of test interaction [F[4, 32]=2.40; P>0.05]. For all measures, IL-12 levels were lower during 1WR and 4WR in comparison with AR [P<0.05]. Considering the exercise effects, IL-12 levels measured immediately after the exercise were significantly higher than those measured before and at 60 minutes after the exercise [P<0.001]. These results suggest that an acute intense exercise-induced IL-12 response is modified by daytime fasting and modifications in sleep schedule during Ramadan

effect of Ramadan fasting on physical performances, mood state and perceived exertion in young footballers

This study was designed to assess the effects of Ramadan fasting on the profile of mood state and perceived exertion in young soccer players and aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, repeated sprint ability [RSA] and the Wingate tests. Twenty junior male soccer players completed the Yo-Yo, the RSA, and the Wingate tests on three different occasions: one-week before Ramadan [BR], the second week [SWR] and the fourth week [ER] of Ramadan. The total distance [TD] covered and the estimated maximal aerobic velocity [MAV] during the Yo-Yo test were recorded. During the RSA test, peak power [PP] during each sprint, the percentage of decrement of PP [PD] and total work [Wtotal] were calculated. During the Wingate test, peak [Ppeak] and mean [Pmean] powers and fatigue index [FI] were recorded. TD and MAV [P=0.01] during the Yo-Yo test and PP [P=0.01, P=0.004, P=0.001, P=0.01, P=0.03 for sprints 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively] and Wtotal [P=0.02] during the RSA test were significantly higher during BR than ER. Furthermore, muscle fatigue during the RSA test increased significantly from BR to ER [P=0.01]. Ppeak and Pmean during the Wingate test decreased significantly from BR to SWR and ER [P<0.0005]. FI was higher during SWR [P=0.001] and ER [P<0.0005] than BR. In addition, rating of perceived exertion scores and fatigue estimated by the profile of mood state questionnaire were higher during Ramadan in comparison with BR. The present study suggests that both aerobic and anaerobic performances during the Yo-Yo, the RSA and the Wingate tests were affected by Ramadan fasting in young soccer players