Body Composition and Nutrients Dietary Intake Changes during COVID-19 Lockdown in Spanish Healthy Postmenopausal Women.

(1) Background: During the COVID-19 lockdown, high rates of physical inactivity and dietary imbalances were reported in both adults and adolescents. Physical separation and isolation not only have a significant impact on the performance of physical activity but also affect people's lives, particularly their dietary habits. In the present study, we aimed to examine whether or not bioelectrical impedance-derived body composition parameters and dietary habits were affected during the pandemic-associated lockdown in postmenopausal Spanish women. (2) Methods: Sixty-six women participated in the study (58.7 ± 5.4 years) before (between July-October 2019) and after (August-October 2020) the lockdown, which occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. Body composition parameters were measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis while dietary intake of proteins, fat, carbohydrates, and energy was measured by a food frequency questionnaire. (3) Results Regarding body composition, no differences were observed in fat mass in % (mean increase 0.05 (2.74); p = 0.567), fat mass in kg (mean increase -0.07 (4.137); p = 0.356) or lean mass in kg (mean increase 0.20 (1.424); p = 0.636). Similarly, no statistically significant differences were observed between the two study periods for any of the nutrients studied, nor for energy intake (p > 0.05 in all cases). (4) Conclusions: After comprehensively assessing body composition and dietary intake of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and energy before and after COVID-19 lockdown in healthy adult women in Spain no changes in the parameters studied were observed during the period analyzed in the women examined.

The (virtual) teaching of physical education in times of pandemic

This study analyses the factors that affect the pedagogical practice and the consideration of the subject of physical education (PE) for a group of students in initial training to become teachers, with the intention of (a) discovering what feelings the COVID-19 pandemic arouses in the future teachers when having to teach physical education virtually, (b) investigating the advantages and disadvantages of the virtual teaching of PE during the pandemic, and (c) finding out how the pandemic has changed their perception towards the teaching of PE and their passion for teaching. Twelve future teachers (four women and eight men), who were completing a practicum during their last year at university, participated in the study. A qualitative methodology was employed, in which data were obtained through individual online interviews and online focus groups. The data were analysed using a thematic content analysis and a constant comparison method. The results show, among other aspects, that future teachers understand that the teaching of PE has to be carried out face-to-face in order not to lose its meaning, that there are implicit shortcomings in the virtual teaching model, and that there is a greater probability of suffering from teacher stress and disenchantment with the profession when following an online teaching methodology. The results can be used to foster a critical dialogue regarding the difficulty faced by PE teachers today, at a crucial moment when the political, social and cultural aspects surrounding it are changing.

COVID-19: ensuring safe clinical teaching at university optometry schools.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been spreading across the globe for several months. The nature of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) with easy person-to-person transmissions and the severe clinical course observed in some people necessitated unprecedented modifications of everyday social interactions. These included the temporary suspension of considerable elements of clinical teaching at optometry schools worldwide. This article describes the challenges optometry schools were facing in early to mid 2020. The paper highlights the experiences of six universities in five countries on four continents. Strategies to minimise the risk of virus transmission, to ensure safe clinical optometric teaching and how to overcome the challenges presented by COVID-19 are described. An outlook on opportunities to further improve optometric education is provided.

Learning To Be A Teacher Without Being In The Classroom: COVID-19 As A Threat To The Professional Development Of Future Teachers

Teachers in initial training who attend the Practicum find, in this period, a meaning for the teaching profession, awakening a reflective and critical attitude about what and how they do things, and therefore, shaping their teaching identity. However, in recent months, the training situation of future teachers has taken a turn due to the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The study carried out focused on inquiring, through a narrative research, how university students have perceived the period of practices they carried out through virtual teaching, as a consequence of the current health crisis. Among other results, the evidence showed that students developed insecurity feelings, melancholy and uncertainty in light of the new learning processes. On the other hand, by losing on-site classroom attendance and with it the essence of the practices, the training potential of the Practicum and the teaching professional identity of the students have been affected during these months, consequences that could affect their future professional practices.