Effect of Motor Competence and Health-Related Fitness in the Prevention of Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors.

Purpose: In the last decades we have seen an increase in sedentary behaviors and a decrease in physical activity in children when compared to past generations. This lifestyle is commonly associated with the development of clustering risk factors that define metabolic syndrome (MetS). Knowing that motor competence (MC) development can influence lifelong physical activity habits, it is reasonable to assume that children's MC will directly link to clustered cardiometabolic health outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze the role of MC in MetS risk factors. Methods: Seventy children with a mean age of 7.49 (SD = 1.28) years were evaluated on motor competence (MCA-Motor Competence Assessment instrument), cardiovascular fitness (PACER test), upper body strength (UBS; handgrip), and the components of MetS, hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, abdominal obesity, low concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high fasting blood glucose. The composite value of MetS was calculated according to Burns et al. (2017). Multiple standard regressions were performed to explore the effect of different variables on MetS. Motor competence and health-related fitness (cardiovascular fitness and relative upper body strength) were used as independent variables (predictors) and MetS as dependent variable. Results: Overall, the results showed that motor competence (ß = -.072; p < .05) is a significant predictor and this model explained 7,1% of the variance in MetS. Conclusion: Although more studies are needed, our results indicate that MC seems to have a positive role in children's health markers.

This study aimed to analyze the role of MC, cardiorespiratory fitness, and upper body strength in MetS risk factors.The results suggest that upper body strength is the strongest predictor for MetS (negative association), followed by MC (positive association).When the different MC components were entered independently instead of total MC, the upper body strength and locomotor MC were found to be significant predictors of the MetS behavior.Considering our results and the fact that MC levels during childhood positively influence PA levels along lifespan, this study suggests a pathway to follow in future research.

Children's Physical Activity During the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Cross Cultural Comparison Between Portugal, Brazil and Italy.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced governments to implement measures that disrupted the daily routines of many families worldwide. We studied how the COVID-19 lockdown affected children's routines in Portugal (PT), Brazil (BR), and Italy (IT) to determine if children's age and country impacted their physical activity (PA) and sedentary time. We launched an anonymous online survey to assess how 3-12 years old children adjusted their daily routines to this situation. Parents reported the times each child was engaged in different activities throughout the day, and we used these data to calculate separately overall sedentary and physical activity time. We conducted separate analyses of variance for age and country on the percentage of time spent in the different activities. Results, based on the data from 3045 children in these three countries (PT n = 2044; BR n = 836; IT n = 165), showed that, during lockdown, most children spent most of their awake daily hours in sedentary activities. There was a clear age effect on the way their routines were organized. Percentages of time spent in intellectual activity, playful screen activity, and overall sedentary time were greater in the older age groups, whereas percentages of time spent in play (with and without PA) and in overall PA were greater in the younger groups. We found a main effect of country for all variables except play without PA. The country effect was mainly due to the difference between the routines in BR when compared to PT and IT. Values of playful screen time and overall sedentary activity were higher in BR than in the two European countries. Conversely, values for play with PA, PA, and overall PA (except in the older group) were lower in BR. Patterns of time spent in these activities were similar in IT and PT, but PA and overall PA times were higher in the two younger age groups in IT. In summary, percentage of PA time of confined children was low and decreased with age across all three countries and was particularly low for children in BR relative to those in PT and IT.

Hemothorax After Retroclavicular Approach to the Infraclavicular Region in a Critically Ill Patient: A Case Report.

The retroclavicular approach to the infraclavicular region (RAPTIR) is a recently described locoregional technique for upper limb analgesia that offers advantages over the classic infraclavicular block. RAPTIR is considered an effective and easy-to-perform block associated with few complications and better patient comfort. We present a case of a critically ill patient with thoracic and upper limb trauma. Despite multimodal analgesia, the patient developed delirium and experienced suboptimal pain control. An ultrasound-guided continuous RAPTIR block was performed, resulting in improved pain scores and delirium control. Twenty-four hours post block, the patient presented with dyspnea and chest pain, leading to the diagnosis of hemothorax. Chest computed tomography angiography revealed no vascular damage. The perineural catheter was removed 48 hours after its placement and the patient had a satisfactory recovery without long-term complications. The RAPTIR requires the needle to pass underneath the clavicle's acoustic shadow, putting the structures beneath the clavicle at risk of injury. Cadaver studies have raised concerns about potential vascular complications of the RAPTIR in a noncompressible location. This case highlights, for the first time, a rare but serious complication of the RAPTIR, demonstrating the potential risks of passing the needle through a blind spot.

Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) Scoring Method.

The Motor Competence Assessment (MCA) is a quantitative test battery that assesses motor competence across the whole lifespan. It is composed of three sub-scales: locomotor, stability, and manipulative, each of them assessed by two different objectively measured tests. The MCA construct validity for children and adolescents, having normative values from 3 to 23 years of age, and the configural invariance between age groups, were recently established. The aim of this study is to expand the MCA's development and validation by defining the best and leanest method to score and classify MCA sub-scales and total score. One thousand participants from 3 to 22 years of age, randomly selected from the Portuguese database on MC, participated in the study. Three different procedures to calculate the sub-scales and total MCA values were tested according to alternative models. Results were compared to the reference method, and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient, Cronbach's Alpha, and Bland-Altman statistics were used to describe agreement between the three methods. The analysis showed no substantial differences between the three methods. Reliability values were perfect (0.999 to 1.000) for all models, implying that all the methods were able to classify everyone in the same way. We recommend implementing the most economic and efficient algorithm, i.e., the configural model algorithm, averaging the percentile scores of the two tests to assess each MCA sub-scale and total scores.

Do children's previous physical activity habits influence their behaviors during the Covid-19 social distancing period?

OBJECTIVE: Verify whether the practice of physical activity, before the social distancing imposed by COVID-19, influences children's routines during this period, in children of different ages. METHODS: Descriptive cross-sectional study carried out with an online questionnaire from LimeSurvey and disseminated for four months during social distancing. The questionnaire contained questions about family composition, household characteristics, household and children's routines, including habits such as sleeping, physical activity, intellectual activity, playing with and without physical activity, and screen time. The final sample consisted of 916 participating families that answered about the physical activity habits of their respective children before the pandemic. Children were divided into three age groups (three to five years, six to nine years, and ten to twelve years). Independent Student's t-tests were performed to investigate whether the previous practice of scheduled physical activity group and the no physical activity group differed as to the time dedicated to children's activities and routines (intellectual activity, sleeping, screen time, playing with and without physical activity), by age groups, during social distancing. RESULTS: There was a decrease in the levels of physical activity undertaken by Brazilian children during social distancing. There was no difference when both groups. The children with previous practice of scheduled physical activity did not display different habits from the children who did not adopt this practice. CONCLUSIONS: The practice of physical activity before social distancing did not influence the level of physical activity and other habits during social distancing. Healthy habits should be encouraged and targeted for all children during the pandemic. These findings can contribute to the formulation of public policies for children during pandemic times.

Correction to: Effects of COVID-19 Confinement on the Household Routines of Children in Portugal.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1007/s10826-021-01961-z.].

Do children's previous physical activity habits influence their behaviors during the Covid-19 social distancing period? / Hábitos prévios de atividade física influenciam o comportamento de crianças durante o distanciamento social por covid-19?

Abstract Objective: Verify whether the practice of physical activity, before the social distancing imposed by COVID-19, influences children's routines during this period, in children of different ages. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study carried out with an online questionnaire from LimeSurvey and disseminated for four months during social distancing. The questionnaire contained questions about family composition, household characteristics, household and children's routines, including habits such as sleeping, physical activity, intellectual activity, playing with and without physical activity, and screen time. The final sample consisted of 916 participating families that answered about the physical activity habits of their respective children before the pandemic. Children were divided into three age groups (three to five years, six to nine years, and ten to twelve years). Independent Student's t-tests were performed to investigate whether the previous practice of scheduled physical activity group and the no physical activity group differed as to the time dedicated to children's activities and routines (intellectual activity, sleeping, screen time, playing with and without physical activity), by age groups, during social distancing. Results: There was a decrease in the levels of physical activity undertaken by Brazilian children during social distancing. There was no difference when both groups. The children with previous practice of scheduled physical activity did not display different habits from the children who did not adopt this practice. Conclusions: The practice of physical activity before social distancing did not influence the level of physical activity and other habits during social distancing. Healthy habits should be encouraged and targeted for all children during the pandemic. These findings can contribute to the formulation of public policies for children during pandemic times.

Resumo Objetivo: Verificar se a prática de atividade física antes do distanciamento social imposto pela COVID-19 influencia a rotina de crianças de diferentes faixas etárias durante esse período. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo realizado com base em um questionário online do LimeSurvey e divulgado por quatro meses durante o distanciamento social. O questionário continha perguntas sobre a composição familiar, características domiciliares, rotinas domésticas e infantis, incluindo hábitos como sono, atividade física, atividade intelectual, lazer com e sem atividade física e tempo de tela. Participaram da amostra final 916 famílias, as quais responderam sobre os hábitos de atividade física de seus filhos antes da pandemia. As crianças foram divididas em 3 faixas etárias (3-5 anos, 6-9 anos e 10-12 anos). Testes t de Student independentes foram realizados para investigar se os grupos que praticavam e não praticavam atividade física programada anteriormente diferiam quanto ao tempo dedicado às atividades e rotinas infantis (atividade intelectual, sono, tempo de tela, lazer com e sem atividade física), por faixa etária, durante o distanciamento social. Resultados: Houve diminuição da atividade física de crianças brasileiras durante o distanciamento social. Não houve diferença entre os grupos. Crianças que praticavam atividade física programada anteriormente não apresentaram hábitos diferentes daquelas que não adotavam essa prática. Conclusões: A prática de atividade física antes do distanciamento social não influenciou o nível de atividade física e outros hábitos das crianças durante esse período. Hábitos saudáveis devem ser estimulados e direcionados a todas as crianças ao longo da pandemia. Esses achados podem contribuir para a elaboração de políticas públicas para crianças em períodos de pandemia.

Effects of COVID-19 Confinement on the Household Routines Of Children in Portugal.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 disease (COVID-19) was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on 11 March, 2020. Since then, physical distancing measures such as confinement have been adopted by different governments to control human to human transmission. This study aimed to determine how confinement affects children's routines, more specifically their physical activity (PA) and sedentary time. An online survey was launched to assess how Portuguese children under 13 years of age adjusted their daily routines to confinement. Parents reported the time each child was engaged in different activities throughout the day, which was used to calculate overall sedentary time and overall physical activity time. Based on the data of 2159 children, our study showed that during confinement: (i) there was a decrease in children's physical activity time and an increase in screen time and family activities; (ii) boys engaged in more playful screen Time than girls (p < 0.05), and girls played more without PA than boys (p < 0.05); (iii) along the age groups, there was a trend for an increase of the overall sedentary time and an associated decrease of the overall physical activity time. In summary, PA of confined children showed low levels and a clear decreasing trend along childhood. Conjoint family and societal strategies to target specific age groups should be organized in the future.

Effects of the COVID-19 Lockdown on Portuguese Children's Motor Competence.

During long periods without school, children are more susceptible to unhealthy behaviors, such as an increase in sedentary behaviors, which has a negative impact on children's motor competence (MC). The COVID-19 lockdown offered us a unique opportunity to test, in a quasi-experimental setting, the impact of lockdown movement restrictions on children's MC. We assessed the motor competence of 114 children aged 6-9 years using the motor competence assessment. All children were tested before and after the COVID-19 lockdown. Chi-square and 2 × 2 ANOVA (sex by moment) were used to further analyze the data. Regardless of sex, motor performances in all tests (except for jumping sideways in boys) were lower when compared with performances before lockdown. There was a marked decreasing trend in children's levels of MC, shifting from an upper to a lower quartile in different tests. The results after the lockdown were always significantly inferior to the results before lockdown in all motor tests (except jumping sideways), in the three components of MC, and in global MC. Children's global MC score decreased by an average of 13 points in boys and 16 points in girls. The imposed movement restrictions had a negative effect on children's motor competence development.

Motor Competence in Children With and Without Ambliopia.

The purpose of this study was to assess the motor competence of children with and without amblyopia. Study participants were 165 primary school children, aged 6-9 years, divided into three groups based on their visual acuity with the Snellen chart: (a) non-amblyopia, (b) corrected amblyopia, and (c) non-corrected amblyopia. We assessed the children's motor competence with the Motor Competence Assessment battery (MCA) and their physical activity with the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C). The non-amblyopia group presented significantly better motor competence on the MCA than either the corrected amblyopia group or the non-corrected amblyopia group; there were no statistically significant motor differences between the two amblyopia subgroups. Amblyopia versus non-amblyopia differences on the MCA were mainly in stability and locomotor components, involving dynamic balance and the change of spatial position and direction of movement, but not in the manipulative component (ball throwing velocity and ball kicking velocity). Predictably, from within an integrated visual motor perspective of child development, our findings suggest that intact vision played an important role in children's motor competence. The development of fundamental motor skills, especially of stability and locomotor skills, may be affected by poor visual processing in that participants with uncorrected amblyopia showed poor movement accuracy, uncoordinated movement, and impaired balance.

Covid-19 social isolation in brazil: effects on the physical activity routine of families with children / Distanciamento social covid-19 no brasil: efeitos sobre a rotina de atividade física de famílias com crianças

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify how Brazilian families with children aged under 13 years face the period of social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially regarding the time spent on physical activity (PA), intellectual activity, games, outdoor activities and screen. Methods: An anonymous online survey was launched on March 24, 2020 in Brazil to assess how families with children aged up to 12 years are adjusting their daily routines to this situation. In the survey, each family reported the daily time each child spent in sedentary activity (sum of intellectual activities, play time on screen, playing without PA) and PA (sum of playing with PA and PA). Results: The main findings based on data from 816 children indicate that most parents consider there was a reduction in the time that children spend practicing PA; increase in screen play time and family activities, differences between sex were found regarding screen play time (boys>girls) and in playing without PA (girls>boys), and there was an age effect for all categories analyzed, with a tendency to increase the total time of sedentary lifestyle and complementary reducing the time of PA over age. Conclusions: The household routines of families during the period of social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic confirm the general reduction tendency in PA time during childhood.

RESUMO Objetivo: Identificar como as famílias brasileiras com crianças abaixo de 13 anos enfrentam o período de distanciamento social decorrente da pandemia de COVID-19, principalmente no que diz respeito ao tempo gasto em atividade física (AF), atividade intelectual, brincadeiras, atividades ao ar livre e em tela. Métodos: Uma pesquisa on-line anônima foi lançada em 24 de março de 2020 no Brasil para avaliar como as famílias com crianças de até 12 anos estão ajustando suas rotinas diárias a essa situação. Na pesquisa, cada família relatou o tempo diário em que cada criança esteve envolvida em atividade sedentária (somatório de atividades intelectuais, tempo lúdico de tela, brincar sem AF) e AF (somatório do brincar com AF e da AF). Resultados: Os principais achados com base em dados de 816 crianças indicam que a maioria dos pais considera que houve redução no tempo em que as crianças passam praticando AF e aumento do tempo lúdico de tela e das atividades em família. Diferenças entre o sexo foram encontradas no tempo lúdico de tela (meninos>meninas) e no brincar sem AF (meninas>meninos), bem como efeito da idade para todas as categorias analisadas, com tendência para aumento do tempo total de sedentarismo e diminuição complementar do tempo de AF ao longo da idade. Conclusões: As rotinas domiciliares das famílias durante o período de distanciamento social decorrente da pandemia de COVID-19 confirmam a tendência geral decrescente do tempo de AF na infância.

Influences of family and household characteristics on children's level of physical activity during social distancing due to covid-19 in brazil / Influências das características familiares e domiciliares no nível de atividade física infantil durante o distanciamento social por covid-19 no brasil

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate if the variables child's sex, age, presence of siblings, parents working remotely, and external space affect the level of physical activity (PA) of Brazilian children during social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: An online questionnaire was applied by the LimeSurvey software from March to April 2020. Children were divided into four age groups, and the questionnaire comprised questions on family and household characteristics, domestic and children's routines in the period of Brazilian social distancing. Based on the answers concerning children's activities, the following variable was created: percentage of physical activity (%PA) in one-day period. Analysis of variance and regression analysis were performed to investigate the effect of demographic and parental activities on %PA. Results: The %PA decreases with increasing age, but increases with the availability of external space at home. No significant or interaction effects were observed for other variables. Age and external space at home are predictors of %PA. Conclusions: Household and personal characteristics of Brazilian children influence the level of physical activity performed by them during social distancing. Preventive measures can be adopted in the face of another similar period.

RESUMO Objetivo: Investigar se as variáveis sexo da criança, idade, presença de irmãos, pais trabalhando de maneira remota e espaço externo afetam o nível de atividade física das crianças brasileiras durante o distanciamento social por COVID-19. Métodos: Aplicou-se questionário online pelo LimeSurvey, em março e abril de 2020, sobre características familiares e habitacionais, rotinas domésticas e infantis no período de distanciamento social brasileiro, sendo as crianças divididas em quatro grupos etários. Com base nas atividades infantis realizadas, criou-se a porcentagem de atividade física (%AF) em relação ao período de um dia e foi desenvolvida análise de variância para investigar o efeito das variáveis na %AF, além de análise de regressão. Resultados: A %AF diminui conforme o aumento da idade, mas aumenta com a disponibilidade de espaço externo no domicílio. Não houve efeito significativo para as demais variáveis, tampouco efeito de interação. A idade e o espaço externo ao domicílio são preditores da %AF. Conclusões: Características habitacionais e pessoais das crianças brasileiras influenciam o nível de atividade física realizada por elas durante o distanciamento social. Medidas preventivas podem ser empregadas caso haja necessidade de outro período semelhante.

INFLUENCES OF FAMILY AND HOUSEHOLD CHARACTERISTICS ON CHILDREN'S LEVEL OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DURING SOCIAL DISTANCING DUE TO COVID-19 IN BRAZIL.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if the variables child's sex, age, presence of siblings, parents working remotely, and external space affect the level of physical activity (PA) of Brazilian children during social distancing imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: An online questionnaire was applied by the LimeSurvey software from March to April 2020. Children were divided into four age groups, and the questionnaire comprised questions on family and household characteristics, domestic and children's routines in the period of Brazilian social distancing. Based on the answers concerning children's activities, the following variable was created: percentage of physical activity (%PA) in one-day period. Analysis of variance and regression analysis were performed to investigate the effect of demographic and parental activities on %PA. RESULTS: The %PA decreases with increasing age, but increases with the availability of external space at home. No significant or interaction effects were observed for other variables. Age and external space at home are predictors of %PA. CONCLUSIONS: Household and personal characteristics of Brazilian children influence the level of physical activity performed by them during social distancing. Preventive measures can be adopted in the face of another similar period.

COVID-19 SOCIAL ISOLATION IN BRAZIL: EFFECTS ON THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ROUTINE OF FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN.

OBJECTIVE: To identify how Brazilian families with children aged under 13 years face the period of social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially regarding the time spent on physical activity (PA), intellectual activity, games, outdoor activities and screen. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was launched on March 24, 2020 in Brazil to assess how families with children aged up to 12 years are adjusting their daily routines to this situation. In the survey, each family reported the daily time each child spent in sedentary activity (sum of intellectual activities, play time on screen, playing without PA) and PA (sum of playing with PA and PA). RESULTS: The main findings based on data from 816 children indicate that most parents consider there was a reduction in the time that children spend practicing PA; increase in screen play time and family activities, differences between sex were found regarding screen play time (boys>girls) and in playing without PA (girls>boys), and there was an age effect for all categories analyzed, with a tendency to increase the total time of sedentary lifestyle and complementary reducing the time of PA over age. CONCLUSIONS: The household routines of families during the period of social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic confirm the general reduction tendency in PA time during childhood.