Physical activity, musculoskeletal disorders, burnout, and work engagement: a cross-sectional study on Italian white-collar employees.

Introduction: Both mental and physical health of office workers had a positive relationship with their work engagement, with the latter relationship being driven by the association of a healthy diet and physical activity (PA). This observational study aimed to investigate the associations between PA levels, musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), burnout, and work engagement, in a sample of white-collar employees. Methods: A total of 615 workers (age 42.2 ± 9.5 years) successfully completed an online questionnaire comprising work-related information and standardized questionnaires on PA, MSDs, burnout and work engagement. Results: 36.9% of the participants did not meet the PA guidelines, 19.0% adhered to them, and 44.1% exceeded them. A significant portion of participants reported suffering from MSDs, primarily neck/shoulder and/or low back/hip pain. Those exceeding PA guidelines had fewer MSDs compared to non-compliant participants and exhibited better mental health and work engagement. Compliance with PA guidelines was associated with a 38% reduced risk of emotional exhaustion, with an even greater reduction of 47% among those surpassing the guidelines. Discussion: PA could exert a positive effect on physical and mental health of employees, but only if performed above a certain amount. The study supports the need to identify workplaces as suitable for health-focused interventions and lifestyle changes.

Effectiveness and therapeutic compliance of digital therapy in shoulder rehabilitation: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Interactive videogames, virtual reality, and robotics represent a new opportunity for multimodal treatments in many rehabilitation contexts. However, several commercial videogames are designed for leisure and are not oriented toward definite rehabilitation goals. Among the many, Playball® (Playwork, Alon 10, Ness Ziona, Israel) is a therapeutic ball that measures both movement and pressure applied on it while performing rehabilitation games. This study aimed: (i) to evaluate whether the use of this novel digital therapy gaming system was clinically effective during shoulder rehabilitation; (ii) to understand whether this gaming rehabilitation program was effective in improving patients' engagement (perceived enjoyment and self-efficacy during therapy; attitude and intention to train at home) in comparison to a control non-gaming rehabilitation program. METHODS: A randomized controlled experimental design was outlined. Twenty-two adults with shoulder pathologies were recruited for a rehabilitation program of ten consecutive sessions. A control (CTRL; N = 11; age: 62.0 ± 10.9 yrs) and an intervention group (PG; N = 11; age: 59.9 ± 10.2 yrs) followed a non-digital and a digital therapy, respectively. The day before (T0) and after (T1) the rehabilitation program, pain, strength, and mobility assessments were performed, together with six questionnaires: PENN shoulder Score, PACES-short, Self-efficacy, Attitudes to train at home, Intention to train at home, and System usability scale (SUS). RESULTS: MANOVA analysis showed significant improvements in pain (p < 0.01), strength (p < 0.05), and PENN Shoulder Score (p < 0.001) in both groups. Similarly, patients' engagement improved, with significant increments in Self-efficacy (p < 0.05) and attitude (p < 0.05) scores in both groups after the rehabilitation. Pearson correlation showed significant correlations of the Δ scores (T1 - T0) between PACES and Self-efficacy (r = 0.623; p = 0.041) and between PACES and Intention to train at home (r = 0.674; p = 0.023) only in the PG. SUS score after the rehabilitation (74.54 ± 15.60) overcame the cut-off value of 68, representative of good usability of a device. CONCLUSIONS: The investigated digital therapy resulted as effective as an equivalent non-digital therapy in shoulder rehabilitation. The reported positive relationship between the subject's enjoyment during digital therapy and intention to train at home suggests promising results in possible patient's exercise engagement at home after the rehabilitation in the medical center. RETROSPECTIVELY REGISTERED: NCT05230056.

Psychometric Properties of the Italian Version of the Emiq-Hp (Exercise in Mental Illness Questionnaire-Health Professionals Version) to Investigate the Views of Health Professionals Regarding Exercise for Treatment of Mental Illness.

Objective: People with mental illness experience a significantly increased mortality rate, partly attributable to high rates of premature metabolic disease. Exercise is increasingly recognized as an evidence-based component of treatment for improving both physical and mental illness. Ensuring health care staff have the necessary competence to support and promote exercise is critical to successful implementation. The Exercise in Mental Illness Questionnaire-Health Professionals Version (EMIQ-HP) was developed to determine the knowledge, attitudes, barriers, and behaviors of health practitioners regarding the role of exercise in the treatment for mental illness. This study aimed to translate and validate the questionnaire into Italian language (EMIQ-HP-IT) and to determine its test-retest reliability. Method: The questionnaire was translated from English to Italian then back translated using an established protocol. To determine the test-retest reliability of the EMIQ-HP-IT, mental health professionals from an Italian psychiatric hospital completed the questionnaire on two separate occasions, seven days apart. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for each item. Twenty-five mental health professionals (4 psychiatrists, 9 psychologists, 10 nurses and 2 exercise specialists) completed the EMIQ-HP-IT. Results: Except for two items, ICCs ranged from 0.48 to 0.92. The test-retest reliability of the EMIQ-HP-IT demonstrated comparable results to the English version. Conclusions: The EMIQ-HP-IT is a reliable measure of practitioners' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors regarding exercise interventions for people with mental illness.

Going Vegan for the Gain: A Cross-Sectional Study of Vegan Diets in Bodybuilders during Different Preparation Phases.

Numerous athletes compete at a high level without consuming animal products; although a well-planned vegan diet might be appropriate for all stages of the life cycle, a few elements need to be addressed to build a balanced plant-based diet for an athlete, particularly in bodybuilding, in which muscle growth should be maximised, as athletes are judged on their aesthetics. In this observational study, nutritional intakes were compared in a cohort of natural omnivorous and vegan bodybuilders, during two different phases of preparation. To this end, 18 male and female bodybuilders (8 vegans and 10 omnivores) completed a food diary for 5 days during the bulking and cutting phases of their preparation. A mixed-model analysis was used to compare macro- and micronutrient intakes between the groups in the two phases. Both vegans and omnivores behaved similarly regarding energy, carbohydrate, and fat intakes, but vegans decreased their protein intake during the cutting phase. Our results suggest that vegan bodybuilders may find difficulties in reaching protein needs while undergoing a caloric deficit, and they might benefit from nutritional professionals' assistance to bridge the gap between the assumed proteins and those needed to maintain muscle mass through better nutrition and supplementation planning.

Short High-Intensity Interval Exercise for Workplace-Based Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review on Feasibility and Effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Workplace exercise interventions showed good results, but lack of time was often reported as a barrier to participation. To overcome this problem, several studies attempted to implement short high-intensity interval training (HIT) within the workplace. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this systematic review is to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of HIT interventions within the workplace setting. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and SPORTDiscus to identify articles related to HIT within the workplace. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Only interventions that consisted of HIT programmes within the workplace and tested at least one physiological, psychological, or work-related outcome were included. RESULTS: Seven studies (317 participants) met the inclusion criteria. HIT interventions lasted 6-12 weeks, with a frequency of 2-4 sessions/week and a duration of 8-30 min per session. Feasibility was qualitatively investigated in four studies, with key positive aspects reported for HIT time-appeal, the sense of competence driven by individual intensity, and improved intention to exercise; five studies reported adherence rates > 80%. Small-to-large effect sizes were reported for improvements in cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. Small-to-medium effect sizes were reported for blood parameters and health-related quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: HIT interventions in the workplace showed limited effectiveness in improving health-related outcomes, while promising results regarding feasibility were reported, mainly due to the time-efficiency and the positive post-exercise psychosocial responses. However, further high-quality studies involving more participants are still needed to make firm conclusions on HIT effectiveness and feasibility compared to other types of exercise in this context.

Use of Exploratory Factor Analysis to Assess the Fitness Performance of Youth Football Players.

ABSTRACT: Perroni, F, Castagna, C, Amatori, S, Gobbi, E, Vetrano, M, Visco, V, Guidetti, L, Baldari, C, Luigi Rocchi, MB, and Sisti, D. Use of exploratory factor analysis to assess the fitness performance of youth football players. J Strength Cond Res 37(7): e430-e437, 2023-Football performance involves several physical abilities that range in aerobic, anaerobic, and neuromuscular domains; however, little is known about their interplay in profiling individual physical attributes. This study aimed to profile physical performance in youth football players according to their training status. One hundred seven young male soccer players (age 13.5 ± 1.4 years; height 168 ± 7 cm; body mass 57.4 ± 9.6 kg; and body mass index 20.2 ± 2.1 kg·m -2 ) volunteered for this study. Players' physical performance was assessed with football-relevant field tests for sprinting (10 m sprint), vertical jump (countermovement jump), intermittent high-intensity endurance (Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1, YYIRT1), and repeated sprint ability (RSA). The training status was assumed as testosterone and cortisol saliva concentrations; biological maturation was estimated using the Pubertal Development Scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) revealed 3 main variables depicting anthropometric (D1, 24.9%), physical performance (D2, 18.8%), and training status (D3, 13.3%), accounting for 57.0% of total variance altogether. The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. The RSA and YYIRT1 performances were largely associated with D2, suggesting the relevance of endurance in youth football. This study revealed that for youth football players, a 3-component model should be considered to evaluate youth soccer players. The EFA approach may help to disclose interindividual differences useful to talent identification and selection.

Validity and reliability of an unstable board for dynamic balance assessment in young adults.

Scientific literature is giving greater importance to dynamic balance in fall prevention. Recently, the validity and reliability of the most employed functional tests for dynamic balance assessment has been investigated. Although these functional tests are practical and require minimal equipment, they are inherently subjective, as most do not use instrumented measurement data in the scoring process. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of an instrumented unstable board for dynamic balance objective assessment in young adults through double-leg standing trials. A test-retest design was outlined with the unstable board positioned over a force platform to collect objective Center of Pressure (CoP) related and kinematic parameters. Fifteen young adults participated in two evaluation sessions (7-day apart) that comprised ten trials per two dynamic conditions (anterior-posterior and medio-lateral oscillations) aiming to maintain the board parallel to the ground. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was employed to assess the validity of the kinematic parameters with those derived from the CoP. The test-retest reliability was investigated through Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC), Standard Error of the measurement, Minimal Detectable Change, and Bland-Altman plots. Statistically significant correlations between the CoP and kinematic parameters were found, with r values ranging from 0.66 to 0.95. Good to excellent intrasession (0.89≤ICCs≤0.95) and intersession (0.66≤ICCs≤0.95) ICCs were found for the kinematics parameters. The Bland-Altman plots showed no significant systematic bias. The kinematics parameters derived from the unstable board resulted valid and reliable. The small size of the board makes it a suitable tool for the on-site dynamic balance assessment and a complement of computerized dynamic posturography.

Effects of a school-based karate intervention on academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, and physical fitness: A multi-country cluster randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of a school-based karate intervention on academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, and physical fitness in children aged 7-8 years. METHODS: Twenty schools in 5 different European countries (2 second-grade classrooms per school) participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial (Sport at School trial). Participants were assigned to either a control group, which continued with their habitual physical education lessons, or to an intervention group, which replaced these lessons with a 1-year karate intervention (Karate Mind and Movement program). A total of 721 children (344 girls and 377 boys, 7.4 ± 0.5 years old, mean ± SD) completed the study, of which 333 and 388 were assigned to the control group and intervention group, respectively. Outcomes included academic performance (average grade), psychosocial functioning (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for parents), and different markers of physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, balance, and flexibility). RESULTS: The intervention provided small but significant benefits compared to the control group for academic achievement (d = 0.16; p = 0.003), conduct problems (d = -0.28; p = 0.003), cardiorespiratory fitness (d = 0.36; p < 0.001), and balance (d = 0.24; p = 0.015). There was a trend towards significant benefits for flexibility (d = 0.24; p = 0.056). No significant benefits were observed for other variables, including psychosocial difficulties, emotional symptoms, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, or prosocial behaviour (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: A 1-year school-based karate intervention was effective in improving academic achievement, conduct problems, and physical fitness in primary school children. The results support the inclusion of karate during physical education lessons.

Effects of a school-based karate intervention on academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, and physical fitness: A multi-country cluster randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: To examine the effects of a school-based karate intervention on academic achievement, psychosocial functioning, and physical fitness in children aged 7-8 years. METHODS: Twenty schools in 5 different European countries (2 second-grade classrooms per school) participated in a cluster randomized controlled trial (Sport at School trial). Participants were assigned to either a control group, which continued with their habitual physical education lessons, or to an intervention group, which replaced these lessons with a 1-year karate intervention (Karate Mind and Movement program). A total of 721 children (344 girls and 377 boys, 7.4 ± 0.5 years old, mean ± standard deviation) completed the study, of which 333 and 388 were assigned to the control group and intervention group, respectively. Outcomes included academic performance (average grade), psychosocial functioning (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for parents), and different markers of physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, balance, and flexibility). RESULTS: The intervention provided small but significant benefits compared to the control group for academic achievement (d = 0.16; p = 0.003), conduct problems (d = -0.28; p = 0.003), cardiorespiratory fitness (d = 0.36; p < 0.001), and balance (d = 0.24; p = 0.015). There was a trend towards significant benefits for flexibility (d = 0.24; p = 0.056). No significant benefits were observed for other variables, including psychosocial difficulties, emotional symptoms, hyperactivity/inattention, peer problems, or prosocial behavior (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: A 1-year school-based karate intervention was effective in improving academic achievement, conduct problems, and physical fitness in primary school children. The results support the inclusion of karate during physical education lessons.

Are there sex differences in physiological parameters and reaction time responses to overload in firefighters?

Male and female firefighters work side-by-side in the same in strenuous and risky conditions. Anthropometrics, physiological, and reaction time (mean of reaction time -MRT-, and errors made -E) parameters of 12 Female and 13 Male firefighters were compared. Effect of overload (step test with and without equipment) on the MRT and E were analyzed on 3 trials (T1 = 1-1s, T2 = 0.5-1s, T3 = 0.5-0.5s), compared with a pre-test condition (basal). T-test between males and females was applied to assess differences (p<0.05) in all parameters. ANOVA with repeated measures and Bonferroni on 3 conditions of step test between males and females was applied in reaction time variables. Between MRT and E, in T1, T2 and T3 trials and the 3 test conditions, ANCOVA models with interactions were used. Differences (p<0.05) in anthropometric, physiological and reaction time data emerged across groups, and on the 3rd trials (T3 vs T1 and T2) in reaction time parameters of each group. ANCOVA showed differences (p<0.001) in E among trials. Post hoc showed significant differences in T1vsT3 and T1vsT2. MRT x trial interaction was extremely significant (P<0.001). Implementing fitness and reaction time exercise programs is important to decrease the injury risk and increase work capacity in firefighters with reference to female workers.

Promoting Physical Activity during School Closures Imposed by the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Physical Education Teachers' Behaviors in France, Italy and Turkey.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically reduced physical activity (PA) behaviors of many people. Physical education (PE) is considered one of the privileged instruments to promote youths' PA. We aimed to investigate the effects of lockdown on PE teachers' behaviors promoting their students' out-of-school PA and differences between three European countries. A sample of 1146 PE teachers (59.5% females) from France, Italy, and Turkey answered an online questionnaire about guiding students to engage in out-of-school PA, helping them to set PA goals, encouraging in self-monitoring PA, the pedagogical formats of these behaviors and feedback asked to students. RM-MANCOVAs were performed with a two-time (before and during the lockdown), three country (France, Italy, Turkey), two gender factorial design, using teaching years and perceived health as covariates. A significant multivariate main effect time × country × gender (p < 0.001) was reported for the behaviors promoting students' PA, with French and Italian teachers increasing some behaviors, while Turkish teachers showing opposite trends. Significant multivariate main effects time × country were found for formats supporting the behaviors (p < 0.001) and for asked feedback formats (p < 0.001). The massive contextual change imposed by lockdown caused different reactions in teachers from the three countries. Findings are informative for PA promotion and PE teachers' education.

Dietary Habits and Psychological States during COVID-19 Home Isolation in Italian College Students: The Role of Physical Exercise.

Social isolation has adverse effects on mental health, physical exercise, and dietary habits. This longitudinal observational study aimed to investigate the effects of mood states and exercise on nutritional choices, on 176 college students (92 males, 84 females; 23 ± 4 years old) during the COVID-19 lockdown. During 21 days, nutrition and exercise were daily monitored, and the mood states assessed. A factor analysis was used to reduce the number of nutritional variables collected. The relationships between exercise, mood and nutrition were investigated using a multivariate general linear model and a mediation model. Seven factors were found, reflecting different nutritional choices. Exercise was positively associated with fruit, vegetables and fish consumption (p = 0.004). Depression and quality of life were, directly and inversely, associated with cereals, legumes (p = 0.005; p = 0.004) and low-fat meat intake (p = 0.040; p = 0.004). Exercise mediated the effect of mood states on fruit, vegetables and fish consumption, respectively, accounting for 4.2% and 1.8% of the total variance. Poorer mood states possibly led to unhealthy dietary habits, which can themselves be linked to negative mood levels. Exercise led to healthier nutritional choices, and mediating the effects of mood states, it might represent a key measure in uncommon situations, such as home-confinement.

Factors Influencing Weight Loss Practices in Italian Boxers: A Cluster Analysis.

It is common practice in combat sports that athletes rapidly lose body weight before a match, by applying different practices-some safer and others possibly dangerous. The factors behind the choice of practices utilised have not been fully studied. This study aimed to investigate the weight loss strategies used by Italian boxers and to look at the difference between higher and lower risk practice adaptors. A modified version of a validated questionnaire has been sent to 164 amateur (88%) and professional (12%) boxers by email. A heatmap with hierarchical clustering was used to explore the presence of subgroups. Weight loss strategies were used by 88% of the athletes. Two clusters were found, defined by the severity of weight loss behaviours. Professional fighters, high-level athletes and females were more represented in Cluster 2, the one with more severe weight-loss practices. These athletes were characterised by a higher weight loss magnitude and frequency throughout the season and reported being more influenced by physicians and nutritionists, compared with the boxers in Cluster 1. Not all the weight loss practices are used with the same frequency by all boxers. The level of the athlete and the boxing style have an influence on the weight-cutting practices.

Descriptive Kinematic Analysis of the Potentially Tragic Accident at the 2020 Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix Using Low-Cost Instruments: A Brief Report.

BACKGROUND: During the first Austrian MotoGP Grand Prix of 2020, following a serious accident involving the riders J. Zarco and F. Morbidelli, Morbidelli's riderless bike cartwheeled across turn 3, narrowly missing V. Rossi and M. Viñales by just a few centimeters. As is the case with ordinary traffic accidents, analyzing the dynamics of motorcycle racing accidents can help improve safety; however, to date, the literature lacks studies that analyze the causes and severity of such accidents. Hence, the purpose of this study was to analyze the main causes that led to the accident at the 2020 Austrian MotoGp Grand Prix, to quantify the speeds and distances of the bikes and riders involved, and to hypothesize several alternative scenarios using a low-cost method. METHOD: Kinovea and Google Earth Pro software were used to identify markers along the racetrack and to measure the distances and calculate the time it took the motorcycles to cover those distances. The analyses were carried out on three 30-fps (frames per second) videos. RESULTS: Zarco's average speed as he was overtaking Morbidelli on the straightaway before turn 2 was 302 ± 1.8 km/h, higher than that of Rins and Rossi (299.7 ± 1.7 and 296 ± 1.7 km/h, respectively). The speed of Zarco and Rossi's bikes 44.5 m before the crash was the same (267 ± 7.9 km/h). Immediately after overtaking Morbidelli, Zarco moved 2.92 m towards the center of the racetrack from point A to B, crossing Morbidelli's trajectory and triggering the accident. Morbidelli's riderless bike flew across turn 3 at a speed of about 76 km/h, missing V. Rossi by just 20 cm. The consequences could have been catastrophic if Rossi had not braked just 0.42 s before encountering Morbidelli's bike in turn 3. CONCLUSION: Through a low-cost quali-quantitative analysis, the present study helps us to gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of the accident and its main causes. Furthermore, in light of our findings regarding the dynamics and severity of the accident and the particular layout of the Red Bull Ring circuit, racers should be aware that overtaking at the end of turn 2, following the same trajectory as the riders involved in the crash, could be very risky.

Test-retest reliability of the Italian version of the M-BACK questionnaire to assess the barriers, attitudes, confidence, and knowledge of mental health staff regarding metabolic health of psychiatric patients.

OBJECTIVES: The Metabolic-Barriers, Attitudes, Confidence, and Knowledge Questionnaire (M-BACK) was developed to determine the barriers, attitudes, confidence, and knowledge of mental health practitioners regarding the metabolic health of patients in order to determine the efficacy of targeted training interventions. This study aimed to validate the Italian version of M-BACK questionnaire (M-BACK-IT) and to determine the test-retest reliability. METHODS: The M-BACK questionnaire was translated into Italian and back-translated using an established protocol. In order to determine the test-retest reliability of the instrument, mental health professionals were recruited from a private psychiatric hospital located in northeast Italy and completed the questionnaire on two separate occasions, seven days apart. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated for the total score, as well as each of the four M-BACK domains. RESULTS: Thirty mental health professionals (4 psychiatrists, 9 psychologists, 12 nurses, and 5 exercise specialists) completed the M-BACK-IT. ICCs ranged from 0.58 to 0.94. CONCLUSIONS: The test-retest reliability of the M-BACK-IT demonstrated comparable results to the English version. The M-BACK-IT is a reliable measure to assess key elements of practitioners' perceptions of the barriers, their knowledge, attitudes, and confidence regarding metabolic monitoring and intervention in people with mental illness.

Effectiveness of individual counseling and activity monitors to promote physical activity among university students.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) promotion among university students is important to contribute to a lifelong healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, research in the field is still limited in quantity, quality and generalizability. This study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of two individual-based strategies for promoting PA among university students in such university contexts where course-based interventions are difficult to implement. METHODS: Thirty-three university students were recruited by means of face-to-face interviews and randomly assigned to three groups. The first group attended individual counselling sessions (based on the social cognitive theory and the transtheoretical model of behavior change) via videoconferencing calls, the second used wearable PA monitors designed to motivate to PA, and the third served as control. Interventions lasted 12 weeks. Measures of weekly PA (self-reported by questionnaires and recorded by ActiGraph-GT3X+ monitors) and the stage of change of participants were collected at baseline (t0), immediately after the 12-week intervention (t1), and after a 3-month follow-up (t2). RESULTS: Students in the individual counselling group increased self-reported energy expenditure between t0 and t1 and maintained this improvement at t2; on the contrary, there was no increase in ActiGraph measures of PA. Progression through stages of changes was observed in the same group at t1, followed by some relapses at t2. No significant differences were found neither in the group of students who used the PA monitors nor in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Although measures of self-reported PA and stage of change suggest the effectiveness of the counselling intervention, the results obtained with accelerometers are contrasting, probably due to the fact that some types of PA participants engaged in could not be recorder by accelerometers. Further studies are needed to determine the efficacy of individual counselling to promote PA in university students. The autonomous use of PA monitors had no effects on PA behavior. The low participation rate in the study suggests considering carefully the difficulties in motivating this population and in finding low time-consuming strategies to incentive participation.

Perceived treadmill function is correlated with enjoyment of use in trained runners: A user-centred approach.

Physical inactivity, a primary cause of most chronic diseases, has been associated with low levels of physical activity enjoyment. Physical activity enjoyment can be impacted by an individual's experience with exercise equipment. The purpose of this study was to adopt a user-centred approach to determine the relationship between physical activity enjoyment and functionality and usability of four treadmills. A running protocol was completed by 57 trained runners (41 male) on four treadmills. Runners reported enjoyment levels as well as their perceptions about treadmill running surface, controls, safety and stability, physical interaction, learnability of data console and aesthetic appeal. Repeated measures ANOVAs showed significant differences between the treadmills for each variable. Multiple regression analysis reported aesthetic appeal significantly predicted enjoyment of use. Results suggest that adopting a user-centred approach to compare exercise equipment usability and features can correlate with enjoyment and further impact on physical activity adherence.

Brief report: Exploring the benefits of a peer-tutored physical education programme among high school students with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to explore possible benefits of a peer-tutored physical education programme (PTPE) in comparison with school physical education (SPE) in high school students with intellectual disability. METHOD: Nineteen students with intellectual disabilities (15 boys, mean age 17.4 ± 1.7 years) were monitored during three PTPE and three SPE classes. A factorial RM-ANOVA was used to test differences on objective measured physical activity (PA), enjoyment and exertion during the two conditions, considering participants' weight condition as independent factor. RESULTS: During PTPE, participants reported higher light intensity PA, enjoyment and exertion than during SPE. Participants with overweight showed less inactive time and higher light intensity PA during PTPE than during SPE. CONCLUSIONS: The peer-tutored programme was beneficial for adolescents with intellectual disability, particularly for those in overweight condition. The higher enjoyment found during PTPE may encourage exercise participation of students with intellectual disability.

Promoting Physical Activity Among University Students: A Systematic Review of Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: University study is often accompanied by a decline in physical activity (PA) levels but can offer the opportunity to promote a lifelong active lifestyle. This review aims to summarize controlled trials of interventions promoting PA among university students, describing the quality of the evidence, effective strategies, and deficiencies in the interventions employed, to provide directions for future research and for practical implementations. DATA SOURCE: PubMed, PsychINFO, Cochrane Library, Education Source, and SPORTDiscus. Study Inclusion Criteria: Randomized or nonrandomized controlled trial, describing an intervention to promote PA in university students, where PA was one of the outcomes and results were published in English. DATA EXTRACTION: Country, study design, participants' inclusion criteria, participation rate and characteristics, randomization, blinding, theoretical framework, intervention characteristics, participant retention rate and withdrawal reasons, measures employed, data analysis, PA results, and findings regarding PA correlates. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data were synthetized considering study characteristics, strategies used, and outcomes. RESULTS: Two thousand five hundred eighty-five articles were identified. Twenty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen studies reported an increase in PA levels. CONCLUSION: Physical Activity promotion interventions should address a range of behavioral determinants. Personalized approaches and PA sessions should be considered in future studies. The high risk of bias of many studies (mainly due to attrition and poor reporting) and missing information about intervention components limit the strength of conclusions about the most effective strategies and the evidence of effectiveness, highlighting the need for further high-quality studies.