Changes in Physical Fitness among Elementary and Middle School Students in Korea before and after COVID-19.

The present study aimed to analyze changes in health-related physical fitness among Korean elementary and middle school students before (2019) and after (2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. Data collection was completed by requesting the physical activity promotion system (PAPS) data from elementary and middle school students. This information is obtained annually by the Goyang Office of Education in Gyeonggi-do, Korea. The collected data were measured in 2019 and 2021. Data were collected from 17,000 children in the fifth and sixth grades of elementary school and about 24,000 boys and girls in the first, second, and third grades of middle school. Chi-square analyses were used to examine data from each school's health-related physical fitness examinations. Our results indicated that physical fitness levels were significantly lower in 2021 than in 2019 across the following six areas: cardiorespiratory endurance, power, muscular strength, flexibility, obesity, and overall health-related physical fitness (p < 0.05). In addition, the ratio of students with excellent physical fitness (PAPS Grades 1 and 2) significantly decreased from 2019 to 2021, while the ratio of students with poor physical fitness (PAPS Grades 3, 4, and 5) increased (p < 0.05). In addition, there were some differences according to grade and gender. Discussions regarding the impact of decreases in physical activity on physical fitness, interpretations of physical fitness in the context of a pandemic, and practical measures that can be implemented to improve health and fitness among children and adolescents in such situations remain essential.

Factor Structure of the Korean Version of the Occupational Socialization of Beginning Physical Education Teachers Scale in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Relationship with Health Perception Education.

This study aimed to explore the factor structure of the Korean version of the occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers scale, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to verify its relationship with health perception education. In October 2021, 257 Korean beginning physical education teachers were enrolled in this study. Data were analyzed using frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Regarding the findings, first, the occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers scale showed a six-factor structure: role recognition, past physical education class experience, pre-service teacher education, organizational atmosphere, fellow physical education teachers, and sports facility. Second, occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers showed a partial positive effect on health perception education. These results suggest that the Korean Metropolitan and Provincial Offices of Education and Korean schools should develop various methods to support and ensure the occupational socialization of beginning physical education teachers. Such efforts may enable these new professionals to effectively adapt to their schools, teaching roles, and provide effective health education to students under the difficult context of the COVID-19 pandemic, wherein normal educational activities are hindered.

Recent trends in anti-obesity and anti-inflammatory studies in modern health care.

BACKGROUND: This study was planned to investigate the research trends related to naturally derived anti-inflammatory and anti-obesity components. The main purpose of this study was to find out and develop natural health cosmetic ingredients which has high effects on lipid degradation, moisturizing and elasticity enhancement. OBJECTIVE: We all hope this research provided systematic and practical data that can suggest an opportunity to further develop new products. METHODS: This is a descriptive research which classified the natural and traditional components that have important obesity management effects based on the experimental technique (in vitro and in vivo). we investigated the effects of 13 natural raw materials selected through preliminary investigation on lipid metabolism related enzyme activity. We first introduced Ainsliaea acerifolea, Onion, pear, Sanguisorba, Limonium tetragonum, Cornus walteri, Loquat, and Loquat-which have recently been shown to be effective in anti-obesity tests, and then described the research methods by showing the effects of onion extracts, Glasswort, Pine Cone (Korean white pine), Orostachys japonicus, African mangoes, Pepper, and Clathratum (sea weed), which actually had effects on anti-obesity in the in vivo experiment. RESULTS: As a result of investigating the effect of 13 natural raw materials selected through a preliminary investigation on lipid metabolism related enzyme activity, the study found nature-derived ingredients which induce anti-inflammatory and enhance the anti-obesity enzyme activity, and ingredients showing myriads of biological activities such as anti-oxidant, body fat reduction, lowering of blood cholesterol, and weight control. CONCLUSION: In this paper, we would like to delve into the possibility of using natural components with natural lipid-lowering effect, and systematically and practically study if they can actually be helpful to develop new cosmetic products.

The effect of 12 weeks Prop Pilates Exercise Program (PPEP) on body stability and pain for fruit farmers with MSDs.

The purpose of this study was to determine possible effects of 12-week Prop Pilates Exercise Program (PPEP) for the fruit farmers (grape, tomato, apple) with musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) on body stability and pain. 131 fruit farmers with MSD were selected and asked to join a 12-week Prop Pilates Exercise Program (PPEP) from 2009 to 2012. The subjects (female=74, male=57) aged 50 to 65 years old voluntarily participated. As a result, it was found that lateral-medial and anterior-posterior of body stability significantly improved in male and female fruit farmers. It was found that pain index (VAS) after 12-week Prop Pilates Exercise Program (PPEP) showed a significant decrease.

Associations between overweight/obesity and physical fitness variables in Korean women.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether physical fitness variables are related to overweight or obesity in Korean women. METHODS: From 2007 to 2011, 10,790 women aged 20-82 years visited a public health centre for evaluation of cardiovascular function, health-related physical fitness, and motor-related physical fitness. We used the definitions of overweight and obesity provided in the World Health Organization's Asia-Pacific Standard Report. Cardiovascular function was evaluated using the Resting Heart Rate (RHR) and vital capacity. Health-related physical fitness was evaluated using the VO2max measure, sit-up number, grip strength, and sit-and-reach distance. Motor-related physical fitness was evaluated using the vertical-jump distance, side-step number, and balance (standing on 1 foot with eyes open) measure. RESULTS: The prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were 26.9% and 28.8%, respectively. Results are presented as odds ratios (with 95% confidence intervals) after adjusting for age and number of alcoholic drinks consumed per week, cigarettes smoked per day, and exercise sessions per week. When RHR increased by 1 beat per minute, overweight prevalence was 1.012 times higher (1.007-1.017, p < 0.001) and obesity prevalence was 1.006 times higher (1.000-1.011, p = 0.037). When VO2max increased by 1 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1), overweight was 0.949 times less prevalent (0.939-0.959, p < 0.001), and obesity was 0.916 times less prevalent (0.906-0.926, p < 0.001). As grip strength increased, overweight prevalence and obesity prevalence increased. An increase in vertical-jump distance by 1 cm was accompanied by a decrease in overweight prevalence by a factor of 0.975 (0.967-0.982, p < 0.001) and a decrease in obesity prevalence by a factor of 0.940 (0.932-0.948, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity were associated with poor physical fitness as assessed by variables related to cardiovascular function and health-related and motor-related physical fitness.

Association between overweight/obesity and academic performance in South Korean adolescents.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between academic performance and obesity/overweight among South Korean adolescents. Our data set included 72,399 adolescents in grades 7-12 who had participated in the 5th Korea Youth Risk Behaviour Web-based Survey (KYRBWS-V) in 2009. We assessed the association between academic performance and body mass index (BMI), using multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for covariates such as age, parents' education level, economic status, mental stress experienced, sleep duration, frequency of muscle-strengthening exercises, smoking and drinking behaviour, and vigorous and moderate physical activity (PA). For boys, being overweight (compared with being of normal weight) had a significantly greater odds of poor academic performance (OR=1.182, 95% Cl 1.052-1.329, p=0.005). Obese boys had 1.182 (1.048-1.332, p=0.006), 1.461 (1.294-1.648, p<0.001), and 1.443(1.256-1.657, p<0.001) greater odds of having average, poor, and very poor performance, respectively. In the analysis for girls, overweight girls had 1.314 (1.124-1.536, p<0.001) and 1.296 (1.084-1.548, p=0.004) greater odds of having poor and very poor academic performance, respectively. Finally, obese girls had 1.374 (1.098-1.718, p=0.005), 1.672 (1.339-2.089, p<0.001), and 1.887 (1.478-2.409, p<0.001) greater odds of having average, poor, or very poor academic performance, respectively. Thus, overweight/obesity was negatively associated with academic performance in both boys and girls. The results of this study indicate that adolescents would benefit from weight management to prevent obesity and, possibly, improve academic performance.

Association between Frequency of Breakfast Eating and Obesity in Korean Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine whether the frequency of breakfast eating was related with overweight/obesity in Korean adolescents. METHOD: We analyzed the data collected in the 5(th) KYRBWS, in which 72,399 adolescents participated in 2009. We assessed the association between frequency of breakfast eating and body mass index by using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 20,962(54.9%) boys and 18,479(54.0%) girls skipped breakfast 7 days(all days) per week at baseline. For boys, the odds ratios(ORs) between being overweight and frequency of breakfast eating were 1.040 for 3-5 times per week, 1.092 for 1-2 time(s) per week, 1.059 for no breakfast per week, compared to 6-7 times per week(p>0.05). The ORs between being obese and frequency of breakfast eating were 1.011 for 3-5 times per week, 0.968 for 1-2 time(s) per week, and 0.932 for no breakfast per week, compared to 6-7 times per week(p>0.05). For girls, the ORs between being overweight and frequency of breakfast eating were 0.990 for 3-5 times per week, 0.992 for 1-2 time(s) per week, 1.019 for no breakfast per week, compared to 6-7 times per week(p>0.05). The ORs between being obese and frequency of breakfast eating were 1.075 for 3-5 times per week, 0.946 for 1-2 time(s) per week, and 0.941 for no breakfast per week, compared to 6-7 times per week(p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The frequency of breakfast eating has no correlation with overweight/obesity in Korean adolescents.