Influence of Food Habits and Participation in a National Extracurricular Athletics Program on Body Weight within a Pair-Matched Sample of Polish Adolescents after One Year of Intervention-#goathletics Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced the physical activity level and commitment in adolescents, which has resulted in a body weight increase, and the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes that this negative trend must be now counteracted. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of food habits and participation in a national extracurricular athletics program (Athletics for All) on body weight within a pair-matched sample of Polish adolescents after one year of intervention. The #goathletics Study was conducted in a population of Polish adolescents within two pair-matched groups: 506 adolescents aged 10-14, including 281 female and 225 male adolescents, regularly participating in Athletics for All program for at least 9 months (one school year) (intervention group), and a pair-matched control group (matched taking into account city, gender, and age). The #goathletics Study included the assessment of the body weight, which was conducted based on the growth reference charts for Body Mass Index (BMI), and waist circumference to verify central fatness. Athletics for All participation and food habits were verified as determinants of body weight, while food habits were assessed using the validated Adolescents' Food Habits Checklist (AFHC). While compared the intervention group and control group, statistically significant differences were observed for body weight, BMI, and waist circumference, both for crude and relative values, with adolescents participating in the Athletics for All program presenting a lower risk of excessive body weight and central fatness (p < 0.05), while, compared to sub-groups stratified by AFHC score, no statistically significant differences in general anthropometric characteristics were observed (p > 0.05). While the body weight centile, height centile, BMI centile and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were assessed as the resultant variables, it was revealed that participation in the Athletics for All program is the only influencing factor in multi-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) for body weight centile (F = 21.44; p < 0.0001) and BMI centile (F = 47.98; p < 0.0001), but for height centile and WHtR, none of the assessed factors influenced these variables. It was concluded that regularly participating in the Athletics for All program for at least 9 months was the only determinant of a lower risk of excessive body weight in adolescents, with declared food habits and gender not being significant.

Differences in Hyperactivity and Inattention between Adolescents Participating and Non-Participating in A National Polish After-School Athletics Program.

Among the hyperactivity and inattention components, being predictors of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) phenotype, there are restlessness, fidgeting, distractibility, lack of reflectiveness and lack of attention components. So far, it was observed that they may be associated with an excessive body mass in children. The aim of the study was to analyze differences of the hyperactivity and inattention between adolescents participating and non-participating in a national Polish after-school athletics program (12-13 years) in a case-control sample. The #goathletics study was conducted among a group of 1014 adolescents-507 representatives for the nationwide physical activity program "Athletics for All" and 507 pair-matched non-participating ones. Assessment of the hyperactivity and inattention was based on a Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire-Hyperactivity-Inattention subscale (SDQ-HI). It was observed, that in spite of the fact, that the general frequency of hyperactivity and inattention did not differ between groups, the frequency of specific components differed. Especially in the case of girls, for adolescents participating in a national Polish after-school athletics program, the positive attention component was more often observed (39.7%) than for adolescents non-participating (30.0%). It may be concluded, that hyperactivity and inattention components may be less common in the case of active adolescents, than in the case of others.

The National After-School Athletics Program Participation as a Tool to Reduce the Risk of Obesity in Adolescents after One Year of Intervention: A Nationwide Study.

Regular exercise during school hours is encouraged; however many children and adolescents fail to meet the recommendations during this time. Extracurricular activities may be a more appealing way for youth to achieve guidelines, and it is recommended that they attend two sessions each week. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of participation in a national physical activity program accompanied by nutritional education for trainers on the risk of obesity and body composition in a nationwide sample of boys and girls, after one year of intervention. The #goathletics Study was conducted in a group of 1014 adolescents aged 12⁻13: 507 individuals for the Athletics for All program (210 boys, 297 girls) and 507 pair-matched individuals not participating in any physical activity program (matching including: gender, age, city of residence). The body mass (kg), Body Mass Index (BMI) (kg/m²), waist circumference (WC) (cm), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) (-) and body composition (%) (measured using bioelectrical impedance method) were compared in a gender-related sub-groups using t-Student test (for parametric distributions) or Mann-Whitney U test (for nonparametric distributions) and chi² test (for the share of sub-groups). After one year of intervention, lower body mass percentile, BMI percentile, WC, WHtR and fat mass share, higher muscle mass share, as well as lower frequency of overweight/obesity and abdominal fat distribution were observed both for boys and girls participating in the physical activity intervention compared to the pair-matched controls. The after-school physical activity program accompanied by nutritional education for trainers may be a highly effective method for reducing the risk of obesity both for boys and girls, as regular participation is ensured.

Influence of Food Neophobia Level on Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Its Association with Urban Area of Residence and Physical Activity in a Nationwide Case-Control Study of Polish Adolescents.

Among the factors that may influence fruit and vegetable intake, there is a food neophobia level, but the other elements, including physical activity and place of residence, must also be taken into account as interfering ones. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between food neophobia level and the intake of fruits and vegetables in a nationwide case-control study of Polish adolescents (12⁻13 years), including the influence of gender, the physical activity program participation and the place of residence. The #goathletics Study was conducted among a group of 1014 adolescents, 507 individuals representative for a nationwide physical activity program "Athletics for All" participants (characterized by an active lifestyle) and 507 pair-matched individuals (characterized by sedentary behavior), while 502 were representative for urban and 512 for suburban area. The assessment of food neophobia level was based on the Food Neophobia Scale questionnaire and the assessment of fruit and vegetable intake was based on the validated food frequency questionnaire. It was observed that higher food neophobia level is associated with a lower fruit and vegetable intake, that was stated both for girls and boys, as well as both for individuals characterized by an active lifestyle and those characterized by sedentary behavior, both from urban and suburban area. Food neophobic individuals characterized by an active lifestyle and those from urban areas were characterized by a higher fruit intake than individuals characterized by sedentary behavior and those from suburban areas, from the same food neophobia category. It was found that food neophobia may reduce fruit and vegetable intake, but the physical activity education with peers may reduce the observed influence and should be applied especially in the case of neophobic individuals from suburban areas.