To investigate the levels of agreement between self-reported responses to the Adult Pre-exercise ... more To investigate the levels of agreement between self-reported responses to the Adult Pre-exercise Screening System (APSS) questionnaire using online versus face-to-face (F2F) modalities. Convenience sample of adults completing a pre-exercise screening questionnaire using different modalities. Adult volunteers (n = 94) were recruited to complete the APSS using both online and F2F modalities. Participants were provided a URL link to an online APSS questionnaire then followed-up the next day in a F2F interview. Objective health risk factors were also measured. Comparisons between responses were undertaken using kappa and correlation statistics to determine levels of agreement. The levels of agreement between online versus F2F responses for the seven compulsory Stage 1 questions (known diseases and signs and/or symptoms of disease) were >94% (kappa = 0.644-0.794). Response comparisons for Stage 2 questions on health risk factors were also generally high (>82% agreement) but there w...
To estimate international and national temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of ... more To estimate international and national temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of adults, and to examine relationships between trends in CRF and trends in health-related, socioeconomic, and environmental indicators. Data were obtained from a systematic search of studies that explicitly reported temporal trends in the CRF of apparently healthy adults aged 18-59 years. Sample-weighted temporal trends were estimated using best-fitting regression models relating the year of testing to mean CRF. Post-stratified population-weighted mean changes in percent and standardized CRF were estimated. Pearson's correlations were used to describe associations between linear trends in CRF and linear trends in health-related, socioeconomic, and environmental indicators. 2,525,827 adults representing eight high- and upper-middle-income countries between 1967 and 2016 collectively showed a moderate decline of 7.7% (95% CI - 8.4 to - 7.0) or 1.6% per decade (95% CI - 1.7 to - 1.5). Internationally, CRF improved in the 1960s and 1970s, and progressively declined at an increasing rate thereafter. Declines were larger for men than for women, and for young adults (< 40 years) than for middle-aged adults (≥ 40 years). All countries experienced declines in CRF with a very strong negative correlation between CRF trends and obesity trends. There has been a meaningful decline in the CRF of adults since 1980, which has progressively increased in magnitude over time, suggestive of a corresponding decline in population health. Continuous national and international surveillance systems are needed in order to monitor health and fitness trends, especially among low- and middle-income countries for which data do not currently exist. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42013003678.
There is evidence that fitness has been declining and fatness increasing in Australian schoolchil... more There is evidence that fitness has been declining and fatness increasing in Australian schoolchildren over the last generation. This study reproduced the methods of a national survey of Australian schoolchildren conducted in 1985. Anthropometric and performance tests were administered to 1,463 10- and ll-year-old South Australians. Compared to the 1985 sample, the 1997 children were heavier (by 1.4−2.9 kg), showed greater weight for height (by 0.13−0.30 kg · m−2.85), and were slower over 1.6 km (by 38−48.5 s). Furthermore, the distribution of values was markedly more skewed in the 1997 data. While there was little difference between the fittest and leanest quartiles in 1997 and their 1985 counterparts, the least fit and fattest quartiles were markedly worse in 1997. This suggests that the decline in fitness of Australian schoolchildren is not homogeneous and that interventions should target groups where the decline is most marked.
Multicomponent movement assessment tools have become commonplace to measure movement quality, pro... more Multicomponent movement assessment tools have become commonplace to measure movement quality, proposing to indicate injury risk and performance capabilities. Despite popular use, there has been no attempt to compare the components of each tool reported in the literature, the processes in which they were developed, or the underpinning rationale for their included content. As such, the objective of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive summary of current movement assessment tools and appraise the evidence supporting their development. A systematic literature search was performed using PRISMA guidelines to identify multicomponent movement assessment tools. Commonalities between tools and the evidence provided to support the content of each tool was identified. Each tool underwent critical appraisal to identify the rigor in which it was developed, and its applicability to professional practice. Eleven tools were identified, of which 5 provided evidence to support their content as assessments of movement quality. One assessment tool (Soccer Injury Movement Screen [SIMS]) received an overall score of above 65% on critical appraisal, with a further 2 tools (Movement Competency Screen [MCS] and modified 4 movement screen [M4-MS]) scoring above 60%. Only the MCS provided clear justification for its developmental process. The remaining 8 tools scored between 40 and 60%. On appraisal, the MCS, M4-MS, and SIMS seem to provide the most practical value for assessing movement quality as they provide the strongest reports of developmental rigor and an identifiable evidence base. In addition, considering the evidence provided, these tools may have the strongest potential for identifying performance capabilities and guiding exercise prescription in athletic and sport-specific populations.
The aim of this study was to compare urban and rural South Australian primary schoolchildren on m... more The aim of this study was to compare urban and rural South Australian primary schoolchildren on measures of anthropometry, fitness, and environmental mediators of physical activity. The sample was comprised of 445 urban and 205 rural boys and 423 urban and 158 rural girls, all age 10–11 yrs at the time of testing. After controlling for socioeconomic status and ethnicity, rural girls and boys were faster over 1.6 k than their urban counterparts while rural girls were also faster over 50 m. Rural residence independently predicted participation in organized activity, increasing involvement in club sport, and decreasing involvement in school sport. Rural children reported a greater likelihood of participating in two or more physical education classes per week. It is evident that urban and rural South Australia differ in ways which impact on fitness and physical activity patterns of upper primary age children.
... Hambidge M, Casey CE, Krebs NF. Zinc. In: Mertz W, ed. Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nut... more ... Hambidge M, Casey CE, Krebs NF. Zinc. In: Mertz W, ed. Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition, 5th edition, Orlando, FL:Academic Press, 1986:1-137.10. Jones MT, Norton KI, Dengal DR, Armstrong RB. ... Liu L, Borowski G, Rose LI. Hypomagnesemia in a tennis player. ...
Objective. Response time (RT) is important for health and human performance and provides insight ... more Objective. Response time (RT) is important for health and human performance and provides insight into cognitive processes. It deteriorates with age, is associated with chronic physical activity (PA), and improves with PA interventions. We investigated associations between the amount and type of PA undertaken and the rate of change in RT for low-active adults across the age range 18–63 yr.Methods. Insufficiently active adults were assigned to either a walking (n=263) or higher-intensity (n=380) exercise program conducted over 40 days. Active controls were also recruited (n=135). Simple response time (SRT) and choice response time (CRT) were measured before and after the intervention and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up.Results. SRT and CRT slowed across the age range; however, habitually active participants at baseline had significantly faster CRT (p<0.05). The interventions increased weekly PA with corresponding increases in physical fitness. These changes were mirrored in faste...
Over the course of the past century it has become increasingly difficult to find athletes of the ... more Over the course of the past century it has become increasingly difficult to find athletes of the size and shape required to compete successfully at the highest level. Sport is Darwinian in that only the 'fittest'reach the highest level of participation. Not every physical characteristic could be expected to play a role in this selection process, but two that are important and for which substantial data assemblies exist, are height and mass. Measurements of elite athlete sizes were obtained from a variety of sources as far back as records allowed. We charted the shift in these anthropometric characteristics of elite sportspeople over time, against a backdrop of secular changes in the general population. Athletes in many sports have been getting taller and more massive over time; the rates of rise outstripping those of the secular trend. In open-ended sports, more massive players have an advantage. Larger players average longer careers and obtain greater financial rewards. In some sports it is equally difficult to find athletes small enough to compete. In contrast, there are sports that demand a narrow range of morphological characteristics. In these sports the size of the most successful athletes over the century has remained constant, despite the drift in the population characteristics from which they are drawn. A number of social factors both drive and are driven by the search for athletes of increasingly rare morphology. These include globalisation and international recruitment, greater financial and social incentives, and the use of special training methods and artificial growth stimuli. In many sports the demand for a specific range in body size reinforces the need to adopt questionable and illegal behaviours to reach the required size and shape to compete at the top level. Future scenarios also include 'gene-farming' through assortative mating and athlete gamete banks.
To investigate the levels of agreement between self-reported responses to the Adult Pre-exercise ... more To investigate the levels of agreement between self-reported responses to the Adult Pre-exercise Screening System (APSS) questionnaire using online versus face-to-face (F2F) modalities. Convenience sample of adults completing a pre-exercise screening questionnaire using different modalities. Adult volunteers (n = 94) were recruited to complete the APSS using both online and F2F modalities. Participants were provided a URL link to an online APSS questionnaire then followed-up the next day in a F2F interview. Objective health risk factors were also measured. Comparisons between responses were undertaken using kappa and correlation statistics to determine levels of agreement. The levels of agreement between online versus F2F responses for the seven compulsory Stage 1 questions (known diseases and signs and/or symptoms of disease) were >94% (kappa = 0.644-0.794). Response comparisons for Stage 2 questions on health risk factors were also generally high (>82% agreement) but there w...
To estimate international and national temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of ... more To estimate international and national temporal trends in the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of adults, and to examine relationships between trends in CRF and trends in health-related, socioeconomic, and environmental indicators. Data were obtained from a systematic search of studies that explicitly reported temporal trends in the CRF of apparently healthy adults aged 18-59 years. Sample-weighted temporal trends were estimated using best-fitting regression models relating the year of testing to mean CRF. Post-stratified population-weighted mean changes in percent and standardized CRF were estimated. Pearson&#39;s correlations were used to describe associations between linear trends in CRF and linear trends in health-related, socioeconomic, and environmental indicators. 2,525,827 adults representing eight high- and upper-middle-income countries between 1967 and 2016 collectively showed a moderate decline of 7.7% (95% CI - 8.4 to - 7.0) or 1.6% per decade (95% CI - 1.7 to - 1.5). Internationally, CRF improved in the 1960s and 1970s, and progressively declined at an increasing rate thereafter. Declines were larger for men than for women, and for young adults (&lt; 40 years) than for middle-aged adults (≥ 40 years). All countries experienced declines in CRF with a very strong negative correlation between CRF trends and obesity trends. There has been a meaningful decline in the CRF of adults since 1980, which has progressively increased in magnitude over time, suggestive of a corresponding decline in population health. Continuous national and international surveillance systems are needed in order to monitor health and fitness trends, especially among low- and middle-income countries for which data do not currently exist. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42013003678.
There is evidence that fitness has been declining and fatness increasing in Australian schoolchil... more There is evidence that fitness has been declining and fatness increasing in Australian schoolchildren over the last generation. This study reproduced the methods of a national survey of Australian schoolchildren conducted in 1985. Anthropometric and performance tests were administered to 1,463 10- and ll-year-old South Australians. Compared to the 1985 sample, the 1997 children were heavier (by 1.4−2.9 kg), showed greater weight for height (by 0.13−0.30 kg · m−2.85), and were slower over 1.6 km (by 38−48.5 s). Furthermore, the distribution of values was markedly more skewed in the 1997 data. While there was little difference between the fittest and leanest quartiles in 1997 and their 1985 counterparts, the least fit and fattest quartiles were markedly worse in 1997. This suggests that the decline in fitness of Australian schoolchildren is not homogeneous and that interventions should target groups where the decline is most marked.
Multicomponent movement assessment tools have become commonplace to measure movement quality, pro... more Multicomponent movement assessment tools have become commonplace to measure movement quality, proposing to indicate injury risk and performance capabilities. Despite popular use, there has been no attempt to compare the components of each tool reported in the literature, the processes in which they were developed, or the underpinning rationale for their included content. As such, the objective of this systematic review was to provide a comprehensive summary of current movement assessment tools and appraise the evidence supporting their development. A systematic literature search was performed using PRISMA guidelines to identify multicomponent movement assessment tools. Commonalities between tools and the evidence provided to support the content of each tool was identified. Each tool underwent critical appraisal to identify the rigor in which it was developed, and its applicability to professional practice. Eleven tools were identified, of which 5 provided evidence to support their content as assessments of movement quality. One assessment tool (Soccer Injury Movement Screen [SIMS]) received an overall score of above 65% on critical appraisal, with a further 2 tools (Movement Competency Screen [MCS] and modified 4 movement screen [M4-MS]) scoring above 60%. Only the MCS provided clear justification for its developmental process. The remaining 8 tools scored between 40 and 60%. On appraisal, the MCS, M4-MS, and SIMS seem to provide the most practical value for assessing movement quality as they provide the strongest reports of developmental rigor and an identifiable evidence base. In addition, considering the evidence provided, these tools may have the strongest potential for identifying performance capabilities and guiding exercise prescription in athletic and sport-specific populations.
The aim of this study was to compare urban and rural South Australian primary schoolchildren on m... more The aim of this study was to compare urban and rural South Australian primary schoolchildren on measures of anthropometry, fitness, and environmental mediators of physical activity. The sample was comprised of 445 urban and 205 rural boys and 423 urban and 158 rural girls, all age 10–11 yrs at the time of testing. After controlling for socioeconomic status and ethnicity, rural girls and boys were faster over 1.6 k than their urban counterparts while rural girls were also faster over 50 m. Rural residence independently predicted participation in organized activity, increasing involvement in club sport, and decreasing involvement in school sport. Rural children reported a greater likelihood of participating in two or more physical education classes per week. It is evident that urban and rural South Australia differ in ways which impact on fitness and physical activity patterns of upper primary age children.
... Hambidge M, Casey CE, Krebs NF. Zinc. In: Mertz W, ed. Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nut... more ... Hambidge M, Casey CE, Krebs NF. Zinc. In: Mertz W, ed. Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition, 5th edition, Orlando, FL:Academic Press, 1986:1-137.10. Jones MT, Norton KI, Dengal DR, Armstrong RB. ... Liu L, Borowski G, Rose LI. Hypomagnesemia in a tennis player. ...
Objective. Response time (RT) is important for health and human performance and provides insight ... more Objective. Response time (RT) is important for health and human performance and provides insight into cognitive processes. It deteriorates with age, is associated with chronic physical activity (PA), and improves with PA interventions. We investigated associations between the amount and type of PA undertaken and the rate of change in RT for low-active adults across the age range 18–63 yr.Methods. Insufficiently active adults were assigned to either a walking (n=263) or higher-intensity (n=380) exercise program conducted over 40 days. Active controls were also recruited (n=135). Simple response time (SRT) and choice response time (CRT) were measured before and after the intervention and at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up.Results. SRT and CRT slowed across the age range; however, habitually active participants at baseline had significantly faster CRT (p<0.05). The interventions increased weekly PA with corresponding increases in physical fitness. These changes were mirrored in faste...
Over the course of the past century it has become increasingly difficult to find athletes of the ... more Over the course of the past century it has become increasingly difficult to find athletes of the size and shape required to compete successfully at the highest level. Sport is Darwinian in that only the 'fittest'reach the highest level of participation. Not every physical characteristic could be expected to play a role in this selection process, but two that are important and for which substantial data assemblies exist, are height and mass. Measurements of elite athlete sizes were obtained from a variety of sources as far back as records allowed. We charted the shift in these anthropometric characteristics of elite sportspeople over time, against a backdrop of secular changes in the general population. Athletes in many sports have been getting taller and more massive over time; the rates of rise outstripping those of the secular trend. In open-ended sports, more massive players have an advantage. Larger players average longer careers and obtain greater financial rewards. In some sports it is equally difficult to find athletes small enough to compete. In contrast, there are sports that demand a narrow range of morphological characteristics. In these sports the size of the most successful athletes over the century has remained constant, despite the drift in the population characteristics from which they are drawn. A number of social factors both drive and are driven by the search for athletes of increasingly rare morphology. These include globalisation and international recruitment, greater financial and social incentives, and the use of special training methods and artificial growth stimuli. In many sports the demand for a specific range in body size reinforces the need to adopt questionable and illegal behaviours to reach the required size and shape to compete at the top level. Future scenarios also include 'gene-farming' through assortative mating and athlete gamete banks.
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