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Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan
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Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Exercise and Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 12494

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Georgina Stebbings

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine Research Centre, Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, M15 6BH, UK
Interests: genetics; elite athletes; muscle strength; bone mineral density; stress fractures; endurance running; sports injuries
Dr. Shane Heffernan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Applied Sports Science, Technology and Medicine Research Centre (A-STEM), College of Engineering, Swansea University, SA2 8PP, UK
Interests: molecular exercise physiology; genetics of elite athletes and muscle phenotypes; nutraceuticals for osteoarthritis and athletic performance
Dr. Kirsty Hicks

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Sport, Exercise & Rehabilitation, Northumbria University, NE1 8QH, UK
Interests: exercise-induced muscle damage; muscle architecture; human performance; menstrual cycle; female athletes
Dr. Antonis Elia

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Environmental Physiology, School of Chemistry, Bioengineering and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, SE-100 44, Sweden
Interests: exercise physiology; ageing; health; hypoxia

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The benefits of maintaining a physically active lifestyle for health are ubiquitous and participation in exercise and sports is encouraged at every stage of life. Regular exercise during childhood has lifelong benefits on multiple physiological systems, while also slowing the rate of age-related declines in these systems in older adult populations. Likewise, in those with, or at risk of, poor health, regular exercise can be prescribed as an effective treatment to reverse or prevent the progression of disease symptoms. Inter-individual variation in the adaptive response to the same exercise stimuli, however, is apparent, meaning some individuals are genetically predisposed to experience high or low adaptive responses to exercise. Improving our ability to identify those predisposed to a high or low adaptive response to exercise across a range of modalities has obvious implications for both health and sports performance. Similarly, understanding the physiological changes that occur before, during, and after key milestones throughout ageing, such as puberty, menses, and menopause, and the impact of these on participation in exercise and health are also of interest. Thus, there is an undeniable link between exercise participation and health across the lifespan that contributes to a multitude of physiological changes. This Special Issue, therefore, invites submissions of original work exploring topics aligned with sport, exercise, and health across the lifespan.

Dr. Georgina Stebbings
Dr. Kirsty Hicks
Dr. Shane Heffernan
Dr. Antonis Elia
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2500 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sport
  • exercise
  • health
  • growth
  • ageing
  • genetics
  • disease
  • lifespan

Published Papers (6 papers)

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9 pages, 686 KiB  
Article
The Relationship between Physical Activity, Sleep Quality, and Stress: A Study of Teachers during the COVID-19 Pandemic
by Fabio Fontana, Kelsey Bourbeau, Terence Moriarty and Michael Pereira da Silva
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(23), 15465; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph192315465 - 22 Nov 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1820
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted chaotic changes in the daily lives of K-12 teachers, resulting in increased stress and other mental health problems. Limited evidence regarding the relationship between physical activity, sleep, and perceived stress among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic exists. Therefore, the [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted chaotic changes in the daily lives of K-12 teachers, resulting in increased stress and other mental health problems. Limited evidence regarding the relationship between physical activity, sleep, and perceived stress among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic exists. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity, sleep quality, and perceived psychological stress among teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey measuring physical activity, sleep quality, and perceived psychological stress was distributed across 47 US states between September and October of 2020. Data provided by 635 teachers (mean age: 42 ± 18 years, 74.6% female) were included in the present analysis. Results suggested a negative association between physical activity and perceived psychological stress. Mediation analyses indicated that teachers engaging in high levels of physical activity were more likely to have good quality sleep and, in turn, were less likely to report high levels of perceived stress. Physical activity and sleep-related interventions could help curtail the rising levels of psychological distress amongst K-12 teachers during stressful times such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Teachers, especially those that self-report as female and/or young, report high levels of stress. These high levels of stress are a serious challenge for school districts in terms of attracting and retaining qualified teachers in K-12 classrooms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan)
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8 pages, 324 KiB  
Article
The Benefits of Utilizing Total Body Composition as a Predictor of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Based on Age: A Pilot Study
by Jeffery L. Heileson, Zacharias Papadakis, Ahmed Ismaeel, Kathleen A. Richardson, Ricardo Torres, LesLee Funderburk, Andrew Gallucci, Panagiotis Koutakis and Jeffrey S. Forsse
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(9), 5758; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19095758 - 09 May 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1848
Abstract
Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) has been associated with body fat percentage (%BF) or fat free mass. However, most analyses do not consider total body composition (TBC) as defined by %BF, fat free mass index (FFMI—a height-adjusted measure of muscle mass), visceral [...] Read more.
Maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) has been associated with body fat percentage (%BF) or fat free mass. However, most analyses do not consider total body composition (TBC) as defined by %BF, fat free mass index (FFMI—a height-adjusted measure of muscle mass), visceral adipose tissue, and bone mineral content (BMC). The aim of this study was to determine if TBC predicts cardiorespiratory fitness in healthy adults and if a relationship exists in young and older adults. Sixty healthy individuals (age group 1 (AG1, ≤35 years), n = 35; age group 2 (AG2, >35 years), n = 25) were screened in a cross-sectional study and retrospectively examined. All participants completed a full body DEXA scan and a standardized multistage treadmill test to determine VO2max. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between TBC and VO2max. The multiple regression model showed an overall significant effect for TBC (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.282). When analyzed by age group, the regression model of TBC was not significant in young adults (AG1, p = 0.319, R2 = 0.141), but significant in older adults (AG2, p < 0.001, R2 = 0.683). Significant predictors of VO2max in the older cohort were %BF (β = −0.748, p = 0.001) and BMC (β = 0.014, p = 0.002). Total body composition predicted VO2max in a small cohort of healthy adults. This study highlights the importance of TBC for cardiovascular health, especially in mid-to later-life individuals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan)
14 pages, 370 KiB  
Article
Using the Behavioural Regulation in an Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ–2) in Central and Eastern Europe: Evidence of Reliability, Sociocultural Background, and the Effect on Sports Activity
by Klára Kovács and Karolina Eszter Kovács
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(22), 11834; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182211834 - 11 Nov 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2517 | Correction
Abstract
The factors influencing sports motivation create a complex system, integrating internal drivers, such as the love of sport and the need for competence, and external segments, such as the environment, institutions, or the media. In our research, we examined the sports motivation of [...] Read more.
The factors influencing sports motivation create a complex system, integrating internal drivers, such as the love of sport and the need for competence, and external segments, such as the environment, institutions, or the media. In our research, we examined the sports motivation of students studying in higher educational institutions in five countries (Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine) using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ–2). This research aims to explore the socioeconomic and institutional factors influencing students’ sports motivation and the effect of sociocultural, demographical, motivational, and societal factors on the frequency of participating in sports. Based on factor analysis, instead of the original five factors, three factors could be detected in the sample: intrinsic and identified motivation, introjected motivation, extrinsic motivation, and amotivation. Based on the results, higher social status facilitates intrinsic motivation, while lower socioeconomic status facilitates extrinsic motivation and amotivation. The strongest effect is exerted by individual variables, of which intrinsic and identified motivation support regular physical activity as a significant factor among students in all countries. This can also be seen in the frequency of sporting activities, as the highest frequency of sports activity was detected among people with high intrinsic motivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan)
9 pages, 1094 KiB  
Article
Cross-Validation of Predictive Equation for Cardiorespiratory Fitness by Modified Shuttle Walk Test in Adults with Schizophrenia: A Secondary Analysis of the CORTEX-SP Study
by Mikel Tous-Espelosin, Sonia Ruiz de Azua, Nagore Iriarte-Yoller, Pedro M. Sanchez, Edorta Elizagarate, Agurne Sampedro and Sara Maldonado-Martín
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(21), 11390; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph182111390 - 29 Oct 2021
Viewed by 1665
Abstract
Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can be direct or estimated from different field tests. The Modified Shuttle Walk Test (MSWT) is suitable for all levels of function, allowing a peak response to be elicited. Therefore, we aimed (1) to validate the equation presented in the [...] Read more.
Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) can be direct or estimated from different field tests. The Modified Shuttle Walk Test (MSWT) is suitable for all levels of function, allowing a peak response to be elicited. Therefore, we aimed (1) to validate the equation presented in the original study by Singh et al. for evaluating the relationship between MSWT with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in adults with schizophrenia (SZ), (2) to develop a new equation for the MSWT to predict VO2peak, and (3) to validate the new equation. Participants (N = 144, 41.3 ± 10.2 years old) with SZ performed a direct measurement of VO2peak through a cardiopulmonary exercise test and the MSWT. A new equation incorporating resting heart rate, body mass index, and distance from MSWT (R2 = 0.617; adjusted R2 = 0.60; p < 0.001) performs better than the Singh et al. equation (R2 = 0.57; adjusted R2 = 0.57; p < 0.001) to estimate VO2peak for the studied population. The posteriori cross-validation method confirmed the model’s stability (R2 = 0.617 vs. 0.626). The findings of the current study support the validity of the new regression equation incorporating resting heart rate, body mass index, and distance from MSWT to predict VO2peak for assessment of CRF in people with SZ. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan)
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13 pages, 344 KiB  
Article
ACTN3 Genotypes and Their Relationship with Muscle Mass and Function of Kosovan Adults
by Arben Boshnjaku, Ermira Krasniqi, Harald Tschan and Barbara Wessner
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(17), 9135; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph18179135 - 30 Aug 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2400
Abstract
Maintaining muscle mass and function is important throughout the lifestyle. While environmental factors such as physical activity and healthy nutrition are well investigated, the contribution of genetic factors is still controversial. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of a common ACTN3 polymorphism [...] Read more.
Maintaining muscle mass and function is important throughout the lifestyle. While environmental factors such as physical activity and healthy nutrition are well investigated, the contribution of genetic factors is still controversial. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the impact of a common ACTN3 polymorphism (rs1815739) on body composition, handgrip strength, knee extensor peak torque, and physical performance (gait speed, 30-s arm curl, 30-s chair stand) in Kosovan adults. In total, 308 participants (160 females and 148 males, age range from 40 to 91 years) took part in this cross-sectional study. Genomic DNA was extracted from saliva and assessed for ACTN3 genotype distribution (41.5% of RR, 53.9% of RX and 4.6% of XX). Genotype allocation did not account for differences in any of the variables. Interestingly, female XX carriers were taller (p = 0.025) and had a higher isokinetic knee extension peak torque (p = 0.024) than the RX+RR group. In males, XX carriers were also taller (p = 0.049) and had a lower BMI (p = 0.026), but did not differ in any of the strength and performance parameters. These results indicate that the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism might exert a sex-specific impact on knee extensor peak torque and BMI. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan)

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1 pages, 251 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Kovács, K.; Kovács, K.E. Using the Behavioural Regulation in an Exercise Questionnaire (BREQ–2) in Central and Eastern Europe: Evidence of Reliability, Sociocultural Background, and the Effect on Sports Activity. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18, 11834
by Klára Kovács and Karolina Eszter Kovács
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2022, 19(3), 1178; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijerph19031178 - 21 Jan 2022
Viewed by 1270
Abstract
In the original publication [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sport, Exercise and Health across the Lifespan)
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