Differences in Anthropometric Parameters, Physical Fitness, and Kicking Speed in Young Football Players According to Performance Level, Playing Position, and Relative Age Effect: A Population-Based Study.

Oddsson, HR, Friðgeirsdóttir, KÝ, Hafliðadóttir, L, Einarsson, IÞ, Kristjánsdóttir, H, and Saavedra, JM. Differences in anthropometric parameters, physical fitness, and kicking speed in young football players according to performance level, playing position, and relative age effect: a population-based study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The objectives of this study were to determine (a) the differences, both in male and female players, in anthropometric parameters, physical fitness, and kicking speed based on the players' level and position on the field; (b) whether there is a relative age effect based on the players' level, and (c) whether there is a relationship between the relative age effect and the anthropometric parameters, physical fitness, and kicking speed parameters.

Healthy Diets at the Intersection of Human and Planetary Health.

Our diets are the greatest determinant of health, and what we eat is sustained and shaped by the food we produce. Food systems have increased production to feed the growing world population, which has also led to a dietary transition, with increases in energy and protein intakes, and only modest improvements in micronutrient density. Thus, undernutrition has decreased globally, while non-communicable diseases are dramatically increasing.

The training times of athletes could play a role in clinical sleep problems due to their associations with sleep difficulty scores.

Objectives: Sleep is a key component of athletic recovery, yet training times could influence the sleep of athletes. The aim of the current study was to compare sleep difficulties in athletes across different training time groups (early morning, daytime, late evening, early morning plus late evening) and to investigate whether training time can predict sleep difficulties.

Methods: Athletes from various sports who performed at a national-level (n = 273) answered the Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) along with several other questionnaires related to demographics, exercise training, and mental health.

Analysis of Movement and Actions of Wingers as Second-Line Players in Organized Attack in Handball.

In modern handball, one of the important performance indicators is the effectiveness of the attack, especially the running-in of wingers as line players which has not been explored adequately. The purpose of the study was to analyze the movements of wingers in the organized attack when they run in. Fifty-eight matches were analyzed from the 2022 EHF European Men's Handball Championship.

The role of physical activity on obstructive sleep apnea severity and hypoxic load, and the mismatch between subjective and objective physical activity assessments.

Obesity is the primary risk factor for the development of obstructive sleep apnea, and physical inactivity plays an important role. However, most studies have either only evaluated physical activity subjectively or objectively in obstructive sleep apnea. The objectives of this study were: (i) to assess the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea severity (both apnea-hypopnea index and desaturation parameters) and both objectively and subjectively measured physical activity after adjustment for anthropometry and body composition parameters; and (ii) to assess the relationship between objective and subjective physical activity parameters and whether obstructive sleep apnea severity has a modulatory effect on this relationship.

Review and perspective on sleep-disordered breathing research and translation to clinics.

Sleep-disordered breathing, ranging from habitual snoring to severe obstructive sleep apnea, is a prevalent public health issue. Despite rising interest in sleep and awareness of sleep disorders, sleep research and diagnostic practices still rely on outdated metrics and laborious methods reducing the diagnostic capacity and preventing timely diagnosis and treatment. Consequently, a significant portion of individuals affected by sleep-disordered breathing remain undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed.

Are they all born to score? The relationship between throwing arm and scoring from the 7-meter line in semi-professional handball.

Indications of laterall biases favouring left-handers have been found in various sports; especially interactive sports where the athletes have limited time to react to incoming objects. The aim of this study was therefore to explore whether any lateral biases exist in handball by examining 7-meter shots. A total of 6846 7-meter throws from 240 7-meter shooters across four seasons in the semi-professional Icelandic elite handball division (male and female) were analyzed.

Analyzing the Relationship between Participation in Sports and Harmful Alcohol Drinking in Early Adolescence: Two-Year Prospective Analysis.

Alcohol drinking is an important health-related problem and one of the major risk factors for a wide array of non-communicable diseases, while there is a lack of studies investigating environment-specific associations between sports participation and alcohol drinking in adolescence. This study prospectively investigated the relationship between sports factors (i.e.

Effectiveness of Growing-Up Milk Containing Only A2 β-Casein on Digestive Comfort in Toddlers: A Randomized Controlled Trial in China.

Background: Emerging clinical evidence indicates the potential gastrointestinal (GI) benefits of milk containing only A2 β-casein, but data from randomized controlled trials is sparse among pediatric populations. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of growing-up milk (GUM) containing only A2 β-casein on GI tolerance in toddlers.

Methods: A total of 387 toddlers aged 12-36 months were recruited in Beijing, China, and randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to consume one of two commercially available A2 GUMs (combined in the analysis as A2 GUM) or continue their current feeding regimen of conventional milk for 14 days.

Nutrition in school-age children: a rationale for revisiting priorities.

Middle childhood and early adolescence have received disproportionately low levels of scientific attention relative to other life stages, especially as related to nutrition and health. This is partly due to the justified emphasis on the first 1000 days of life, and the idea that early deficits and consequences may not be fully reversible. In addition, these stages of life may superficially appear less "eventful" than infancy or late adolescence.

Decline in Running Performance in Highest-Level Soccer: Analysis of the UEFA Champions League Matches.

It is widely recognized that there is a decline in match running performance (MRP) towards the end of matches. To clarify whether it is primarily a consequence of fatigue, pacing or situational influences, this study aimed to examine MRP across 15-min match periods for players on different playing positions. Players’ MRP (n = 244) were examined from the UEFA Champions League matches (n = 20) using a semiautomatic optical tracking system.

The Sleep Revolution project: the concept and objectives.

Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to severe health consequences such as hypertension, daytime sleepiness, and cardiovascular disease. Nearly a billion people are estimated to have obstructive sleep apnea with a substantial economic burden. However, the current diagnostic parameter of obstructive sleep apnea, the apnea-hypopnea index, correlates poorly with related comorbidities and symptoms.

The Changing Landscape of Children's Diet and Nutrition: New Threats, New Opportunities.

Background: Over the last 30-40 years, we have seen an improvement in global child undernutrition, with major reductions in wasting and stunting. Meanwhile, childhood obesity has dramatically increased, initially in high-income populations and subsequently in the more economically vulnerable. These trends are related to significant changes in diet and external factors, including new environmental threats.

Estimated Energy Requirements of Infants and Young Children up to 24 Months of Age.

Background: Establishing energy requirements in infants and young children is important in developing age-appropriate diet recommendations but most published guidelines for energy requirements have 1 or more limitations related to the data underlying the calculations.

Objective: To develop a comprehensive set of daily energy requirements for infants and young children aged 0-24 mo meeting the ideals of worldwide applicability to all healthy children based on the use of the doubly labeled water (DLW) technique to measure total energy expenditure (TEE), the use of recent, international growth charts, and calculation of values across a wide range of body weight.

Methods: Daily estimated energy requirements (EERs) were calculated in 1-mo increments from 0 to 24 mo for boys, girls, and combined, using as inputs the following: ) TEE measured using the DLW technique, ) energy deposition estimates from the Institute of Medicine, and ) body weight values from the 25th to 75th percentiles from the 2006 WHO growth charts.

Effects of 2 physical exercise programs (circuit training and brisk walk) carried out during working hours on multidimensional components of workers' health: a pilot study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of 2 physical exercise programs carried out during working hours in an office work environment on health-related parameters of employees.

Material And Methods: The participants included 47 healthy office worker volunteers (aged 45±11.95 years, 27% males) who formed 3 groups: circuit training (CT), brisk walk (BW), and control (C) groups.

Relationship between Anthropometric Parameters and Throwing Speed in Amateur Male Handball Players at Different Ages.

The objectives of this study were: (i) to analyse anthropometric parameters and throwing speed from seven meters in amateur male handball players of different ages; (ii) to know the relationship between anthropometric parameters and throwing. One hundred seventy-six male handball players (16.5 ± 5.

Prediction of Handball Players' Performance on the Basis of Kinanthropometric Variables, Conditioning Abilities, and Handball Skills.

Handball (team handball) is a multifactorial sport. The aims of this study were (i) to analyse anthropometric variables, conditioning abilities, and handball skills in club handball players according to age and sex, and (ii) to develop multivariate models explaining club handball performance from a multidimensional perspective. Two hundred and twenty six handball players (age 16.

Harmonizing Micronutrient Intake Reference Ranges for Dietary Guidance and Menu Planning in Complementary Feeding.

There are no published harmonized nutrient reference values for the complementary feeding period. The aim of the study was to develop proposals on adequate and safe intake ranges of micronutrients that can be applied to dietary guidance and menu planning. Dietary intake surveys from 6 populous countries were selected as pertinent to the study and reviewed for data on micronutrients.

Nutrition Education: Application of Theory and Strategies during the First 1,000 Days for Healthy Growth.

Healthy growth during the first 1,000 days, spanning from conception to age 24 months, represents a crucial period which influences the long-term physical and cognitive development of individuals. International public health recommendations and nutrition education interventions targeting early life focus on building individuals' capacities through a variety of educational strategies, accompanied by environmental support, with an ultimate goal being the voluntary adoption of food choices and other nutrition-related behaviors conducive to health and wellness of the expectant mother during pregnancy, parents and caregivers who have a role in feeding the infant, and the infant in later childhood and beyond. Nutrition education interventions that hold promise in the promotion of healthy infant growth are designed on the basis of applicable theory of health behavior, focus on multiple modifiable nutrition-related behaviors, and address various mediators, such as motivators and barriers relevant to acting on these modifiable behaviors.

Psychological characteristics in women football players: Skills, mental toughness, and anxiety.

Women's football has been far less studied than men's. This work's objectives were to: (1) analyze the differences in psychological skills, mental toughness (MT), and anxiety in women football players according to their level (national team, first division, and second division); and (2) predict those three levels (using a multivariate model) according to the players' psychological skills, mental toughness, and anxiety. One hundred and forty-two Icelandic women football players (23.

Educational and sport factors as predictors of harmful alcohol drinking in adolescence: a prospective study in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Objectives: The cause-effect relationship between educational and sport factors, and alcohol drinking in adolescents is rarely prospectively investigated. This study aimed to establish the possible influence of sport, scholastic and socio-demographic factors on harmful alcohol drinking (HD) and the initiation of HD in adolescents from Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Methods: Study included 881 adolescents (49% females) and consisted of (1) baseline tests (16 years of age) and (2) follow-up testing (18 years of age).

Factors Associated with Breastfeeding Initiation and Continuation: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective: To use a quantitative approach to evaluate the literature for quantity, quality, and consistency of studies of maternal and infant characteristics in association with breastfeeding initiation and continuation, and to conduct a meta-analysis to produce summary relative risks (RRs) for selected factors.

Study Design: A systematic review using PubMed and CINAHL through March 2016 was conducted to identify relevant observational studies in developed nations, reporting a measure of risk for 1 or more of 6 quantitatively derived, high impact factors in relation to either breastfeeding initiation or continuation. One author abstracted data using a predesigned database, which was reviewed by a second independent author; data evaluation and interpretation included all co-authors.

Ideal Cardiovascular Health and Incident Cardiovascular Disease Among Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate the association between ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Methods: The MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases were searched from January 1, 2010, through July 31, 2017, for studies that met the following criteria: (1) prospective studies conducted in adults, (2) with outcome data on CVD incidence and (3) a measure of ideal CVH metrics.

Results: Twelve studies (210,443 adults) were included in this analysis.