The Influence of Kindergarten Environment on the Development of Preschool Children's Physical Fitness.

The aim of this research is to find out to what extent the special qualifications of physical education teachers and the physical environment of kindergartens influence the physical development of preschoolers. Forty-four kindergartens across Estonia participated in the study, half of which had a physical education teacher (PEt), whereas the remaining 22 kindergartens were taught by non-qualified kindergarten teachers (NoPEt). Six Eurofit fitness tests were used to assess the physical development of children ( = 704; aged 6-7 years old, with an average age of 6.

A cross-national comparison of problematic gaming behavior and well-being in adolescents.

Background And Aims: The popularity of playing games among adolescents has increased during the last decades, possibly affecting the prevalence of problematic gaming behavior. The current study aimed to compare country-level prevalence rates of adolescents' problematic gaming behavior in five countries and identify cross-cultural similarities and differences in the relationship between problematic gaming and well-being (life satisfaction, psychological complaints, and peer support).

Methods: Cross-national data from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study were used.

The Influence of Previous Lifestyle on Occupational Physical Fitness in the Context of Military Service.

The Estonian Defense Forces are the basis of military service, mandatory for all male citizens of the Republic of Estonia who are at least 17 years old. The physical load in military service, especially in the first stage, is significantly greater than for men in everyday life. Therefore, it is important to know if health promotion in civilian life adequately prepares young people for military service and to what extent pre-military health behaviors affect physical performance during service.

Trends in Adolescent Substance Use: Analysis of HBSC Data for Four Eastern European Countries, 1994-2018.

Unlabelled: The aim of the study was to analyze the trends of adolescent substance use in four eastern European countries over the time period from 1994 to 2018. The four countries in focus were selected based on their shared historical backgrounds and major economic and social transformations experienced.

Methods: Two decades (1993/1994-2017/2018) of repeated cross-sectional data from the Estonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, and Polish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey were used.

Physical Activity and Sports Participation among Adolescents: Associations with Sports-Related Knowledge and Attitudes.

The impact of physical activity and sport on the development of adolescents' knowledge and attitudes has not been studied sufficiently. We assume that young people with more knowledge of sports will continue to be physically active on their own. The aim of this study is to identify the differences in the sports and physical activity-related knowledge and attitudes of adolescents who engage in organised sports training and those who do not.

Baltic Adolescents' Health Behaviour: An International Comparison.

The aim of the study is to assess the time trends in Baltic adolescents' physical activity, dietary habits and BMI and compare the results with the average of the Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study. The research used HBSC data from 2006 to 2018. The total number of respondents was 17,458 in Estonia, 18,416 in Latvia and 20,466 in Lithuania.

Development of the European Health Interview Survey - Physical Activity Questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) to monitor physical activity in the European Union.

Background: A domain-specific physical activity questionnaire (EHIS-PAQ) was developed in the framework of the second wave of the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS). This article presents the EHIS-PAQ and describes its development and evaluation processes.

Methods: Research institutes from Belgium, Estonia and Germany participated in the Improvement of the EHIS (ImpEHIS) Grant project issued by Eurostat.

Sleep duration and activity levels in Estonian and Swedish children and adolescents.

We aimed to examine the associations of sleep duration with time spent on sedentary, moderate and vigorous activities in children and adolescents. The sample consisted of 2,241 (53.5% girls) Estonian and Swedish children (9-10 years) and adolescents (15-16 years), from the European Youth Heart Study, in 1998-1999.

Active commuting to school in children and adolescents: an opportunity to increase physical activity and fitness.

Aims: The purpose was to describe the patterns of commuting to school in young people and to examine its associations with physical activity (PA) and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Methods: The sample comprised 2271 Estonian and Swedish children and adolescents (1218 females) aged 9-10 years and 15-16 years. Data were collected in 1998/99.

Associations between physical activity, body fat, and insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment) in adolescents: the European Youth Heart Study.

Background: More and better data are needed to understand the action of physical activity (PA) on insulin resistance and the concomitant relation with body fat in adolescence.

Objective: We examined the relation between total PA and intensity levels with insulin resistance under special consideration of waist circumference and skinfold thickness.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study of 613 adolescents (352 girls, 261 boys) with a mean (+/-SD) age of 15.

High cardiovascular fitness is associated with low metabolic risk score in children: the European Youth Heart Study.

The aim of the present study was to examine the associations of cardiovascular fitness (CVF) with a clustering of metabolic risk factors in children, and to examine whether there is a CVF level associated with a low metabolic risk. CVF was estimated by a maximal ergometer bike test on 873 randomly selected children from Sweden and Estonia. Additional measured outcomes included fasting insulin, glucose, triglycerides, HDLC, blood pressure, and the sum of five skinfolds.

Physical activity, motor ability, and school readiness of 6-yr.-old children.

The aim of this investigation was to study the relationships between physical activity, motor ability, and school readiness in 6-yr.-old children. In total, 294 healthy children from Tartu were studied (161 boys and 133 girls).

Changes in anthropometrical characteristics during two years in 6 year old children.

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in anthropometrical characteristics during the last year (autumn-spring) in preschool and first year (autumn-spring) in school. Changes in anthropometrical characteristics during summer months were also studied (spring-autumn). The subjects were 130 boys and 122 girls, 6 years of age at the beginning of the investigation.

Assessment of motor ability of 4- and 5-year-old children.

The aim of this investigation was to develop a test battery to measure the motor abilities of 4- and 5-year-old children. The subjects were 932 healthy kindergarten children from Tartu, Estonia: boys, 4 years, n = 205; boys, 5 years, n = 267; girls, 4 years, n = 224; girls, 5 years, n = 236. Height and body mass were measured, and the body mass index (BMI, kg/m ) was calculated.