A systematic observation of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels in Australian natural blue space locations.

Research has shown that blue space (i.e. water-based environments) can be good for physical and mental health, with one possible reason being that people are physically active when visiting blue space environments.

Health literacy profiles of final year pre-service teachers in two initial education programs compared with the general population: A cross-sectional study using the Health Literacy Questionnaire.

Issue Addressed: Health literacy (HL) can be developed throughout the lifespan starting from the early years highlighting that educational institutions, curriculum and teachers are powerful settings, places and people that can foster HL in youth. Current research shows that Australian teachers need more support to teach health education that promotes students' HL, with limited research focusing on pre-service teachers (PST). This study aims to identify the HL strengths and challenges of PST at one Australian university across two initial teacher education programs (HPE and primary) and compare their health literacy profiles with that of the Australian general population.

A cross-sectional study of Australian teachers' health: are work-related factors associated with lifestyle behaviours?

Teacher's lifestyle behaviours are important because they lead to positive health outcomes for teachers themselves and because teachers model behaviour to their students. This cross-sectional study examined the lifestyle behaviours of a large sample of teachers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia and assessed the association between work-related factors and lifestyle behaviours. From February to October 2021, data were collected on the lifestyle behaviours, work-related factors and socio-demographics of primary and secondary school teachers in NSW, via an online survey.

Lifestyle and work-related correlates of psychosocial health among Australian teachers: a cross-sectional study.

Aim: This study examined the psychosocial (psychological distress, job-specific wellbeing, burnout) health of a large sample of teachers in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, specifically the association between psychosocial health, work-related factors, and lifestyle behaviours.

Subject & Methods: An online survey collected lifestyle behaviours, work-related factors, and socio-demographics from primary and secondary school teachers in NSW from February to October 2021. Associations between work-related factors, lifestyle behaviours, and psychosocial health were modelled using logistic regression in R and adjusted for gender, age, and geographic location.

Does physical activity mediate the associations between blue space and mental health? A cross-sectional study in Australia.

Background: Research has begun to examine whether blue space is beneficial to mental health. While results are promising, it is difficult to know which aspects of mental health or mental ill-health may benefit most. Physical activity has been proposed as one potential mechanism via which blue space may be associated with better mental health.

Using a design-based research approach to develop a technology-supported physical education course to increase the physical activity levels of university students: Study protocol paper.

Background: Promoting physical activity (PA) for university students is essential as PA levels decrease during the transition from secondary to higher education. Providing technology-supported university courses targeting students' PA levels may be a viable option to combat the problem. However, it is still unclear how and what technologies should be implemented in university courses to promote PA.

A teacher professional development programme to enhance students' critical health literacy through school-based health and physical education programmes.

Health literacy is a critical asset for adolescents to develop given its positive impact on health outcomes. The few studies that have targeted teacher knowledge and attitudes show that teachers themselves find it difficult to: navigate the multi-modal nature of health information; critically evaluate the different modes and texts; and apply health-related information in a variety of contexts. This research study aimed to address this issue through developing and implementing a teacher professional development (PD) programme for three Australian secondary schools and nine Health and Physical Education (HPE) teachers to improve health literacy, particularly critical health literacy, content and pedagogies embedded in current HPE programmes.

The Barriers to and Facilitators of Physical Activity and Sport for Oceania with Non-European, Non-Asian (ONENA) Ancestry Children and Adolescents: A Mixed Studies Systematic Review.

Background: Participation in sport and physical activity (PA) leads to better overall health, increased life expectancy, and decreased mortality rates across the lifespan; however, there may be a range of individual, family, and community factors that influence PA participation among ONENA children and adolescents residing in the 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICT) and Australia. This review aimed to synthesise existing quantitative and qualitative literature regarding barriers to and facilitators of PA and sport among ONENA youth.

Methods: The literature was systematically searched to include studies reporting barriers to and facilitators of PA and sports participation among ONENA children and adolescents aged 0-18 years residing in the 22 PICT and Australia.

'There's Just Something Really Peaceful About It': a Qualitative Exploration of Mothers with Young Children and Engagement in Group-Based Physical Activity Programs.

Background: Many mothers with young children often do not achieve recommendations of at least 150-min moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each week. Previous qualitative work has generally focused on getting inactive mothers with young children to be active, so the characteristics of women who are active during early postpartum period are not well understood. This research set out to capture the characteristics of mothers with young children who engage in MVPA and how these women manage barriers and harness enablers to sustain in engagement in physical activity (PA) over an extended period.

Practice-based evidence: Perspectives of effective characteristics of Australian group-based physical activity programs for postpartum women.

Issue Addressed: Many postpartum women often do not achieve recommendations of at least 150 minutes moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) each week. Previous qualitative work has focused on postpartum women's barriers and challenges to being active, with recent research starting to explore the characteristics of PA programs and women who are active during the postpartum period. Yet, little research has focused on the characteristics of key stakeholders and community organisations that support women to sustain their PA engagement during the postpartum period.

"A 15% Reduction in Physical Inactivity Will Be Achieved in Australasia by 2030"-Audience Votes Negative in Online Debate.

The Australasian Society for Physical Activity aims to advance the science and practice of physical activity in Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Fun, enjoyment, and cross-disciplinary discourse are important to ensure the network of physical activity professionals and our collective voice continues to grow. In May 2021, Australasian Society for Physical Activity's Early Career Network curated an engaging online Physical Activity Debate attended by 206 professionals.

Technology-Supported University Courses for Increasing University Students' Physical Activity Levels: A Systematic Review and Set of Design Principles for Future Practice.

Unlabelled: Physical activity levels tend to decrease as adolescents' transition to adulthood. University course-based interventions utilising technology are a promising idea to combat this decrease. This review aims to systematically identify, critically appraise, and summarise the best available evidence regarding technology-supported university courses that aim to increase student's physical activity levels.

Effect of a Scalable School-Based Intervention on Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Children: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Cardiorespiratory fitness is an important marker of childhood health and low fitness levels are a risk factor for disease later in life. Levels of children's fitness have declined in recent decades. Whether school-based physical activity interventions can increase fitness at the population level remains unclear.

School-based interventions modestly increase physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness but are least effective for youth who need them most: an individual participant pooled analysis of 20 controlled trials.

Objectives: To determine if subpopulations of students benefit equally from school-based physical activity interventions in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness and physical activity. To examine if physical activity intensity mediates improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness.

Design: Pooled analysis of individual participant data from controlled trials that assessed the impact of school-based physical activity interventions on cardiorespiratory fitness and device-measured physical activity.

The effect of teacher-delivered nutrition education programs on elementary-aged students: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.

Research shows that schools can make a positive impact on children's nutritional outcomes. However, it is also reported that schools and teaching staff note many barriers, which may restrict nutritional education programming and delivery. This is concerning, considering the view that teachers are the key agents for promoting health and nutrition within schools.

Influence of School-Level Socioeconomic Status on Children's Physical Activity, Fitness, and Fundamental Movement Skill Levels.

Background: Authorities recommend that youth undertake at least 60 minutes of daily moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), with young people having the opportunity to undertake at least half of this MVPA during school hours.

Methods: In this study, we examined the influence of school-level socioeconomic status (SES) on children's PA, fitness and fundamental movement skill (FMS) levels, and the barriers and enablers of children's PA in 86 Australian schools (41 primary, 45 secondary). School-level SES was based on an Index of Community Socio-Educational Advantage (ICSEA).

Association Between Sitting, Screen Time, Fitness Domains, and Fundamental Motor Skills in Children Aged 5-16 Years: Cross-Sectional Population Study.

Background: To examine the associations between school-age children's sedentary behavior, screen time, and 3 physical activity attributes: muscular strength, cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE), and fundamental movement skills.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of 2734 children in years 2 and 4 and 3671 adolescents in years 6, 8, and 10. Total sitting time, 6 screen time behaviors, and physical activity were measured by self-report.

Playground activities and gender variation in objectively measured physical activity intensity in Australian primary school children: a repeated measures study.

Background: Recent studies have sought to address the limited time for physical activity by focusing on increasing physical activity intensity among students during non-curricula periods and specifically school break times. We objectively measured the intensity of student physical activity (PA) during recess and lunch breaks at primary schools in the Western Sydney region of New South Wales (NSW), Australia using a 12-month repeated measures observation design study.

Methods: Systematic direct observation of recess and lunch breaks over a ten-week period in 2014 and 2015.

School Physical Activity Intervention Effect on Adolescents' Performance in Mathematics.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to test the effect of a school-based physical activity intervention on adolescents' performance in mathematics. A secondary aim was to explore potential mechanisms that might explain the intervention effect.

Methods: The Activity and Motivation in Physical EDucation intervention was evaluated using a two-arm cluster randomized controlled trial in 14 secondary schools located in low socioeconomic areas of Western Sydney, Australia.

30-year changes in Australian children's standing broad jump: 1985-2015.

Objectives: Muscular strength is an important component of fitness that enables the execution of a range of daily activities across the lifespan including sport participation. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in children's standing broad jump, an indicator of muscular strength, between 1985 and 2015.

Design: Two representative cross-sectional population surveys of Australian children age 9-15 years (n=7051).

A stepped-wedge implementation and evaluation of the healthy active peaceful playgrounds for youth (HAPPY) intervention.

Background: Increasing physical activity in children is a health priority. The Healthy Active Peaceful Playgrounds for Youth (HAPPY) study aimed to examine a multi-component playground intervention designed to increase the proportion of physical activity during recess and lunch of primary school students.

Methods: The 2016 Australian focused HAPPY Study was a 12-month, metropolitan primary school based intervention, which was evaluated using a stepped wedge design.

Implementing Resistance Training in Secondary Schools: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Guidelines recommend that young people engage in muscle-strengthening activities on at least 3 d·wk. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a school-based intervention focused on resistance training (RT) for adolescents.

Methods: The "Resistance Training for Teens" intervention was evaluated using a cluster-randomized, controlled trial with 607 adolescents (50.

An internet-supported school physical activity intervention in low socioeconomic status communities: results from the Activity and Motivation in Physical Education (AMPED) cluster randomised controlled trial.

Objective: Quality physical education (PE) is the cornerstone of comprehensive school physical activity (PA) promotion programmes. We tested the efficacy of a teacher professional learning intervention, delivered partially via the internet, designed to maximise opportunities for students to be active during PE lessons and enhance adolescents' motivation towards PE and PA.

Methods: A two-arm cluster randomised controlled trial with teachers and Grade 8 students from secondary schools in low socioeconomic areas of Western Sydney, Australia.

Promoting physical activity among adolescent girls: the Girls in Sport group randomized trial.

Background: Slowing the decline in participation in physical activity among adolescent girls is a public health priority. This study reports the outcomes from a multi-component school-based intervention (Girls in Sport), focused on promoting physical activity among adolescent girls.

Methods: Group randomized controlled trial in 24 secondary schools (12 intervention and 12 control).