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Children
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Importance of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents
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Importance of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents

A special issue of Children (ISSN 2227-9067). This special issue belongs to the section "Global Pediatric Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 October 2024 | Viewed by 2470

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Arturo Díaz-Suárez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Activity and Sport, CEI Campus Mare Nostrum, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Interests: children; psychomotricity; education, physical activity and sport; sport direction and management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Félix Zurita Ortega

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Didactics of Musical, Plastic and Corporal Expression, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Interests: psychosocial factors; healthy lifestyle; education; physical activity; sport; exercise
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During childhood and adolescence, the body is undergoing rapid growth and development. Proper physical activity is crucial for the development of motor skills, coordination, balance, and muscle strength. In addition, regular physical activity is related to better academic performance in children and adolescents. Exercise helps improve attention, concentration, memory, and problem-solving ability. Physical activity is also related to positive impacts on mental health and emotional well-being; it helps to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, in addition to improving general mood. It promotes self-esteem and self-confidence, as well as social and teamwork skills through participation in group physical activities.

Instilling the habit of being physically active from an early age can lay the foundation for a healthy lifestyle later in life. Children and adolescents who regularly participate in physical activity are more likely to stay active as adults, which can help prevent disease and promote a longer as well as healthier life.

Authors are encouraged to submit cutting-edge research and reviews. Articles that focus on all aspects related to the theme are invited.

Prof. Dr. Arturo Díaz-Suárez
Prof. Dr. Félix Zurita Ortega
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. Children 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 2400 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

  • physical exercise
  • sport
  • quality of life
  • health
  • social and emotional development

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

11 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Experiences of Rural-Dwelling Children Wearing Physical Activity Trackers: An Exploratory Study
by Katy Bray, Mengyuan Hao, Veronica Lelo, Heather Katz, Kristen A. Pickett and Susan J. Andreae
Children 2024, 11(9), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/children11091108 - 11 Sep 2024
Viewed by 223
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Although there is a need for evidence-based physical activity programs in rural communities, evaluating such programs is often challenging due to access-related barriers and measurement tools that are not designed for rural contexts. This study aimed to explore and better understand the [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Although there is a need for evidence-based physical activity programs in rural communities, evaluating such programs is often challenging due to access-related barriers and measurement tools that are not designed for rural contexts. This study aimed to explore and better understand the day-to-day experiences of rural-dwelling children using wrist-worn PA trackers as part of a study to develop a health promotion program. Methods: Ten caregivers and child dyads were enrolled (n = 20). The children wore accelerometers pre- and post-intervention. Semi-structured interviews were completed post-intervention and were audio recorded, transcribed, and summary reports were generated based on recurring themes. Results: The children had a mean age of 8.7 (SD = 1.4) years and the majority were male (80%). The caregivers were female, white, and had a mean age of 43.6 (SD = 8.5) years, with an annual income of ≥USD 40,000. Factors contributing to device wear times included low caregiver burden, device functioning as a watch, and device interactivity. The children reported that the devices were acceptable, but may have changed their physical activity behaviors, with children regularly checking their step count. The caregivers preferred devices that monitored the children’s activity levels without sharing location data. Conclusions: Identifying acceptable and feasible strategies to measure physical activity is vital to developing effective health promotion efforts. The lessons learned may help develop evaluation plans for implementing rural physical activity programming. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Importance of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents)
13 pages, 297 KiB  
Article
Results from Estonia’s 2022 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth: Research Gaps and Five Key Messages and Actions to Follow
by Evelin Mäestu, Merike Kull, Jarek Mäestu, Maret Pihu, Kristjan Kais, Eva-Maria Riso, Andre Koka, Henri Tilga and Jaak Jürimäe
Children 2023, 10(8), 1369; https://doi.org/10.3390/children10081369 - 9 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1609
Abstract
The aim of this article is to summarize the results of the 2022 Estonian Physical Activity Report Card across 10 indicators based on available scientific data and national databases, and, additionally, to compare the current results with previous Report Card results. A national [...] Read more.
The aim of this article is to summarize the results of the 2022 Estonian Physical Activity Report Card across 10 indicators based on available scientific data and national databases, and, additionally, to compare the current results with previous Report Card results. A national expert panel, consisting of research and policy experts, identified the available sources and synthesized as well as graded relevant data related to the physical activity (PA) of Estonian children and youth. Grade B was assigned to Organized Sports and Physical Activity (B−), Community and Environment (B+), and Government (B). Grade C was assigned to Overall Physical Activity (C+), Physical Fitness (C+), Family and Peers (C−), and School (C+). The lowest grade, D, was assigned to Active Play (D), Active Transportation (D+), and Sedentary Behaviors (D−). In Estonia, the participation rate in organized sport is relatively high, and government in addition to community support seem to be at a relatively good level. However, a relatively high number of children and youth did not meet the current PA guidelines, and the levels of sedentary behavior and screen time were very high. The PA of children and youth should be a cross-disciplinary priority, and focus should be put on developing schoolyards and outdoor breaks, varied and easily accessible organized sport, the use of active transportation, and the implementation of physical education that supports leisure time activities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Importance of Physical Activity in Children and Adolescents)
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