BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to identify the changes in the structure of weekly physical activity (PA) and well-being among adolescent boys and girls between habitual education (HE) and distance education (DE) during the pandemic in secondary schools. METHODS: The research was carried out in 12 Czech and 18 Polish schools during 2019 to 2020 academic session for HE and 2020 to 2021 academic session for DE. The research involved 723 girls and 626 boys aged 15 to 18 years. The structure of the weekly PA was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form, while well-being was assessed using the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant decrease of PA among boys in school PA, transportation PA, recreation PA, vigorous PA, moderate PA, walking, and overall weekly PA during the DE resulting from the pandemic. In girls, during DE, a decrease was observed in school PA, vigorous PA, and overall PA. During DE, a high level of well-being was reported by only 34.9% of girls (43.8% during HE) and 50% of boys (65.6% during HE). CONCLUSIONS: The observed low PA and high incidence of depressive symptoms in adolescents in distance education during pandemic constraints are a challenge for schools to change in supporting physical activity, eliminating similar negative impacts on school life in the future.

• Keywords
• Covid-19, distance education, mental health, physical activity recommendations, sedentary behavior, symptoms of depression,
• MeSH
• COVID-19 * epidemiology   MeSH
• Exercise MeSH
• Education, Distance * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Pandemics MeSH
• Schools MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH
• Poland epidemiology   MeSH

BACKGROUND: Physical and mental health are the basis of life satisfaction (LS), even during adolescence. The aim of this study was to identify the associations between LS and types of physical activity (PA) in Czech and Polish boys and girls. METHODS: The research involved 933 girls and 663 boys aged 15-19 years. LS was diagnosed using the Bern Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form (IPAQ-LF) questionnaire was used to identify the types of weekly PA. RESULTS: Adolescents with the highest LS had more recreational, moderate, vigorous, and total weekly PA. The strongest associations between LS and PA were in the Czech and Polish boys and girls who participated in vigorous PA (VPA). The recommendations for VPA were fulfilled by 45% of Czech and 46% of Polish boys and 40% of Czech and 50% of Polish girls, with the highest LS. The most significant positive moderator between LS and PA was participation in organized PA. Boys with the highest LS were 1.94 times more likely to meet the weekly recommendation of VPA than boys with the lowest LS. Similarly, girls with the highest LS were 1.77 times more likely to meet these recommendations. CONCLUSIONS: Promoting both current subjective well-being and organized PA, with an emphasis on achieving the VPA recommendations, may support general LS and a healthy lifestyle in adolescents.

• Keywords
• IPAQ-LF, organized physical activity, quality of life, type of physical activity, well-being,
• MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Personal Satisfaction * MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Healthy Lifestyle MeSH
• Check Tag
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Poland MeSH

The main aim of the study was to determine the associations of participation in organized physical activity (OPA), and the structure of weekly physical activity (PA) with meeting the PA recommendations among Polish boys and girls. The research was conducted between 2012 and 2019 in the Silesian region of Poland among 3499 secondary school students. To determine the structure of PA (school, transportation, home, recreation, vigorous moderate, and walking), the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Form (IPAQ-LF) questionnaire was used. Adolescents participating in OPA showed significantly more PA (p < 0.001) than non-participating adolescents. The strongest associations were observed between participation in OPA and vigorous PA. The weekly recommendation of vigorous PA was met by 61% of the students with three or more lessons of OPA per week, 29% of students with one or two lessons of OPA per week, and 24% of students not participating in OPA. Therefore, boys and girls with no OPA are at greatest risk of health issues. Schools, sports clubs, and leisure institutions should increase the participation of adolescents in OPA, especially non-participants. Comprehensive school PA programs should especially include those forms of OPA that respect health weaknesses, individual talents for specific types of PA, and preferred types of PA among adolescents.

• Keywords
• IPAQ-LF, gender differences, physical activity structure, secondary school, vigorous physical activity,
• MeSH
• Walking * MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Schools MeSH
• Leisure Activities MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Poland MeSH

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to analyze the associations between depressive symptoms (DS), well-being and different types of physical activity (PA) in adolescents. METHODS: Overall, 368 girls and 228 boys aged 15-19 years were involved in the research. To explore the composition of weekly PA, we used the IPAQ-Long questionnaire, and a pedometer was used to monitor weekly PA. The prevalence of DS was diagnosed by the Bern Subjective Well-Being Questionnaire and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. RESULTS: The girls and boys who reported the most DS and the lowest level of well-being had significantly less weekly recreational PA. The girls who reported the fewest DS had a 2.12 times greater odds of meeting the 11,000 steps/day recommendation than did the girls with the most DS, whereas we did not detect statistically significant differences in rates of meeting the recommendation in the boys with distinct levels of DS. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the stronger negative associations between DS and PA, especially among girls. The greatest opportunities for behavioral change in adolescents at the highest risk of DS are in the promotion of recreational PA.

• Keywords
• IPAQ, pedometer, quality of life, recommendations, well-being,
• MeSH
• Actigraphy MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Depression * epidemiology   MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Schools MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH

BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) in adolescence is crucial for lifelong healthy lifestyle, and attention is needed to adolescents at health risk due to insufficient PA. This study investigates the composition of weekly PA in adolescents by PA level and provides a rationale for change in their lifestyles. METHODS: The research was conducted at 66 schools in Poland between 2009 and 2016, among 949 girls and 650 boys aged 15-18 years. We used pedometers to monitor weekly PA with data assessed using the Indares web app. The participants were split into three groups by mean daily step count (lower, < 9000; middle, 9000-12,999; and higher, ≥ 13,000 steps/day), as a reliable and non-expensive indicator of PA. RESULTS: We did not observe statistically significant differences in composition of 7-day PA between participants with varying levels of PA, regardless of their gender (F(12,9558) = 0.60; p = 0.841; ηp2 > 0.000). The smallest differences in daily step counts by PA level were found on Mondays and the biggest on Fridays and Saturdays, in boys and girls; the differences between average school and average weekend days were most pronounced in less active girls (1677 steps/day) and boys (1886 steps/day). During the school week, the highest proportion of less active girls met the 11,000 steps/day recommendation on Fridays (21.9%), statistically significantly less than on other school days (p < 0.001). Similarly, less active boys (22.2%) had significantly less activity on Fridays than on other school days, except for Mondays (p = 0.143) Analogous pattern was apparent also in more active adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Less active adolescents have comparable composition of weekly PA to the more active ones but they can hardly meet the generally accepted PA recommendations. Better understanding of weekly PA composition and rates of meeting PA recommendations by day of the week can lead to more efficient interventions improving lifestyles. The recommendation of 9000 steps/day most days of the week, thus, appears appropriate for less active adolescents, as a motivating achievable goal.

• Keywords
• Adolescents, Day of the week, Pedometer, Physical activity, Step count,
• MeSH
• Actigraphy MeSH
• Time Factors MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Schools MeSH
• Life Style MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Geographicals
• Poland MeSH

The adoption of active travel (AT) habits in adolescence, supported by positive emotions, increases the chances of a lifelong positive attitude towards AT. The aim of this study was to assess the associations between active travel and well-being (WB), and to estimate the share of AT in weekly physical activity (PA) and its contribution to meeting the weekly PA recommendations in adolescents. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-long form and the WHO-5 questionnaire were used to assess the level of AT, weekly PA and well-being of 2805 adolescents from 36 Czech and 39 Polish schools. A higher rate of AT is only significantly associated with higher well-being in girls. However, meeting AT recommendations in combination with higher WB increased the likelihood of meeting the weekly PA recommendations in both girls and boys. AT accounts for 22.5% of weekly PA of Czech (Polish 24.2%) boys. Concerning girls, it accounts for 24.9% of weekly PA in the Czech Republic and 24.5% in Poland. Meeting AT recommendations should be part of comprehensive school-based PA programs. State, school and municipal policies in the Central European region should pay more attention to the improvement of WB and the built environment for AT in secondary school adolescents.

• Keywords
• IPAQ—long, commuting, environment, recommendations, secondary schools,
• MeSH
• Travel * MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Surveys and Questionnaires MeSH
• Schools * MeSH
• Child Welfare * MeSH
• Health Behavior MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Poland MeSH