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

Worldwide, depressive disorder is one of the leading determinants of disability-adjusted life years. Although there are benefits associated with a higher physical activity (PA) level, there is a lack of information related to this relationship, especially in countries such as Czechia, where modern approaches to mental health care only recently emerged. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between the level of depression and different PA levels following the World Health Organization (WHO) PA guidelines and according to specific symptoms that indicate depression. Multivariable-adjusted Poisson regression models were used to calculate the prevalence rate (PR) in a sample of 2123 participants (45.3% men, median 48 years). Compared to subjects with insufficient PA, moderate and high PA levels were inversely associated with continuous depression scores (PR = 0.85; 95% CI: 0.75-0.97; and PR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.70-0.92). Depressed mood and worthlessness were the symptoms associated with moderate and high PA. Tiredness, change in appetite, and concentration problems were related to high PA. The results suggest that reaching the minimum PA target according to the guidelines seems to be effective, and this could stimulate adherence. However, more specific improvements in symptomatology will require a subsequent gradual increase in PA levels.

• Keywords
• adult, depression, mental health, middle age, physical activity, population health,
• MeSH
• Exercise * psychology   MeSH
• Depression * epidemiology   psychology   MeSH
• Mental Health MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Self Report MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic epidemiology   MeSH

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to map the available evidence related to physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour (SB) in Czech children and adolescents and suggest future directions and improvements to strengthen the surveillance of PA and SB in the Czech Republic. METHODS: The search of articles published between January 2000 and December 2020 included the Medline and Medvik databases and a manual search in eight Czech journals related to the topic. This review followed the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews". RESULTS: Out of 350 identified articles, 79 articles met the criteria for selection and referred to 27 studies. The majority of the articles were cross-sectional (89%), approximately two-thirds of the articles (61%) examined only PA, and half of the articles (51%) employed device-based assessments. Approximately 47% of the articles reported the prevalence of physical inactivity on the basis of inconsistently defined recommendations. Approximately 14%, 23%, and 10% of the articles focused on active transportation, organized PA (including physical education or leisure-time PA), and parent-child PA, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies need to focus on longitudinal design and interventions, randomly selected samples, a mix of device-based and self-reported methods, and the recognition of health-related 24-hour time use patterns. This review advocates the government-supported development of a national surveillance system that will help to reduce insufficient PA and excessive SB.

• Keywords
• Health, Insufficient physical activity, Prevalence, Youth,
• MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Motor Activity MeSH
• Prevalence MeSH
• Sedentary Behavior * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Scoping Review MeSH
• Geographicals
• Czech Republic 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 current social, health, and educational changes in society require an adequate response in school-based physical activity (PA), including physical education (PE) lessons. The objective of this study was to identify the real average step counts of Czech and Polish adolescents during PE lessons, and propose recommendations for improving PE programs. This research was carried out in 143 Czech and 99 Polish schools. In the research, a total of 4911 adolescents aged 12-18 years were analyzed as part of teaching practice and 1827 in the context of habitual school practice. Steps were monitored using pedometers. The average step count per PE lesson was 2390 in Czech and Polish boys, while girls achieved 1851 steps. In both countries, boys were subject to greater physical strain in PE lessons compared to girls, both in teaching practice (F(4088,3) = 154.49, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.102) and school practice (F(1552,3) = 70.66, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.103). Therefore, the priority in PE lessons is to increase the amount of PA for girls, achieve the objectives of PE during PA, and use wearables to improve awareness of PA and improve physical literacy, as well as to support hybrid and online PE as a complement to traditional PE.

• Keywords
• online physical education, pandemic, recommendation, steps, wearables,
• MeSH
• Actigraphy MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Schools MeSH
• Physical Education and Training * MeSH
• Check Tag
• Child MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Male MeSH
• Female MeSH
• Publication type
• Journal Article MeSH
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
• Geographicals
• Poland MeSH

School physical activity (PA) is an indispensable part of daily PA, the foundation for developing lifelong PA and fitness, and an easy way to gain physical and health literacy. School PA is equally important for understanding the continuity of physical and mental health, even in broader psychosocial aspects. Regarding long-term outcomes, significant attention has been paid to the determination of daily and weekly recommendations for adolescent PA. However, comprehensive approaches suggesting recommendations for PA in segments of the school day are rare. This study aimed to (a) provide a rationale for PA recommendations in segments of school days and incorporate it into generally accepted PA recommendations, and (b) promote radical changes in the educational process toward a healthy school lifestyle through PA recommendations in segments of school days. The results of research conducted in 98 secondary schools in the Czech Republic and 104 secondary schools in Poland from 2009 to 2017 were used in this study. In total, 3,860 boys and 5,237 girls from the Czech Republic and 3,052 boys and 3,329 girls from Poland, all aged 15-19, participated. We recommended at least 2,000 steps (or 10 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the before school segment and at least 6,000 steps (or 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA) for the after-school segment. For the time spent at school, we further recommended at least 500 steps/h (alternatively, at least 3,000 steps/school time), 20 min of moderate-to-vigorous PA (≥3METs or 60% HRmax), and at least one HRsubmax/max response to significant stress during PA to mitigate educational stress and high levels of sedentary behavior in schools. PA should account for at least 25% of school time, even on days with no scheduled physical education lessons. We propose using PA recommendations in segments of school days to achieve positive changes in the educational process and school lifestyle. Acceptance of PA recommendations in segments of school days theories on physical education could help refine and concretize demands for changes in PA and lifestyle in secondary schools. In practice, it could support the creation of innovative and comprehensive school PA programs. Future research should focus on obtaining evidence in support for adolescent PA by applying PA recommendations in segments of school days.

• Keywords
• comprehensive school physical activity program, physical education, physical literacy, school lifestyle, steps,
• MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Adult MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Young Adult MeSH
• Schools * MeSH
• Health Behavior 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
• Czech Republic MeSH
• Poland MeSH

The traditional concept of education and school settings significantly contribute to the sedentary behavior of adolescents at secondary schools. The aim of this study is to identify the volume and intensity of physical activity (PA) that adolescent boys and girls engage in during recesses, after school, and during the day to compensate for sedentary behavior in lessons. The study was conducted at 29 Czech and 9 Polish schools. The study involved 868 girls and 409 boys aged 15-17 years. An ActiTrainerTM accelerometer was used to monitor PA and heart rate. Participants were divided into four quartile groups. Most sedentary boys and girls had less PA and showed a worse ratio of physical inactivity (PI)/PA than non-sedentary participants during recesses. In the after-school period, there were no significant differences. On school days, most sedentary boys and girls showed lower PA, a worse ratio of PI/PA, fewer steps·hour-1, and lower energy expenditure than their non-sedentary counterparts. Vigorous PA of ≥8 METs was reached by 48% of most sedentary boys (75% non-sedentary) and 47% of most sedentary girls (54% non-sedentary). Most sedentary adolescents do not compensate for their sedentary behavior in lessons with higher PA intensity or volume during recesses, after-school, or in overall daily PA.

• Keywords
• ActiTrainer, adolescent, intensity, physical inactivity,
• MeSH
• Exercise * MeSH
• Energy Metabolism MeSH
• Humans MeSH
• Adolescent MeSH
• Sedentary Behavior * 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 MeSH
• Poland MeSH