Health literacy, a more complex concept than knowledge, is a required capacity to obtain, understand, integrate and act on health information [1], in order to enhance individual and community health, which is defined by different levels, according to the autonomy and personal capacitation in decision making [2]. Medium levels of Health literacy in an adolescent population were found in a study conducted in 2013/2014, being higher in sexual and reproductive health and lower in substance use. It was also noticed that the higher levels of health literacy were in the area adolescents refer to have receipt more health information. The health literacy competence with higher scores was communication skills, and the lower scores were in the capacity to analyze factors that influence health. Higher levels were also found in younger teenagers, but in a higher school level, confirming the importance of health education in these age and development stage. Adolescents seek more information in health professionals and parents, being friends more valued as a source information in older adolescents, which enhance the importance of peer education mainly in older adolescents [3]. As a set of competences based on knowledge, health literacy should be developed through education interventions, encompassing the cultural and social context of individuals, since the society, culture and education system where the individual is inserted can define the way the development and enforcement of the health literacy competences [4]. The valued sources of information should be taken into account, as well as needs of information in some topics referred by adolescents in an efficient health education. Schizophrenia is a serious and chronic mental illness which has a profound effect on the health and well-being related with the well-known nature of psychotic symptoms. The exercise has the potential to improve the life of people with schizophrenia improving physical health and alleviating psychiatric symptoms. However, most people with schizophrenia remains sedentary and lack of access to exercise programs are barriers to achieve health benefits. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of exercise on I) the type of intervention in mental health, II) in salivary levels of alpha-amylase and cortisol and serum levels of S100B and BDNF, and on III) the quality of life and selfperception of the physical domain of people with schizophrenia. The sample consisted of 31 females in long-term institutions in the Casa de Saúde Rainha Santa Isabel, with age between 25 and 63, and with diagnosis of schizophrenia according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR). Physical fitness was assessed by the six-minute walk distance test (6MWD). Biological variables were determined by ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay). Psychological variables were assessed using SF-36, PSPP-SCV, RSES and SWLS tests. Walking exercise has a positive impact on physical fitness (6MWD -p = 0.001) and physical components of the psychological test...

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Background: Learning to cycle is an important milestone in a child’s life, so it is important to allow them to explore cycling as soon as possible. The use of a bicycle with training wheels (BTW) for learning to cycling is an old approach practiced worldwide. Most recently, a new approach using the balance bike (BB) has received increased attention, and several entities believe that this could be most efficient. Drawing on the work of Bronfenbrenner (1995) and Newel (1986), this study aimed to analyse the effect of BB’s use on the learning process of cycling independently. Methods: Data were collected in Portugal from an online structured survey between November 2019 and June 2020. Results: A total of 2005 responses were obtained for adults and children (parental response). Results revealed that when the BB’s approach was used, learning age (LA) occurred earlier (M = 4.16 ± 1.34 years) than with the BTW’s approach (M = 5.97 ± 2.16 years) (p < 0.001); or than when there was only the single use of the traditional bicycle (M =7.27 ± 3.74 years) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Children who used the BB as the first bike had a significantly lower LA than children who did not use it (p < 0.001). To maximize its effects, the BB should be used in the beginning of the learning process.

Portuguese children spend about eight hours/day in sedentary behaviours, presenting only one hour in active play. This inactivity rate is about 84%. The lower levels of physical activity (PA) trigger several health problems in children and, after, in adulthood. With the appearance of the pandemic of COVID-19 and, consequently, increase of confined tasks like distance learning, has been verified the PA decrease and screen and sedentary behaviours increase in children. The objectives are: i) verify PA levels; ii) compare PA levels between genders, before and during the pandemic. The questionnaire “Cuestinário Pictórico de la Actividad Físca Infantil” has been translated and applied in Portugal, across the platform Google Forms, having been answered by 61 children of average age of 12.0±3.1 years. Before the pandemic, male children practice more PA. During the pandemic, has been verified a practise decrease in both genders. The PA levels settled between “Little active” and “Nothing active”, not checking differences between genders. The child’s age affected positively the formal PA in academies and clubs and, negatively the informal practise. It has been verified that lower PA levels are associated with higher weight values. Portuguese children PA levels are well below the recommended, situation that worsened during the pandemic. In order to combat childhood inactivity and overweight, it is necessary to develop measures to promote PA early specially in situations of pandemic and/or confinement, in which PA reaches even lower levels.

<p>Paring children improve the chance for success and reduce injury in sport. Despite the maturity differences between children, chronological age remains the main criterion to equalize competition levels, but with limited efficiency. However, in Karate, weight is also considered. We went to investigate the association between chronological age and maturational indicators and find simple models to put on reflection new ways to assess the maturity. Data were collected in 54 young Karate practitioners (age: 12.67 ± 2.49 years, experience: 4.99 ± 2.44 years, height: 150.45 ± 15.25 cm, weight: 43.09 ± 14, 17 kg, 20 girls). Age correlated significantly with self-observation of sexual maturation (rho = 0.838; <em>p </em>&lt; 0.01), and it was possible to find simple regression models that have a moderate explanation in maturation, using only simple measurable variables such as the height, weight and arm circumference. These results should lead the competent entities to reflect on the way of pairing of the athletes in the competitions, in a fair way in terms of maturation.</p>

The balance bike (BB) has been pointed out as being the most efficient learning bicycle due to its inherent stimulation of balance. However, the process of acquiring the control of balance on the BB has not been explored. This study aimed to: (i) categorize the cycle patterns of children on the BB, (ii) compare the cycle patterns in different stages of learning (before and after six sessions of a BB practice program), and (iii) verify whether velocity is a control parameter leading to transitions between different cycle patterns on a BB. The data were collected during the Learning to Cycle program from 12 children aged 6.06 ± 1.25 years. The velocity was measured using an inertial sensor. Seven different movement patterns were captured and categorized through video analysis. After practice, there was an increase in the mean number of different patterns and in the global mean and maximum velocity. These were interpreted as an improvement of the motor competence in the use of the BB. The results obtained support the hypothesis that velocity is a control parameter which leads to the emergence of diverse patterns of behavior. As the speed increased, the amount of foot contact with the ground became less frequent and the locomotor modes that imply that longer flight phases began to emerge.

The present article aimed to verify whether the age at which children learn to ride a bicycle is related to their physical activity or birth order. Data were collected from an online structured survey between November 2019 and June 2020. A total of 8614 responses were obtained from 22 countries. The results reveal significant differences in learning age depending on the frequency of physical activity (F(5, 7235) = 35.12, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.24). People who engaged in physical activity less than twice a month learned to cycle later (M = 7.5 ± 5.3 years) than people who engaged in physical activity on a daily basis (M = 5.7 ± 2.2 years) (p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in learning age according to birth order (F(2, 3008) = 7.31, p = 0.00, ηp2 = 0.005). Only children had the highest learning age (M = 5.5 ± 2.4 years), whereas those who were born last had the lowest, (M = 5.1 ± 1.9 years) (p = 0.013). Creating opportunities for children to be engaged in play and physical activity and social modulation through their older siblings seem to be key conditions to encourage children to learn how to ride a bicycle from a young age and to foster their motor development.

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