Objectives: To describe the incidence and severity of injuries resulting from physical education, sports and leisure time physical activity (PA) in 10-12-year-old children.Design: This was a prospective cohort study conducted in primary schools, with 995 children aged 10-12 years old as participants. Individual weekly exposure was estimated from baseline and follow-up questionnaires. Exposure to physical education (PE) classes was equal in all schools. An injury was recorded if it occurred during either PE class, leisure time PA, or sports, and caused the child to at least stop the current activity. Injuries were reported within 1 week of injury onset. The main outcome measure was injury incidence density. Results: During the school year a total of 119 injuries were reported by 104 children, resulting in an overall injury incidence density (ID) of 0.48 per 1000 h of exposure (95% CI 0.38 to 0.57). Injury ID was lowest for leisure time PA, followed by PE and sports, respectively. Of all injuries, 40% required medical treatment and 14% resulted in 1 or more days of absence from regular school activities. In general for girls a higher injury ID was reported than for boys, mainly caused by a twofold higher risk during leisure time PA. Conclusions: Next to specific areas of preventive interest it was found that in this specific age group, girls require special attention as they seem to be at higher injury risk than boys.The numerous health benefits of regular physical activity (PA) in children are well described in the literature. 2With the subsequent focus on a physically active lifestyle, an increasing number of sports and physical activity injuries can be expected.3 4 These injuries lead to high direct and indirect costs.5 More importantly, children may lose their enthusiasm for PA and sports through negative associations with injuries.6 Consequently, the successful prevention of sports and PA injuries in youth has great potential health gain. 7 In the short term, the absolute number of injuries will fall and, in the longer term, the risk of injury recurrences and prolonged periods of impairment will be prevented. Prevention may also promote a physically active lifestyle from childhood into adulthood.An important purpose of injury epidemiology is to supply knowledge on injuries that occur frequently and have serious consequences, and to describe their aetiology in order to provide a basis for preventive measures.8 A recent review on the risk of sports injuries in children revealed that epidemiological data on this topic is scarce. 9 Moreover, it was concluded that there is a high need for more insight into injuries during unorganised activities and for younger age groups.In particular, the combination of unorganised activities in younger age groups requires attention. An active child is growing, learning and developing its skills. During this process the younger child ''evolves'' from a participant in joyful PA to a participant in sports.7 Therefore, the purpose of this prospective cohort study was to des...

AbstractIntroduction: Childhood obesity is rising in all countries. Dietary habits are modifiable factors which develop early in life. During growth, several factors, such as peer- influence and food availability, determine the development of food preferences and eating behaviour. Parents play also a key role model by influencing their own food intake.Objetives: The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of parental role modelling, as predictor of fruits and vegetables intake in European pre-schoolers.Methods: The present study included a sample of 6633 preschool children (51.9% boys) from six European centres (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain), 3.5 to 5.5 years of age, participating in the ToyBox-study. Data on parental role modelling related with their own fruits and vegetables intake (portions/day) and children's fruits and vegetables intake (portions/day) were collected via standardized proxy-administered questionnaires. Linear regression model was used to assess this association. The adjusted model included socioeconomic status and weight status.Results: In the unadjusted model, boys whose parents consumed fruits, showed a mean intake of 0.09 (95% CI: 0.08–0.11; p ≤ 0.001) portions of fruits more than the boys whose parents did not consume fruits. Also, girls whose parents consumed fruits, had intake of 0.10 (95% CI: 0.08–0.12; p ≤ 0.001) portions of fruits more than the girls whose parents did not consume fruits.Moreover, boys whose parents consumed vegetables, showed a mean intake of 0.09 (95% CI: 0.07–0.11; p ≤ 0.001) portions of vegetables more than the boys whose parents did not consume vegetables. Also, girls whose parents consumed fruits, had intake of 0.11 (95% CI: 0.09–0.13; p ≤ 0.001) portions of vegetables more than the girls whose parents did not consume vegetables.Finally, parental role related with fruits consumption explained 19.3% of fruits intake in European pre-schoolers and the 17.8% of vegetables intake in boys and 21.9% of vegetable intake in girls taking into consideration the potential effect of socioeconomic status of the family and the weight status of the children.Conclusions: Parental role model of fruit intake has moderate effect on the pre-schooler's dietary intake. However, home environment characteristics such as family rules or availability and accessibility of foods should be considered as potential factors related to food intake in pre-schoolers.