Gymnastik- och idrottshögskolan, GIH

The aim of this article is to examine the emergence and establishment of the ball game ‘brännboll’ (lit. burnball) in Sweden. In doing so, it contributes to the knowledge of how sports have spread historically and how they have changed when established in new places. First of all, the existence of the concept of brännboll throughout history is examined. Although it can be traced back to the 17th century, the game we now commonly call brännboll is a modified form of the English game of rounders that was introduced to Sweden at the end of the 19th century. Unlike the closely related game of baseball, brännboll never developed into a modern sport with standardised rules, organisations and bureaucracy. This is seen in the study as a consequence of the fact that brännboll gained a foothold in the ‘play movement’ rather than in the modern sports movement, and that physical education was considered more important in brännboll than performance and results. As a result of this process of pedagogisation, the game developed into a simplified, stripped-down and more static game compared to its English predecessor.

Classifying athletes based on estimates of biological maturation (i.e., bio-banding) as a supplement to traditional age grouping has been shown to be a potential tool for enriching player development in team sports; however, bio-banding has not yet been evaluated in ice hockey. The primary aim was to investigate player experiences and coaches' selection preferences in bio-banding versus age-banding in a group of 12-13-year-old (early growth spurt) male elite players (n = 69). We also examined the relationship between somatic maturity, expressed as a % predicted adult height (%PAH), and fitness performance. Bio-banding was assessed using a questionnaire and 29 coaches selected their top players in each game based on age or bio-bands. %PAH correlated with grip strength (r = .57, p>0.001) and jumping power (r = .63, p<0.001), but not with vertical jump height, sprint time or endurance. Players who played against more mature players in bio-bands than in age groups experienced higher demands, while players who played against less mature players were able to utilize their skills to a greater extent. Coaches generally favored later-than-average maturing players who performed better on performance tests and chronologically older players in bio-banding. We conclude that bio-banding in youth ice hockey has some promising effects and warrants further evaluation.

UNLABELLED: The interest in using new technologies to obtain recordings of on-water kinetic variables for assessing the performance of elite sprint kayakers has increased over the last decades but systematic approaches are warranted to ensure the validity and reliability of these measures. This study has an innovative approach, and the aim was to develop a new versatile jig including reference force sensors for both the calibration and validation of mutual static and dynamic stroke forces as measured with instrumented paddles at the high force levels used in elite sprint kayaking.

METHODS: A jig was constructed using a modified gym weight stack and a frame consisting of aluminum profiles permitting a fastening of custom-made kayak paddle shaft and blade support devices with certified force transducers combined with a data acquisition system to record blade and hand forces during static (constant load) and dynamic conditions (by paddle stroke simulation). A linear motion path incorporating a ball-bearing equipped carriage with sensors for the measurement of vertical distance and horizontal displacement was attached to the frame for recordings of various position measures on the paddle. The jig design with all components is extensively described to permit replication. The procedures for assessing the accuracy of the jig force instrumentation are reported, and with one brand of instrumented paddle used as an example, methods are described for force calibration and validation during static and dynamic conditions.

RESULTS: The results illustrate that the measured force with the jig instrumentation was similar to the applied force, calculated from the applied accurate mass (within a -1.4 to 1.8% difference) and similar to the force as calculated from the applied mass with the weight stack (within a -0.57 to 1.16% difference). The jig was suitable for the calibration and validation of forces in a range relevant for elite sprint kayaking under both static and dynamic conditions. During static conditions with a force direction equal to the calibration conditions and a force range from 98 to 590 N, all values for the instrumented paddle were within a -3.4 to 3.0% difference from the jig sensor values and 28 of 36 values were within ±2%. During dynamic conditions with paddle stroke simulations at 60 and 100 strokes/min and a target peak force of 400 N, the common force variables as measured by the instrumented paddle were not significantly different from the same measures by the jig (values at 100 strokes/min: peak force; 406.9 ± 18.4 vs. 401.9 ± 17.2 N, mean force; 212.8 ± 15.4 vs. 212.0 ± 14.4 N, time to peak force; 0.17 ± 0.02 vs. 0.18 ± 0.02 s, force impulse; 90.8 ± 11.2 vs. 90.5 ± 10.8 Ns, impulse duration; 0.43 ± 0.03 vs. 0.43 ± 0.03 s).

CONCLUSION: A novel jig with several new functions is presented that enables the calibration and validation of force measurements with instrumented paddles by providing standardized conditions for calibration and force validation during both static and dynamic conditions in a force range relevant to elite sprint kayaking.

OBJECTIVE: The Nine Item ARFID Scale (NIAS) is a widely used measure assessing symptoms of avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID). Previous studies suggest that individuals with eating disorders driven by shape/weight concerns also have elevated scores on the NIAS. To further describe NIAS scores among individuals with diverse current and previous eating disorders, we characterized NIAS scores in a large sample of individuals with eating disorders and evaluated overlap in symptoms measured by the NIAS and the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) version 6.0.

METHOD: Our sample comprised 9148 participants from the Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative Sweden (EDGI-SE), who completed surveys including NIAS and EDE-Q. NIAS scores were calculated and compared by eating disorder diagnostic group using descriptive statistics and linear models.

RESULTS: Participants with current anorexia nervosa demonstrated the highest mean NIAS scores and had the greatest proportion (57.0%) of individuals scoring above a clinical cutoff on at least one of the NIAS subscales. Individuals with bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and other specified feeding or eating disorder also demonstrated elevated NIAS scores compared to individuals with no lifetime history of an eating disorder (ps < 0.05). All subscales of the NIAS showed small to moderate correlations with all subscales of the EDE-Q (rs = 0.26-0.40).

DISCUSSION: Our results substantiate that individuals with eating disorders other than ARFID demonstrate elevated scores on the NIAS, suggesting that this tool is inadequate on its own for differentiating ARFID from shape/weight-motivated eating disorders. Further research is needed to inform clinical interventions addressing the co-occurrence of ARFID-related drivers and shape/weight-related motivation for dietary restriction.

Introduction: In recent years, figure skating has developed in technical difficulties such as jumps and requires high level of physical demands. Measuring jump height on and off-ice as well as strength provides insights into figure skaters’ physical abilities. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between strength and jump height, assess the correlation between on-ice and off-ice jump heights, evaluate the physical abilities among figure skaters of different skill levels, and determine the reliability of a convenient alternative measurement method. Method: 12 figure skaters (1 male and 11 females, age 16.7 ± 1.83 years, height 167 ± 4.88 cm, weight 60.1 ± 6.97 kg), were divided into an Elite group and a Sub-Elite group. The participants performed a single Axel jump (1A) on-ice, countermovement jump (CMJ), countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJa), unilateral countermovement jump on left leg (CMuL), and unilateral countermovement jump on right leg (CMJuR) off-ice, as well as isometric, isokinetic eccentric, and isokinetic concentric strength tests. 1A’s time in air (TIA) was measured using a Smartphone method, off-ice jump’s TIA was measured using force plates (FP) and also the Smartphone. Jump height was then calculated from the TIA. Strength was measured using an isokinetic dynamometer. Pearson’s correlations coefficient and Spearman’s Rank correlation coefficient were used to investigate the relationship between jump height and strength. Independent sample t-test was used to investigate if there is a difference between the two groups. Paired sample t-test was used to investigate the difference between two methods and Pearson’s correlations to determine the correlation between them. Results: Strength correlated significantly with most of the jumps, the strongest relationship was between CMJa and isometric leg press (Pearson’s r = 0.819, p = 0.001). 1A correlated with all off-ice jumps, strongest relationship was between 1A and CMJa (Pearson’s r = 0.769, p = 0.003). The Elite group performed better than the Sub-Elite group only in 1A (t (9) = 2.4604, p = 0.036). There was no significant difference between Smartphone method and FP method and the methods correlated significantly with each other. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that there were significant correlations between majority of variables of strength and jump performance, significant correlations between on-ice jump height and off-ice jump height, with Elite figure skaters jumping significantly higher in 1A than Sub-Elite skaters. The Smartphone method proved comparable to the FP method for assessing jump performance, offering coaches valuable insights for figure skaters’ progression and performance assessment.

PURPOSE: Physical activity (PA) breaks during school lessons have been suggested as a promising strategy to improve working memory performance in children and adolescents. There is a lack of studies investigating the underlying physiological mechanisms of PA on cognition, especially among adolescents. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different types of short frequent PA on adolescents' cognitive task-related changes in cerebral blood flow in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and working memory performance compared to prolonged sitting.

METHODS: In this randomized crossover study, adolescents visited the laboratory on three different occasions for 80-minute sessions of prolonged sitting interrupted by four breaks for three minutes of simple resistance training (SRA), step-up at a pre-determined pace (STEP), or remaining seated (SOCIAL). Before and after each session, cognitive task-related changes in cerebral blood flow (oxygenated-hemoglobin, Oxy-Hb) during working memory tasks (1-, 2-, 3-back tests) were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy in the PFC. Accuracy and reaction time were derived from the working memory tasks. Linear mixed-effect models were used to analyze the data.

RESULTS: A total of 17 students participated (mean age 13.6 years, 11 girls). Significant time x condition interactions were noted for Oxy-Hb in the most demanding working memory task (3-back), with a decrease following prolonged sitting in the SOCIAL condition compared to both the SRA (β 0.18, 95% CI 0.12, 0.24) and the STEP (β 0.11, 95% CI 0.05, 0.17). This was observed in parallel with improvements in reaction time following SRA (β -30.11, 95% CI -59.08, -1.13) and STEP (β -34.29, 95% CI -69.22, 0.63) although this was only significant for the SRA and no improvements in the SOCIAL condition.

CONCLUSION: We found that short frequent PA breaks during prolonged sitting among adolescents can prevent the decrease in cognitive task-related changes in cerebral blood flow that occur following prolonged sitting. This was observed simultaneously with improvements in working memory, indicating that changes in cerebral blood flow could be one factor explaining the effects on working memory. Future studies should investigate the efficacy of implementing these PA breaks in schools.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered on 21/09/2020, ClinicalTrial (NCT04552626).

Aim

The purpose of the study is to understand how former students from socio-economically weak areas have experienced the schools' measures in crime prevention and the inclusion of club sports. The questions that the study intends to answer are: 1. What do former students from schools in socio-economically weak areas think about the schools' crime prevention work? 2. How have they experienced the schools' work with crime prevention and the inclusion of club sports during their time at school?

Method

The study uses a purposive sample to investigate how former students from socio-economically weak areas experienced the schools' crime prevention and the inclusion of club sports. Five respondents participated in semi-structured interviews, where the researcher used predetermined themes. The goal is to provide guidance to teachers to improve inclusion and participation of students. The essay has been based on a phenomenological analysis of the collected empirical evidence, where the respondents' experiences and experiences have been in focus.

Results

The results from this study show that former students from schools in weaker socio-economic areas feel that the school's crime prevention work has a great impact on the career choices made in the future and that the integration of club sports in young people's lives has a positive impact on their life choices. In addition, the respondents' answers show that the school system can take more responsibility in helping to reduce the gaps that exist in society. The respondents believe the school's holistic and systematic crime prevention efforts create a safe, supportive environment for student success, reducing crime risk.

Conclusions

The respondents emphasize that the school plays a crucial role in reducing societal gaps and promoting social inclusion. They believe that this can be achieved by offering a diverse range of sporting activities to suit different interests and abilities. It is important to ensure that the offer appeals to all students, regardless of their sporting background or physical abilities. In addition, respondents emphasize that schools should encourage students to set goals for increased participation, especially among students from different backgrounds and socio-economic conditions. They believe that through these measures the school can play a positive role in promoting social cohesion and reducing the gaps in society.

Purpose and Research QuestionsThe aim of the study was to investigate any permanent injuries among Swedish elite tennis players after retirement. The secondary objective was to deepen understanding of elite tennis players' experience of their physical health from a long-term perspective. The research questions were (1) How do former elite tennis players experience any permanent physical ailments after retirement? (2) How is the long-term health of former elite tennis players perceived after retirement?MethodTo address the research questions, a qualitative method with semi-structured interviews was employed. Six former elite tennis players from Sweden (two women, four men) were recruited through convenience sampling. The participants had a median age of 54 years. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed through thematic content analysis.ResultsThematic content analysis resulted in four themes: (1) Experiences surrounding injuries are characterized by the identification, prevention, and minimisation of injury risks, (2) Reasons for career termination are multifaceted, (3) Psychological aspects shape the daily life of elite tennis players pre- and post-career, and (4) Life after an elite tennis career is adapted as needed.ConclusionThe study's findings indicate that former elite tennis players in Sweden often experience long lasting injuries that affect their physical and mental health during and after their careers. Injuries influence their decisions and lifestyle, yet most of them fare well after retirement and hold optimistic views for the future. The study provides insights into the long-term effects of an elite sports career that can be beneficial for athletes, coaches, and sports medicine experts.

INTRODUCTION: Dancers are expected to navigate major challenges in their careers that might take a toll on their physical and mental health. To address underlying factors that might increase dancers' mental and physical health difficulties, research suggests the systematic use of techniques to build mental skills that can reduce risk factors and enhance protective factors against the challenges dancers encounter. However, existing mental skills training interventions in dance present a lack of consistency in design, content and duration, making it difficult to provide evidence-based recommendations. Hence, dance researchers and practitioners would benefit from a mixed methods systematic review (MMSR) of the why, what and how of these interventions. Adopting tools such as the Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) can aid this endeavour by describing replicable aspects of interventions, thus offering dance researchers suggestions on how to understand, appraise and report intervention characteristics and processes in dance. Therefore, this protocol outlines a MMSR that will employ TIDieR to identify and assess characteristics of mental skills interventions in dance.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic search will be undertaken in Psycinfo, Medline, Embase, Sportdiscus, Web of Science and the first 30 pages of GoogleScholar. Following the search, two reviewers will independently screen identified studies in Covidence. One reviewer will extract data using the TIDieR framework and the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) for quality appraisal, while a second reviewer will check a sample of extracted studies for accuracy. A convergent integrated synthesis will be conducted where quantitative and qualitative evidence will be integrated by qualitising the quantitative data into textual descriptions.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: There is no requirement for ethical approval for this systematic review as no empirical data will be collected. The findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication in a scientific journal and presentations in several different forums (eg, a dance psychology network, at scientific and applied conferences).

PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024537249.

INTRODUCTION: Stress-related ill-health like pain and exhaustion are demanding public health problems in Europe. In Sweden, women are particularly at risk to develop stress-related ill-health during a period in life that coincides with child-rearing years. When entering motherhood, Swedish women's sick leave substantially increases. Yet, motherhood is rarely acknowledged in clinical encounters concerning pain and exhaustion although women suffer from these ailments more often than men. To incorporate motherhood as an existential dimension of health in the care of women living with pain and exhaustion might alleviate women's suffering. But knowledge on women's experiences of motherhood and health is scarce. Therefore, the aim of the study is to reach a deeper understanding of how women suffering from long-lasting pain and exhaustion experience their health in relation to motherhood.

METHODS: Ricoeur's interpretation theory has been applied to analyze 27 phenomenological interviews with 14 mothers suffering from long-lasting pain and exhaustion.

RESULTS: These women's experiences shed light on how closely motherhood is interwoven with the experience of their health and suffering: The women's suffering seems to be rooted in a relational vulnerability that has been uncovered during motherhood. Further, the women suffer from a burden of difficult life experiences and inner conflicts. Reconciliation with life is possible when women find an existential shelter, which offers ways to relate to their suffering making the own suffering more bearable.

Purpose: The paper aims to explore how values and knowledge are expressed in student’s discussions about food and health. Design/methodology/approach: Food practices present a complex phenomenon extending beyond biomedical descriptions, including social dynamics of food in families and communities. Contextual conditions of social groups and settings have significant impacts on food choices and practices. Although values constitute a central part of educational goals, deliberate values education remains an often-neglected area, with a tendency in both curricula and educational practice to focus on knowledge and overlook how values intersect with knowledge. The paper utilises group interviews supported by participant observations to study the food and health practices as expressed in students' discussions. Findings: The paper’s findings show how values are expressed together with knowledge as value-knowledges around food and health within the social contexts of family, cultural identities and peer relationships. While moving through their lives, students draw on and utilise biomedical, social-cultural and sensory value-knowledges, simultaneously considering the nutrition and taste of foods, the value of connecting with family and peers in cultural settings as well as getting enough food to feel satiated. Originality/value: The paper presents an original approach around the necessity to consider and integrate cultural identities in discussions and education about food and health to empower students and their communities in a way that is socially just and equitable. This involves shifting discussions of health education away from students as (ir)rational obstacles but rather as partners in co-creating knowledge for sustainable food and health equity. © 2024, Emma Oljans, Tecklah Usai, Doroth Chinofunga and Martin Mickelsson.

Stories of body shaming in sports coaching are becoming widespread, and can intentionally, unintentionally, or inadvertently be used in different sports coaching practices. These practices do not necessarily intend to harm athletes. The aim of this paper is to explore body critical and body sensitive sport coaching practices that have the potential to be shaming, or as we call it in the title, the ‘anatomy’ of body shaming. The study used photo elicitation interviews including vignettes for data generation with 12 coaches from nine different sports. The results demonstrate that body criticality and body sensitivity function in different subtle ways and that coaches were well-aware of the potentially damaging influence that they can have on athletes. The article concludes with recommendations for further research exploring how athletes experience the most subtle and invisible ways of body critical and body sensitive practices, and how they internalize this well-intended but still potentially shaming advice.

INTRODUCTION: High cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) has been associated with a lower risk of depression, anxiety, and cerebrovascular disease. The aim was to explore CRF changes over-time associated with these outcomes.

METHODS: This large-scale prospective cohort study, using data from Swedish population-wide registries and databases (during 1972-2020), included men (n=131,431), with measures of estimated CRF (estCRF) in late adolescence (maximal cycle test) and adulthood (submaximal cycle test) (mean years between 24.6, SD 8.8). The study explored how change in estCRF was associated with incident depression, anxiety, and cerebrovascular disease using Cox proportional hazards models. Analyses were performed in 2023.

RESULTS: Higher estCRF in late adolescence and adulthood were associated with a lower risk of incident depression, anxiety, and cerebrovascular disease later in life. For all three outcomes, an increase in estCRF (mL/min/kg and z-score) between the two-time points was associated with a lower risk. Further, decreasing from moderate or high estCRF in adolescence to low estCRF in adulthood, compared to staying at a moderate or high level, was associated with a higher risk of depression and anxiety (HR: 1.24 95% CI 1.07-1.45 and 1.25 95% CI 1.06-1.49, respectively). Conversely, increasing from moderate to high estCRF was associated with a lower risk of incident anxiety (HR: 0.84 95% CI 0.71-0.99).

CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that there is a longitudinal association between negative change in estCRF and increased risk of depression, anxiety, and cerebrovascular disease later in life. Decreasing levels of estCRF could be a helpful indicator when identifying these disorders at a population level.

Summary  Aim: The purpose of this study is to examine the similarities and differences in the work zones among different positions of female floorball players performing at a high level. The intention behind the purpose is to fill the knowledge gaps encountered during article searches. The research questions are as follows: “How do heart rate zones differ among different positions during a women's SSL floorball match?”, “Within which heart rate zone do female SSL floorball players spend the most time?”.  Method: A women's team in the Swedish Super League (SSL) participated in the study with n=10 (n=number). Ages=23±4 (SSL women, 2023). Their maximum heart rates were calculated using an equation based on age (208 - 0.7 x age), which was then put into Team Polar. These values served as the basis for the intensity zones. Data was collected during two matches on two different occasions using heart rate monitors (Polar). Results were presented in Jamovi based on the time spent in different zones.  Results: Measurements indicate that forwards spend the longest time in the intensive zones, while defenders spend more time in the less intensive zones. The comparison between positions shows no significant difference.  Conclusion: The study revealed that there was no significant difference between defense players (backs) and forward players. All players combined spent the most time in 60-70% of HRmax (23.6 minutes) and 50-60% of HRmax (11.61 minutes). Including multiple teams and players may also open up new research avenues regarding how teams perform in various dominant game situations, such as when a team is trailing in a defensive position, examining whether they stay in the same intensity zones for similar durations or not.

BACKGROUND: Green leafy vegetables (GLV) contain inorganic nitrate, an anion with potential prebiotic effects on the oral microbiome. However, it remains unclear whether GLV and pharmacological supplementation [potassium nitrate (PN)] with a nitrate salt induce similar effects on the oral microbiome.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the effect of GLV with PN supplementation on the oral microbiome composition and salivary biomarkers in individuals with high blood pressure.

METHODS: Seventy individuals were randomly allocated to 3 different groups to follow a 5-wk dietary intervention. Group 1 consumed 300 mg/d of nitrate in form of GLV. Group 2 consumed pills with 300 mg/d of PN and low-nitrate vegetables. Group 3 consumed pills with potassium chloride (placebo: PLAC) and low-nitrate vegetables. The oral microbiome composition and salivary biomarkers of oral health were analyzed before and after the dietary intervention.

RESULTS: The GLV and PN groups showed similar microbial changes, probably nitrate-dependent, including an increase in the abundance of Neisseria, Capnocytophaga, Campylobacter species, and a decrease in Veillonella, Megasphaera, Actinomyces, and Eubacterium species after the treatment. Increased abundance of Rothia species, and reduced abundance of Streptococcus, Prevotella, Actinomyces, and Mogibacterium species were observed in the GLV group, which could be nitrate-independent. GLV and PN treatments increased salivary pH, but only GLV treatment showed an increase in the salivary buffering capacity and a reduction of lactate.

CONCLUSION: The combination of nitrate-dependent and nitrate-independent microbial changes in the GLV group has a stronger effect to potentially improve oral health biomarkers compared with PN.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the physical activity (PA) intensity associated with cardiometabolic health when considering the mediating role of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).

METHODS: A subsample of males and females aged 50-64 years from the cross-sectional Swedish CArdioPulmonary bioImage Study was investigated. PA was measured by accelerometry and CRF by a submaximal cycle test. Cardiometabolic risk factors, including waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein, triglycerides and glycated haemoglobin, were combined to a composite score. A mediation model by partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the role of CRF in the association between PA and the composite score.

RESULTS: The cohort included 4185 persons (51.9% female) with a mean age of 57.2 years. CRF mediated 82% of the association between PA and the composite score. The analysis of PA patterns revealed that moderate intensity PA explained most of the variation in the composite score, while vigorous intensity PA explained most of the variation in CRF. When including both PA and CRF as predictors of the composite score, the importance of vigorous intensity increased.

CONCLUSION: The highly interconnected role of CRF in the association between PA and cardiometabolic health suggests limited direct effects of PA on cardiometabolic health beyond its impact on CRF. The findings highlight the importance of sufficient PA intensity for the association with CRF, which in turn is linked to better cardiometabolic health.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of fat and muscle mass in different regions of the body can reflect different pathways to mortality in individuals with diabetes. Therefore, we investigated the associations between whole-body and regional body fat and muscle mass with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and non-CVD mortality in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

METHODS: Within the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999-2006, 1417 adults aged ≥50 years with T2D were selected. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to derive whole-body, trunk, arm, and leg fat mass and muscle mass indices (FMI and MMI). Mortality data until 31 December 2019 were retrieved from the National Death Index. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated from Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS: A total of 1417 participants were included in this study (weighted mean age [standard error]: 63.7 [0.3] years; 50.5% female). Over a median follow-up of 13.6 years, 797 deaths were recorded (371 CVD-related and 426 non-CVD deaths). Higher FMI in the arm was associated with increased risk of non-CVD mortality (fourth quartile [Q4] vs. first quartile [Q1]: HR 1.82 [95% CI 1.13-2.94]), whereas higher FMI in the trunk or leg was not significantly associated with CVD or non-CVD mortality. Conversely, higher arm MMI was associated with a lower risk of both CVD (Q4 vs. Q1: HR 0.51 [95% CI 0.33-0.81]) and non-CVD (Q4 vs. Q1: HR 0.56 [95% CI 0.33-0.94]) mortality. There was a significant interaction between smoking status and arm FMI on non-CVD mortality (P for interaction = 0.007). Higher arm FMI was associated with a higher risk of non-CVD mortality among current or former smokers (Q4 vs. Q1: HR 2.67 [95% CI 1.46-4.88]) but not non-smokers (Q4 vs. Q1: HR 0.85 [95% CI 0.49-1.47]).

CONCLUSIONS: Fat mass and muscle mass, especially in the arm, are differently associated with CVD and non-CVD mortality in people with T2D. Our findings underscore the predictive value of body compositions in the arm in forecasting mortality among older adults with T2D.

Health promotion from an early age is key to preventing unhealthy weight development in childhood, and parental involvement is essential. The school-based Healthy School Start intervention aims to promote healthy dietary and activity habits in the home environment and prevent child obesity through parental support. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the third iteration of the programme on children's dietary and activity behaviours, and body composition through a cluster-randomised controlled trial. The trial included 17 schools (8 intervention) in disadvantaged areas in mid-Sweden with 353 families with 5- to 7-year-old children. The primary outcomes were intake of selected healthy and unhealthy foods and beverages measured using photography. Secondary outcomes were physical activity and sedentary time measured by accelerometry, and measured weight and height. All outcomes were assessed at baseline and post-intervention (8 months). Linear multi-level regression showed significant favourable effects of the intervention for intake of sweet beverages (b =  - 0.17, p = 0.04), intake of healthy foods (b = 0.11, p = 0.04), and more time in moderate to vigorous physical activity during weekdays (b = 5.68, p = 0.02). An unfavourable sub-group effect of the intervention was found for children from families with low education regarding sedentary time on weekends (b = 23.04, p = 0.05). The results align with the previous two trials of the programme, indicating that school-based parental support is a useful approach for health promotion in young children in disadvantaged areas. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: No. NCT03390725, retrospectively registered on January 4, 2018, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03390725 .

Background: Multimodal lifestyle interventions can benefit overall health, including cognition, in populations at-risk for dementia. However, little is known about the effect of lifestyle interventions in patients with prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD). Even less is known about dietary intake and adherence to dietary recommendations within this population making it difficult to design tailored interventions for them.

Method: A 6-month MIND-ADmini pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted among 93 participants with prodromal AD in Sweden, Finland, Germany, and France. Three arms were included in the RCT: 1) multimodal lifestyle intervention (nutritional guidance, exercise, cognitive training, vascular/metabolic risk management, and social stimulation); 2) multimodal lifestyle intervention + medical food product; and 3) regular health advice (control group). Adherence to dietary advice was assessed with a brief food intake questionnaire by using the Healthy Diet Index (HDI) and Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS). The intake of macro- and micronutrients were analyzed on a subsample using 3-day food records.

Results: The dietary quality in the intervention groups, pooled together, improved compared to that of the control group at the end of the study, as measured with by HDI (p = 0.026) and MEDAS (p = 0.008). The lifestyle-only group improved significantly more in MEDAS (p = 0.046) and almost significantly in HDI (p = 0.052) compared to the control group, while the lifestyle + medical food group improved in both HDI (p = 0.042) and MEDAS (p = 0.007) during the study. There were no changes in macro- or micronutrient intake for the intervention groups at follow-up; however, the intakes in the control group declined in several vitamins and minerals when adjusted for energy intake.

Conclusion: These results suggest that dietary intervention as part of multimodal lifestyle interventions is feasible and results in improved dietary quality in a population with prodromal AD. Nutrient intakes remained unchanged in the intervention groups while the control group showed a decreasing nutrient density.

Performance anxiety is a major issue for performing artists. This qualitative paper extends our recent mixed-methods collective case study showing the beneficial effects of psychological interventions for managing performance anxiety, tailored in individual coaching settings. Here, we report on participants’ experiences of being coached, their understanding of how and why the interventions were effective, and the researcher-coach's experiences. Ten performing artists received five individual coaching sessions and were interviewed about their experiences pre- and post-intervention. A qualitative synthesis of transcripts of sessions and interviews, and of the coach's field notes and journal entries, was conducted. Findings suggest that change mechanisms have to be understood in the context of participants’ enhanced self-awareness during coaching, and the process of co-creating solutions and building a coaching relationship through mutual understanding and appreciation. While disentangling mechanisms and effects may not always be possible, we discuss useful strategies in coaching performing artists to manage performance anxiety. 

BACKGROUND: Many patients with eating disorders report exercise as a central symptom of their illness-as a way to compensate for food intake, prevent weight-gain, and/or reduce negative affect. Previous findings show associations between maladaptive exercise and more severe eating disorder pathology, higher risk for relapse, other co-morbid symptoms, and worse treatment outcome.

METHODS: In this study, we included 8252 participants with eating disorders and investigated associations between maladaptive exercise (both lifetime and current) and ED pathology, illness duration, depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation, and treatment seeking patterns in individuals with lifetime maladaptive exercise. Participants were included via the Swedish site of the large global study The Eating Disorders Genetics Initiative (EDGI) and completed measures of both lifetime and current symptomatology.

RESULTS: Results indicate that lifetime maladaptive exercise is associated with higher prevalence of lifetime depression and anxiety and with patients more often receiving treatment, although these results need to be investigated in future studies. Current maladaptive exercise was associated with more severe ED symptoms, and higher levels of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive traits, and suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSIONS: Our findings point to the complexities of exercise as an eating disorder symptom and the need for clearly assessing and acknowledging this, as well as tailoring interventions to treat this symptom to achieve sustainable recovery.

Increasing levels of physical inactivity is a global burden for mankind and is also an emerging problem in companion dogs. In both humans and dogs, insufficient physical activity is associated with increased risk for noncommunicable diseases and impaired quality of life (QoL). The aim of the current pilot study was to evaluate effects of a joint outdoor exercise program for dog owners (n = 22) and dogs (n = 22) with focus on QoL and body measurements. Results indicate that an eight-week exercise intervention alone, with a target distance of at least 2 km twice a week, may be sufficient to significantly increase self-reported QoL and acceptance of bodily appearance in dog owners despite no reductions in body measurements. In dogs, a significantly reduced body condition score (BCS) was registered, despite no considerable changes in feeding. The increased owner motivation for continued joint exercise suggests potential for lifestyle changes, which could be investigated in future studies including control groups and long-term follow-ups. The importance of the human-animal bond as a success factor for increased mutual physical activity and health benefits in both dog owners and dogs is recommended to be studied in a more in-depth manner.

Purpose and Research Questions 

This study aims to map both the availability of specific goalkeeper training and the goalkeepers' experience of it within the Stockholm area. The study examines potential differences between genders in access to specific goalkeeper training and also potential differences in availability between different levels (juniors and seniors). The research questions are as follows: Does the availability of specific goalkeeper training differ between genders? Does the availability of specific goalkeeper training differ between levels? Does the experience of specific goalkeeper training differ between genders? Does the experience of specific goalkeeper training differ between levels?

Method

This study adopts a quantitative approach based on responses from participants in an online survey. The questions are structured to produce a cross-sectional study on the availability and experiences of football goalkeepers regarding their specific goalkeeper training in the Stockholm region. The survey included 7 background questions and 21 main questions. All survey questions were grouped into different categories to collectively address the research questions, where respondents' answers were converted into scores from 0–5, and some questions into 0-2. For example: Don't know/no answer 0, Never 1, Rarely 2, Sometimes 3, Often 4, Always 5, or: Don't know/no answer 0, No 1, Yes 2. The study was conducted with a survey of 81 football goalkeepers from junior and senior teams regardless of gender in Stockholm. The responses were analyzed using Jamovi 2.3.28 to identify potential differences in availability based on gender and levels. A non-parametric test, the MannWhitney U test, was used for the statistical analysis. Microsoft Word was also used to create tables and charts. The results are presented in median value, and the chosen significance level for the analysis was 0.05.

Results

The results showed that 73% of the total 81 goalkeepers who participated in the study would like to see an increased amount of specific goalkeeper training, but no statistically significant difference appears when looking at the results from genders and levels separately (p-value 0.859). There is a significant difference between levels (p-value 0.009), where the availability of specific goalkeeper training is greater for juniors, but there is no difference in the availability of specific goalkeeper training between genders (p-value 0.458).The experience of specific goalkeeper training does not differ between genders (p-value 0.293) or levels (p-value 0.149). The experience includes the overall rating of the specific goalkeeper training, the quality and quantity of the training, and whether the goalkeepers desire more training. It also covers the goalkeepers' perceptions of attention from the head coach.

Conclusion

Our conclusion is that the availability of specific goalkeeper training differs between levels but not between genders. The availability of specific goalkeeper training is greater for junior players as they are offered specific goalkeeper training more frequently and have more available goalkeeper sessions per week than senior players. The experience does not differ between genders or levels. The majority of goalkeepers in Stockholm clubs want an increased amount of specific training. Through this study, we hope to raise awareness and create a greater focus on the development of goalkeepers among our football coaches, which will hopefully lead to better conditions for the future education and development of goalkeepers.

The aim of this study was to find out how leaders in youth ice hockey in Sweden feel about dropouts, what the reason for dropouts are and how the leaders act to make the players stay in the team.

Five experienced leaders in youth ice hockey in different clubs in Sweden were interviewed in semi-structured interviews. The answers were analyzed based on three theoretical frameworks; KASAM, Self-determination Theory and Achievement Goal Theory.

The study shows that the leaders want to keep the players in the team and have talks with those who have thoughts about leaving the team to find out reasons for this, including possible wishes for changes in the teamwork.

The leaders have found that the players have different reasons for their decision to leave the team such as a new stage in life with new mates and new interests or lack of feeling competent enough. Many leaders mention that the yearly selection of players to a big competition in Sweden for 15-year-old players make those, who are not selected, feel less competent.

The leaders work according to guidelines from the Swedish Ice Hockey Association with a transformative leadership style to foster competence, relatedness and autonomy.

The conclusion is that the leaders want to keep the players and that there are various reasons for dropouts including other interests and lack of competence. If a player shows interest to dropout the leaders try to keep them but if the player persists in leaving this is respected by the leaders.

The leaders strive towards a safe and secure environment in the team and foster competence, relatedness and autonomy.

Debattartikeln tar upp Naturvårdsverkets förhållningssätt till att klassa elcykeln och att nyttja den för att besöka naturområden.