This article represents a review of the existing literature on possible long-term effects of sport participation at high-level on health. Search of databases was performed through Web of Science and Science Direct including following keywords: metabolic risk factor/syndrome, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular health. Former athletes tend to adopt healthier lifestyles, which may give them an advantage in relation to risk factors taking into account metabolic risk factor/syndrome, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular health. Health benefits of physical activities, moreover, depends of engagement at recommended levels, even in subjects who have never been athletes. 

Lately, there has been increase of interest in examining the motives of male and female adolescents for taking part in physical activities, as well as examining their depression, anxiety and stress. The objective of this paper was to investigate intergender differences between male and female adolescents concerning the motives for physical exercise, depression, anxiety and stress. The pertinent sample accounted for 332 high-school students of both sexes from Valjevo (164 females and 168 male high school seniors), aged 18.10 ± 0.86. Three measuring instruments were used: Questionnaire for collecting basic data, The Exercise Motivation Inventory 2 („EMI–2“) questionnaire and the Depression anxiety stress scale (DASS – 21). The internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire and the scale was satisfactory. The given results revealed that there are statistically significant gender differences, as the male adolescents, compared to the female adolescents, more frequently took part in physical activities (p ≤ 0.01). The important difference between the motives for participating in physical activities between the male and female participants was defined, so the motives: Socializing, Competition, Enjoyment, Social recognition and Strength and Persistence were more dominant with male adolescents, whereas motives: Appearance, Agility, Maintaining and improving health, and Body mass control were manifested more with female high school seniors. The findings revealed, with the probability of error being 0.05 the statistically significant differences of the depression dimension between the adolescents who rarely or never take part in physical activities and those who take part in physical activities three or more times a week. The results suggest that there are significant differences between male and female participants when it comes to stress variable (t = -2.47, p ≤ 0.01) and anxiety variable (t = -2.17, p ≤ 0.05). Differences on the depression variable are not significant. The findings were discussed within the context of current empirical and theoretical frame. 

The aim of this research was to determine the differences in health-related fitness between preschool children involved in organized and unorganized physical activities. This study was performed on a sample of 220 healthy preschool children that were divided into two groups, organized physical activity group (N=99) and unorganized physical activity group (N=121). Beside the set of anthropometric variables children were tested for Standing broad jump, Classic sitand-reach test, Bent arm hang, Sit-ups in 30 seconds and Handgrip strength test. The t-test applied to determine differences between anthropometric characteristic revealed differences for almost all variables (p≤0.05). Moreover, the organized physical activity group showed better results in all fitness variables compared to unorganized group (p≤0.01). It can be concluded that the developmental gymnastics program has influence on improvement of health-related fitness in preschool children.

Nutritional status is a relevant indicator of optimal growth and development, as well as the health status of children. Since nutritional status can influence the expression of children’s motor capacities, a study has been carried out in order to examine differences in motor abilities of children in relation to their nutritional status. The sample included 300 first- and second-grade students (132 boys, 168 girls). Students’ motor literacy and motor ability status was evaluated by reduced version of “EUROFIT” test battery, while nutritional status was evaluated based on the body mass index. IOTF criteria were used in order to assign participants into four distinctive groups – underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Differences between groups in motor ability status were tested by Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests. No significant differences were found between groups of a different nutritional status in most of the motor abilities, suggesting that BMI does not represent a high-quality predictor of motor abilities of children of lower elementary school grades. 

The aim of this study was to determine the relations between morphological characteristics and specific motor skills of karate athletes, where by the obtained results would be used in better planning and programming of training. Twenty-five young adults karate athletes (15.32 ± 0.22 years) members CC “Šotokan” from Loznica with a sports experience of not less than 8 years participated in this study. The research involved the measurement of certain morphological characteristics and specific motor skills of forward hand punch and foot strikes using standardized tests. The application of the regression analysis showed that there is a statistically significant influence of the system of predictor variables on the criterion variables (p≤0.05) reverse punch - gyaku-zuki (P=0.00), lunge punch - oi-zuki (P=0.00) and front kick - mae-geri (P=0.01). The total variability ranged from 50% of the criterion of the front kick - mae-geri to 60% of the criterion of lunge punch - oi-zuki. The values of the standardized regression coefficient Beta indicate the individual positive and statistically significant influence of the body height and muscle mass variables on the criteria tested: gyaku-zuki, oi-zuki and mae-geri, and the negative impact of the body weight variable on the oi-zuki criterion (pβ≤0,05). A positive influence of the overall body water quantity variable on the gyaku-zuki criterion (pβ≤0,05) was also determined. It can be concluded that there is a connection between the morphological characteristics and the specific motor skills of junior-age karate athletes from Loznica. 

The lack of common rules and credible judgement created particular problems gymnastics competitions, organized by the two international sports institutions (IOC, EG), until the beginning of the World War I. After the end of the war, these institutions began to cooperate, to widen and to put under their aegis all the existing Gymnastics Federations. In the decades of 1920 and 1930 totally five International Gymnastics competitions were organized by the IGF and five Olympic Games by the IOC. Despite the considerable efforts of the two institutions for commonly accepted regulations, reliable judgment and uniform apparatuses, no solution was found. So, there were a lot of problems, since several federations were introspective and followed their own regulations and principles. This fact affected negatively the general development of gymnastics.

The purpose of this study is to research and show off the structures and characteristics of the regulations of gymnastics in the decades of 1920 and 1930 as well as the reasons that caused the lack of common rules and their effects in the development of gymnastics.