Physical fitness is an important marker of health from a young age, yet it has been little studied in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study aimed to compare physical fitness, physical activity levels, and sedentary behaviors between adolescents with and without ID. A cross-sectional analytical design was used with 569 adolescents divided into two groups: 303 with ID (13.54 ± 1.07 years; 180 boys, 123 girls) and 266 without ID (13.54 ± 1.10 years; 142 boys, 124 girls). Data were collected over a three-month period from November 2022 to February 2023. Physical fitness was assessed using the Eurofit test battery, including grip strength, explosive strength, seated trunk flexion, and the 20-meter shuttle run. Anthropometric measurements were also taken, and physical activity and sedentary behavior were assessed using the CAPAS-Q 8–18 questionnaire. Adolescents with ID showed significantly lower physical activity levels and higher sedentary behavior than their peers without ID (p < .001). They also performed worse on grip strength, explosive strength, and cardiorespiratory endurance tests (d = -0.77 to -1.23 for boys; d = -0.77 to -1.73 for girls; p < .001). These findings highlight important disparities and underscore the need for further longitudinal and intervention studies.

Sports tourism, combining leisure travel with spectating or participating in sporting activities, is a rapidly growing industry with substantial economic, social, and cultural impacts. Vojvodina, an autonomous province in northern Serbia, offers significant potential for the development of sports tourism, however, it faces challenges such as limited strategic coordination and underutilized resources. This paper examines two projects that are a part of the Europe DEPART (DEveloPment of a sustAinable spoRts Tourism in Europe) initiative and demonstrate sustainable approaches to sports tourism in Serbia: the Tour de Fruška and EuroVelo6 Danube Bicycle Route in Serbia. Both projects highlight the importance of connecting natural and cultural assets, fostering healthy lifestyles, and promoting environmentally and socially sustainable tourism practices. The paper concludes that building on these successes can help Vojvodina enhance its sports tourism offerings, strengthen stakeholder cooperation, and support long-term regional development. 

Physical activity is widely recognised as an important component of children’s physical, psychological, and social well-being, which is closely associated with their overall quality of life. However, empirical evidence regarding this relationship among elementary school students in Indonesia remains limited. This study aimed to examine the association between physical activity and quality of life among elementary school students. A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was employed, involving 159 students from a public elementary school. Physical activity was measured using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), while quality of life was assessed using the Elementary School Students’ Quality of Life (ESQoL) scale, comprising six domains. Data analysis included reliability testing, descriptive statistics, normality testing, Spearman correlation, partial correlation, and multiple regression analyses controlling for grade level and gender. Both instruments demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (PAQ-C α = 0.853; ESQoL α = 0.783). Results indicated a positive and statistically significant association between physical activity and overall quality of life (r = 0.254; p < 0.01), which remained significant after controlling for demographic variables. Regression analyses further revealed that physical activity was significantly associated with school functioning and peer relationships domains, but not with other domains. These findings indicate that physical activity is positively associated with specific aspects of elementary school students’ quality of life, although causal inferences cannot be drawn due to the cross-sectional design.

The aim of this study was to investigate the independent associations of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) with glycemic control parameters in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 44 individuals with T2DM (age: 52.20 ± 9.02 years; T2DM duration: 5.39 ± 4.65 years; baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C): 7.05 ± 0.78%) participated in this study. Following blood analysis, anthropometric assessments, and resting blood pressure measurements, participants performed the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) to estimate peak oxygen uptake (VO_₂peak). The main findings indicated that relative VO_₂peak was significantly and inversely associated with HbA1C in the unadjusted model (B = -0.12, p = 0.03), explaining 10.7% of the variance. However, this association was attenuated and became non-significant after adjusting for age, T2DM duration, and body mass index (BMI). Neither relative nor absolute VO_₂peak was significantly associated with fasting blood glucose (B = -0.41, p = 0.42 and B = -0.13, p = 0.20, respectively). Age emerged as the only independent predictor of FBG (B = 0.07, p = 0.04). These results suggest that the association between CRF and long-term glucose regulation in this population is complex and heavily influenced by demographic and anthropometric factors, highlighting the need for a multifactorial approach in clinical assessments.

Aging is a gradual and irreversible process that involves changes in tissues and body functions over time. The level of daily activities of elderly persons decreases with aging, although it is well known that physical activity (PA) is important for successful aging. This study's objective was to determine the influence of PA level on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and life satisfaction (LS) among community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional study was carried out, with 263 questionnaires (PASE, WHOQOL-OLD, and LISAT9) completed and returned. Each WHOQOL-OLD and LISAT9 domain was analyzed using an independent t-test to determine differences in HRQoL and LS between groups. However, the relationship between PA level and HRQoL and LS domains was investigated using the Pearson correlation coefficient among Physically active and Physically inactive older adults. Older adults who reported being more physically active attributed higher scores to the sensory ability, autonomy, past, present, and feature and intimacy domains, and presented significantly higher overall HRQoL. In addition, the results indicated higher scores for the Ability to manage self-care (AMS), leisure satisfaction (LS), Vocational situation (VS), financial satisfaction (FS), Sexual life (SL), and Partner relation (PR) domains and significantly higher overall LS among physically active older adults. In contrast, there were no significant correlations between   PA level and HRQoL and LS domains. The results indicate that increases in the levels of PA can contribute to improvements in HRQoL and LS of older adults.

Seamstresses, due to the nature of their profession, often face ergonomic challenges stemming from prolonged sitting, repetitive motions, and the adoption of awkward postures. These factors could affect sleep quality and contribute to an increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, including but not limited to, carpal tunnel syndrome, neck and back pain, and shoulder strain. It seems necessary, therefore, to evaluate the association of neck pain prevalence with neck disability and sleep quality among Nigerian seamstresses. 169 participants of ages 18 and above with varying levels of experience were recruited using a convenience sampling technique. The measure employed has 4 sections containing socio-demographics, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, the Sleep Quality aspect of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index and Neck Disability Index. Descriptive statistics such as frequencies, and percentages were used to summarize the data and provide an overview of the respondents’ prevalence of neck pain. Pearson’s Chi square was used to test the association of neck pain prevalence with sleep quality and neck disability at 0.05 alpha level. The lifetime and 12-month prevalence of neck pain were 83.4% and 73.4% respectively. 39 (23.1%) reported good sleep quality. About 45.6% of the respondents’ reported no neck disability. There is no statistically significant relationship between neck disability and the prevalence of neck pain (X2 = 6.416, p = 0.601). However, a significant relationship was observed between the prevalence of neck pain and sleep quality (X2= 4.411, p = 0.036). Seamstresses have a high prevalence of neck pain due to long hours of static positions. Poor sleep quality was also associated with neck pain. Nonetheless, there was no significant relationship between neck disability and pain prevalence, although, sleep quality, pain intensity, and neck disability are interconnected in the present study.

Physician quality of life is a critical factor influencing overall health, wellness, occupational stress, and burnout.  Exercise has been demonstrated to enhance quality of life through multiple mechanisms, positively impacting physical, psychological, and social health domains.  The objective of this study was to examine the exercise habits of emergency medicine physicians and their association with quality of life.  A quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional design was employed to study 103 attending emergency medicine physicians.  Participants completed an online questionnaire comprising the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) survey to assess physical activity levels and quality of life, respectively.  There was no significant difference between compliance with moderate and vigorous physical activity and quality of life across domains.  However, strength training compliance was statistically significant (p = 0.041) and correlated with improved physical health and quality of life scores.  Quality of life among this cohort was slightly elevated in the physical health domain but lower in psychological, social, and environmental health domains compared to population averages.  Furthermore, age and the number of hours worked per week were not statistically different in any quality of life domains. Exercise compliance among emergency physicians showed no statistically significant impact on quality of life, except for strength training, which was found to significantly enhance the physical health domain of quality of life.

Vascular entrapment syndromes of the lower extremities represent a diagnostic challenge in athletes, with emerging evidence suggesting sport-specific presentations. This study aimed to characterize and compare patterns of vascular compression, anatomical variants, and hemodynamic consequences across different sporting disciplines. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 210 athletes with confirmed vascular entrapment syndrome from a 10-year cohort (2014-2023). Athletes were categorized as long-distance runners (n=87), cyclists (n=71), triathletes (n=24), soccer players (n=19), and other sports (n=9). All participants underwent standardized clinical assessment and vascular imaging during provocative maneuvers. Multivariable analyses and latent class analysis were performed to identify independent predictors and distinct phenotypes. Sport-specific patterns of vascular compression were identified. Long-distance runners exhibited highest compression during plantarflexion (85.7±8.6%), predominantly with Type III gastrocnemius variants (60.9%). Cyclists demonstrated highest compression during knee extension (79.2±11.4%), with predominant Type II variants (49.3%). Soccer players exhibited primarily Type I variants (57.9%) with lower compression severity. Latent class analysis identified three distinct phenotypes: "runner phenotype" (43.8%), "cyclist phenotype" (37.1%), and "low compression phenotype" (19.0%), each with characteristic anatomical, hemodynamic, and clinical features. Sport category remained an independent predictor of compression severity after adjusting for potential confounders (p<0.001). Vascular entrapment syndrome manifests with distinct sport-specific patterns reflecting the interplay between anatomical predisposition and functional demands. The identification of sport-specific phenotypes provides a framework for tailored diagnostic approaches and management strategies. Recognition of these characteristics may enhance diagnostic accuracy, inform individualized treatment, and improve outcomes for affected athletes across diverse sporting disciplines.

Patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) experience motor and non-motor symptoms that decrease their quality of life. The non-pharmacological management of PD is imperative to improve the quality of life for patients with the disease. Non-pharmacological management options such as exercise, medical, and surgical interventions can improve function and independence in patients with PD. Many non-pharmacological management options target specific symptoms commonly associated with PD. The Knowledge Attitude Practice (KAP) model was adapted to develop a questionnaire that assesses patient and practitioner knowledge of non-pharmacological management options for PD. The questionnaire consisted of 11 questions. To assess the relationship between sociodemographic variables and patient and practitioner knowledge of non-pharmacological management options likelihood-ratio chi-squared, Spearman's correlation, simple logistic regression, and multiple logistic regression analyses were performed on the collected data. Six hundred and forty-one participants completed the questionnaire. For patients (n = 492) and practitioners (n = 149), the most widely known non-pharmacological management option was regular exercise, and the least-known was subthalamotomy. Compared to patients, practitioners were more likely to have knowledge of most non-pharmacological management options (OR 1.73 - 7.36). Higher education level (OR 3.10 - 10.96), younger age (OR 0.09 - 0.32), geographical location (North America OR 0.05 - 0.49, Europe OR 2.24), employment status (OR 4.81 - 12.02), and sex (OR 0.59) had a significant relationship with patient and practitioner knowledge of non-pharmacological management options. Practitioners were more likely to have knowledge of most non-pharmacological management options for PD compared to patients. Several sociodemographic variables impacted one's ability to identify non-pharmacological management options in both populations. Increasing patient and practitioner knowledge of non-pharmacological management options could improve the care and quality of life of patients with PD.

This systematic review analyses the existing research on service quality in football academies, focusing on its impact on user satisfaction and loyalty. Several factors can influence user satisfaction in football academies. Some of them are: academy infrastructure, quality of training, expert and professional staff, location and environment of the academy, status and reputation of the academy, levels of competition, as well as prospects in terms of career progression and career management in youth football. All of these factors contribute to better service and directly influence the increase in user satisfaction and loyalty, i.e., future members of the academy. For this reason, it is necessary to analyse the existing research on this topic to understand the measurement of service quality and the impact it has on the value and satisfaction of athletes. This systematic review aims to investigate service quality and to analyze the current state and factors that influence quality in the management of football academies. For this research, the electronic databases Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched to find relevant articles on this topic. The following inclusion criteria were applied during the search: only topics related to service quality, scientific papers covering the field of management, papers written in English, papers published from 2009 to the present, and full-text papers available. The results of the selected studies for this research showed that service quality is a key factor in achieving a high level of user loyalty towards a football academy.