A cross-sectional study was carried out to analyse, through a limited number of fitness tests, the main conditioning and coordinative abilities in children aged 8–9 years, and their relationship with gender, anthropometric variables and physical activity habits. The height and weight of 256 boys and 241 girls were measured and information about physical activity habits was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Physical performance was assessed by means of a few standardised tests: ‘sit & reach’, medicine-ball forward throw, standing long jump, 20 m running speed, and forward roll test. In both boys and girls, body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were positively correlated with the medicine-ball throw performances and negatively correlated for the standing long jump and speed tests, while no association was found with tests measuring back flexibility and total body coordination. Daily physical activity and participation in sport were not significantly correlated with body weight and BMI, but were positively associated with children's motor performance. The standardised fitness tests selected in the current study have been found to be suitable to identify fitness levels of primary school children. Thanks to their limited number and ease of measurement, they can be used in any school context to classify children and for monitoring the effects of targeted interventions promoting physical activity.

The Mediterranean Diet (MD) has been linked to numerous health benefits. This umbrella review aims to synthesize evidence from systematic reviews on the MD’s impact on children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years. Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, we included 11 systematic reviews focusing on the MD’s effects on health outcomes, such as asthma, anthropometric measures, physical fitness, and inflammatory markers. The results indicate a protective role of the MD against childhood asthma due to its antioxidant-rich components. However, evidence for its impact on allergic conditions like rhinitis and eczema is inconclusive. Findings regarding anthropometric outcomes, particularly BMI, are limited and inconsistent. A positive correlation was observed between MD adherence and increased physical activity, improved physical fitness, quality of life, and reduced sedentary behavior. Additionally, the MD showed an inverse relationship with pro-inflammatory biomarkers, suggesting anti-inflammatory benefits. The inconsistency in BMI findings and the potential anti-inflammatory properties of the MD warrant further longitudinal research. Future studies should explore the MD’s impact on cognitive functions, academic performance, and mental health in this age group, highlighting the significance of establishing healthy eating habits early in life.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the caffeinated Energy Drinks (EDs) consumption among a large sample of Italian undergraduates and its association with some of the major lifestyle risk factors. Methods: Students attending twelve public Italian universities were involved between October 2021 and May 2022. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, ED consumption, and on health-related behaviors of participants was collected by the use of a web-based questionnaire. Results: A total of 2165 students participated in the study and 15.2% of them reported having used caffeinated EDs in the last six months, mainly once a month (41.5%). In comparison with non-users, ED users showed a higher proportion of males (p < 0.001) and a higher father’s educational level (p = 0.003), came mainly from Northern universities (p = 0.004) and life sciences degree courses (p < 0.001). Besides, ED users reported higher BMI values (p = 0.003), more particular dietary regimens (p < 0.001), higher levels of weekly moderate–vigorous physical activity (p < 0.001) and participation in sports (p < 0.001) and in team sports (p = 0.003), and higher proportion of smokers (p < 0.001) and alcohol drinkers (p = 0.005). ED use was negatively related with female gender (OR 0.546; 95% CI 0.374–0.798), the Mediterranean diet (OR 0.587; 95% CI 0.362–0.951) and coming from the center of Italy (OR 0.500; 95% CI 0.275–0.909) and positively associated with tobacco smoke (OR 1.712; 95% CI 1.176–2.492) and participation in a team sport (OR 1.686; 95% CI 1.051–2.707). Conclusion: These findings could encourage figures engaged in education to increase the students’ awareness on this issue in order to prevent the excessive use of EDs and associated unhealthy behaviors, especially in the most interested subgroups.