The purpose of this study was to examine the values of movement and physical activity (MoPA) using government policy documents (e.g., laws and curricula) on early childhood education and care (ECEC) from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. This descriptive, comparative study was designed based on curriculum theory and used word count and content analyses to identify similarities and differences in the occurrence of MoPA in the ECEC policies of Nordic countries. Seven terms were identified as MoPA-related in Nordic policy documents. These terms occurred in various content contexts: development, environment, expression, health and well-being, learning and play, albeit sparsely. MoPA was referred to as both a goal in and of itself and as a means of achieving other goals (e.g., learning or development in another area). Formulations specifically dedicated to MoPA as a goal were present in the Danish and Finnish curricula and, to some extent, also in the Norwegian curriculum, while the Icelandic and Swedish curricula mentioned MoPA mostly as a means. Findings indicated that MoPA, which is important for children’s development, health, and well-being, is a low-priority value, to varying degrees, in the ECEC policies enacted by Nordic countries and the guidance provided to educators and stakeholders therein is inexplicit.

Movement and physical activity (MoPA) are critical to children's health and development. Many children aged 1–5 years are enrolled in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Sweden, and high expectations are placed on educators to deliver education of sufficient quality to support children's development. The aim of the 18-month-long action-based study was to investigate how 88 ECEC educators in five preschools perceived and experienced the priority and teaching of MoPA. The educators planned and implemented MoPA sessions among children. They filmed sequences from the sessions, which were shown in the focus groups and were the starting point for the collegial discussions. Content analysis of the focus group discussions revealed three themes: Teaching aspects; Educational aspects; Structural aspects, with associated subthemes. During the project with the trial-and-error MoPA teaching, the educators detected insufficient PCK to teach MoPA and that teaching was often replaced with free play. Increased metacognition made the educators aware of children's different MoPA levels and that free play did not always increase all children's skills. The perceived insufficient pedagogical content knowledge to teach MoPA was perceived as a troublesome barrier for promoting MoPA. During the project, the educators' metacognition about MoPA increased, which made the educators aware of children's different MoPA levels and that free play did not always increase all children's skills. Despite of increased metacognition, most of the educators were not ready to leave their comfort zones and were not open to extra work or effort when it came to MoPA. However, the educators demonstrated the need for improved education in MoPA in early childhood teacher education, as well as the need for continuous education for working educators in ECEC to enhance the pedagogic content knowledge for adequate teaching in MoPA, which is important for children's present development and future health.

Objective: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of sports injuries in school physical education (PE) and leisure-time sports among 1011 15- to 16-year-old adolescents in relation to physical activity, and to examine goal orientation. Methods: A survey was used with additional narrative descriptions. Results: There was a higher prevalence of injuries in leisure time (645/993 = 65%) than in PE (519/998 = 52%). Two groups with high PE injury rates were identified: a) highly active (258/998 = 26%) in both school PE and leisure-time sports and b) highly inactive (180/998 = 18%) in both contexts. There were no differences between girls and boys. Task-oriented adolescents were more prone to injury. Conclusions: The high prevalence of injuries in PE appears to have two mechanisms: renewed inadequately recovered leisure-time injuries among highly active adolescents, and injuries among fragile inactive adolescents unfamiliar with exercise. PE educators of these two groups with different injury patterns have a considerable didactic challenge. Knowledge of inadequately recovered injuries and consideration of the high volume and intensity of early sport-specific training in children and adolescents are important parameters in the design of lesson plans for PE.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate whether sleep duration is associated with self-reported overall health, screen time, and nighttime texting among Swedish adolescents. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of students (n = 1518) aged 13 to 15 years (50.7% girls) in southern Sweden. Results: Fewer than 8 hours sleep duration before a school day was reported by 31% of students. The median time spent watching television and/or at the computer was 3 hours, and 43% of students reported texting at night one or more times per week. Sleeping fewer than 8 hours was significantly associated with poorer self-reported overall health, often being tired at school, increased screen time, and a habit of nighttime texting. Conclusions: Short sleep duration (<8 hours) was associated with poor self-reported health, increased screen time, and nighttime texting among respondents. These results provide information for parents, educators, and school health professionals to encourage young people to adopt healthy screen habits and sleep hygiene.

As an increase in pain symptoms among children has been shown in the last decades, the aim of this study was to describe perceptions of recurrent pain, measured physical fitness and levels of reported physical activity (PA) in children, and to investigate if any associations between PA, fitness and recurrent pain could be identified. A school‐based study comprised 206 Swedish children 8–12 years old, 114 boys, 92 girls. A questionnaire with questions about perceived pain, self‐reported PA and lifestyle factors was used. Health‐related fitness was assessed by 11 physical tests. A physical index was calculated from these tests as a z score. High physical index indicated high fitness and low physical index indicated low fitness. ANOVA test, chi‐square test and logistic regression analysis were used to compare active and inactive children. The prevalence of one pain location (head, abdomen or back) was 26%, two 11% and three 4% (n=206). Female gender, living in single‐parent families, low PA and low subjective health were associated with reported recurrent pain. Children reporting high levels of PA had high physical index and reported low prevalence of pain symptoms. The physical index and level of self‐reported PA decreased gradually the more pain locations. Physically active children had higher fitness levels and reported less pain symptoms than inactive peers. Coping with pain is an integral part of PA, and active children learn to cope with unpleasant body sensations which together with high fitness may reduce the perception of pain.

From a public health perspective, it is important that children with Down syndrome (DS) lay the foundations of physical activity (PA) early in life to keep active in school, as teenagers and as adults. The aims were to investigate PA patterns in children and adolescents with DS, as well as their parents’ and siblings’ PA patterns. Methods: A survey was performed among 310 families with children with DS (54% boys and 46% girls) aged 8–18 years (mean 14.04, SD 3.18) in Sweden. Chi-squared tests and multiple logistic regression were carried out. Results: Nineteen percent of children and adolescents with DS and 34% of the parents were active three or more times per week. The child’s PA level was significantly associated with parents’ PA (OR = 5.5), siblings’ PA (OR = 5.1) and the child’s locomotion ability (OR = 3.5). Physically active parents had active children to a greater extent than inactive parents (59% vs. 29%; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Physically active parents have active children. To promote PA among children and adolescents with DS, it is important to promote and pay attention to the parents’ and siblings’ PA behavior, as children with DS are dependent on support from the family.