The mobility practices of students are largely dictated by their respective educational obligations. Students of physical education are an ostensibly physically active population, whose active lifestyle may include active travel. University student mobility research calls for behavioral approaches to ground relevant interventions. This work investigated the sustainability practices in the student community of the Physical Education Department in Serres, a medium-sized Greek city. Moreover, this paper aimed to shed light on the gender differences in the physical activity levels of 259 students, as well as their respective differences in mobility practices. A novel questionnaire, based on Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and Godin–Shephard’s approach to physical activity, was used. The results confirmed higher levels of physical activity in male students, although their attitude toward physical activity was less positive than that of their female classmates. Further positive attitudes in women were recorded toward sustainable mobility choices, although the evidence demonstrated a similar gap between the answers of the two genders. Car possession was higher in men, whereas car purchase intention was slightly lower in women, who had a lower income in general. Moreover, income impacted gender mobility preferences. Recommendations can be guided by students’ sports preferences and can be gender-sensitive, taking income into account.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of a program with Greek Traditional Dance (GTD) as an alternative form of physical activity (PA) in the context of the school physical education (PE) course, on aerobic capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility, of high school students. In the research participated voluntarily 36 high school students, aged 15-17 years, who were randomly divided into a GTD group (n=18) and a control group (n=18). Cooper's 12-minute walk test was used to assess aerobic capacity. For the evaluation of the other variables of physical fitness (PF), field tests from Eurofit Fitness Tests were used. All students performed the tests before and after the end of GTD program and regular PE school program. The statistical package SPSS/PC version 23.0 for windows was used for statistical analysis. The data analysis showed that after the GTD program aerobic capacity increased significantly from 1253.06±194.09 to 1426.00±201.48 meters (t=-6.156; p<0.001), muscular strength from 163.06±38.29 to 170.11±36.34 cm (t=-2.928; p<0.01), muscular endurance from 19.06±5.94 to 22.39±6.34 repetitions (t=-3.424; p<0.001), while flexibility remained unaltered. After the regular PE course program, the measured PF variables remained stable, except for muscular endurance which increased significantly from 17.72±4.01 to 18.67±3.90 repetitions (t=-2.799; p<0.01). The results of the present study demonstrate very positive effects of the GTD program, as an alternative form of PA during PE course at school, on PF parameters. As for the regular PE school program, although it may have some positive effects, it does not inspire student participation. Therefore, GTDs are an alternative form of PA that can inspire the participation of high school students, but also can form the basis of a lifelong exercise, with many positive effects on physical well-being parameters for students nowadays and adult citizens in the future.

The main aim of the present study was to identify motor difficulties in Greek preschoolers. Secondary aims were to identify possible differences in prevalence of motor difficulties related to gender, age, body mass index, place of residence, and hand preference. 302 preschoolers were assessed using the first age band (3–6 years) of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (2nd edition). The results showed high prevalence of significant (12.3%) and moderate (12.3%) motor difficulties in preschool children. Moreover, gender, age, BMI, residence, and hand preference effects showed no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) and need further consideration among preschool children. However, there was evidence that some differences may exist between boys and girls, 4- and 5-year-old children, children with high and typical body mass index, children living in rural or urban areas, and right and left-handed children, regarding the occurrence of motor difficulties. These findings highlighted the need for early assessment in domains of motor development, such as hand dexterity, ball skills and balance in order for developmentally appropriate preschool physical education programs to be applied, with the aim to help preschoolers improve their difficulties and be physically active later in life. L'objectif principal de la présente étude était d'identifier les difficultés motrices chez les enfants grecs d'âge préscolaire. Les objectifs secondaires étaient d'identifier les différences possibles dans la prévalence des difficultés motrices liées au sexe, à l'âge, à l'indice de masse corporelle, au lieu de résidence et à la préférence manuelle. 302 enfants d'âge préscolaire ont été évalués à l'aide de la première tranche d'âge (3-6 ans) de la batterie d'évaluation du mouvement pour les enfants (2e édition). Les résultats ont montré une forte prévalence de difficultés motrices importantes (12,3 %) et modérées (12,3 %) chez les enfants d'âge préscolaire. Deuxièmement, les effets du sexe, de l'âge, de l'IMC, du lieu de résidence et de la préférence manuelle n'ont pas montré de différences statistiquement significatives (p > 0,05) et nécessitent un examen plus approfondi chez les enfants d'âge préscolaire. Toutefois, des éléments indiquent qu'il peut exister des différences entre les garçons et les filles, les enfants de 4 et 5 ans, les enfants ayant un indice de masse corporelle élevé et ceux ayant un indice de masse corporelle normal, les enfants vivant dans des zones rurales ou urbaines, et les enfants droitiers et gauchers, en ce qui concerne l'apparition de difficultés motrices. Ces résultats soulignent la nécessité d'une évaluation précoce dans les domaines du développement moteur, tels que la dextérité manuelle, les habiletés avec le ballon et l'équilibre, afin d'appliquer des programmes d'éducation physique préscolaire adaptés au développement, dans le but d'aider les enfants d'âge préscolaire à surmonter leurs difficultés et à être physiquement actifs plus tard dans la vie.

Background/Objectives: Motor difficulties due to developmental coordination disorder seem to exist in adolescence, affecting participation in physical activity. The purposes of the present study were, firstly, to identify motor difficulties and, secondly, to compare objective and subjective weekly physical activity between adolescents with and without motor difficulties. Methods: Sixty-nine adolescents who attended secondary school, were screened for motor difficulties, using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children—Second Edition. Then, a motor difficulties group (n = 8) and a group of peers without motor difficulties (n = 7) were formed. Objective physical activity was assessed using Yamax Power Walker EX-510 pedometers (Yamax, Kumamoto, Japan) in a single school week throughout the day, while subjective weekly self-reported physical activity was assessed by the “Godin–Shephard” Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire in both groups. Results: Approximately 7.2% of adolescents denoted significant motor difficulty, and 5.8% suggested that adolescents were “at risk” of having a motor difficulty and monitoring was required. No statistically significant differences were found in objective weekly physical activity between the groups. However, the daily number of steps recorded in both groups was found to be lower than those suggested by literature for health benefits. Moreover, significant differences were shown in the subjective self-reported weekly physical activity regarding participation in high intensity and total weekly physical activity. Adolescents with motor difficulties indicated lower scores, although the majority of both groups could be characterized as active, with substantial benefits for their health. Conclusions: Although there is evidence that motor difficulties are prevalent in adolescence, physical activity participation seemed not to have been affected; however, subjective and objective assessment indicated different results. Thus, it is suggested a combination of both methods in assessing physical activity in adolescents with and without motor difficulties in order to provide more robust results.