Objective: To analyze the association between the behavioral profile of physical activity and sedentary time with subjective well-being and mental health in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile. Methods: Cross-sectional study in a voluntary sample of 469 university students (22.4 ± 0.19 years; 66% women). According to students’ self-reports of physical activity and sedentary time, four behavioral profiles were created to investigate their association with subjective well-being and mental health using one-factor ANOVA that was adjusted to a multifactorial model. Results: The physically inactive and sedentary behavior profile presents the lowest levels of subjective well-being (p < 0.001), positive affective experiences (p < 0.001) and general mental health (p = 0.001). When adjusting for confounding variables, it was observed that the physically active and non-sedentary profile was associated with better general mental health (p < 0.01) in contrast to those who are physically active and sedentary. Conclusions: Chilean university students with a physically inactive and sedentary profile during the pandemic presented worse well-being and mental health, with a sedentary lifestyle being one of the variables that most affects the mental health of these students. Therefore, measures should be implemented to encourage this population to maintain adequate levels of physical activity and reduce sedentary times.

Objective: To analyze the relationship between anxiety, self-esteem, happiness index and primary school students’ academic performance in Chilean adolescents from the Biobío province. Methodology: 733 (46.1% girls; 12 (1.3 years)) public primary school students that completed the 2018 Health and School Performance Survey carried out in the Biobío province were included in this cross-sectional analysis. The BECK Anxiety Inventory (BAI) was used to measure anxiety while happiness index and self-esteem were measured using the subjective happiness scale and the Rosenberg self-esteem scale, respectively. School performance was measured by grade point average (GPA) of language, math, physical education and cumulative GPA, and behavior associated with cognition in the school context was also considered. The relationship between mental health indicators and school performance was investigated using a one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation. Results: In comparison to students with low anxiety levels and high self-esteem and happiness levels, students with higher anxiety levels, lower self-esteem and happiness levels perceived themselves as having memory problems. They were also slower to solve math problems, had a shorter attention span in class and presented more difficulties in solving complex tasks, as well as being more nervous during testing. These students also got the lowest grade point average in math, language and physical education. Conclusions: High anxiety levels, low self-esteem and low happiness levels were associated with lower school performance and weaker behavior associated with cognition in Chilean adolescents. Implementing plans of emotional education and mental health could improve academic achievement.

This scoping review synthesizes the evidence of the psychological outcomes of physical activity interventions in the classroom in children aged 6 to 12 years and describes the characteristics of the physical activity interventions implemented. We systematically searched in databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and SciELO, of randomized control trials published up to July 2020 of classroom-based physical activity interventions with children´s psychological health variables as outcomes. Sixteen trials (14,877 participants) with children aged 6 to 12 years were included. There were significant effects on several indicators of: a) psychological health outcomes: well-being, self-esteem, body image satisfaction b) self-efficacy and motivation to physical activity and c) behavior inside the classroom: self-regulation, bullying and disruptive behavior. The most effective interventions are those that included physical activity integrated into the curriculum 2-5 times a week, in sessions between 4' to 10', implemented mainly by the classroom teacher and with audio-visual support. However, the heterogeneity in program designs did not allow definitive conclusions. While psychological outcomes are mainly primary outcomes in the interventions studied, more evidence is required on other indicators of psychological health such as mental health symptoms. In addition, studies need to employ objective measures of physical activity to a better comprehension of their effects on psychological health of schoolchildren. Keywords: Physical Activity; Children; Psychological health; Schools; Intervention; Scoping review.

Palabras-clave: COVID-19; actividad física; bienestar; universitarios

Objective: To compare cardiovascular risk and cardiorespiratory capacity in schoolchildren from a region in the extreme south of Chile according to nutritional status and muscular strength. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was performed on a sample of 594 schoolchildren from 5th to 8th grade in the extreme south of Chile. Based on body mass index and lower limb muscle strength, participants were divided into four groups: high strength-normal weight, high strength-overweight/obese, low strength-normal weight, and low strength-overweight/obese. Then, waist-to-height ratio and cardiorespiratory capacity, measured with the 20 m shuttle run test, were assessed to determine their cardiovascular risk, comparing the four groups. Results: The overweight/obese group with high muscular strength presented better indicators in anthropometric variables (waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio) than their peers with low muscular strength. Additionally, the overweight/obese group with low muscular strength presented a lower cardiorespiratory capacity than their peers with high muscular strength. Both results were observed in boys and girls. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that overweight/obese schoolchildren with high muscle strength present healthier anthropometric indicators and greater cardiorespiratory capacity than their peers with low muscle strength. These results confirm the relevance of measuring muscle strength in schoolchildren and its usefulness to assess functionality. These results encourage the scientific community to continue studying the role that muscle strength plays in modulating the effects of overweight and obesity on respiratory and cardiovascular conditions in childhood.

Promoting incidental physical activity (IPA) can help reduce sedentary lifestyles and physical inactivity levels in the population. However, there is heterogeneity in the definition of IPA, and studies have yet to synthesize the empirical findings on this topic. This review aimed to (1) Synthesize the definitions of the IPA used in the scientific literature, (2) Identify the behaviors part of the IPA, and (3) Synthesize the main findings on IPA. The review followed PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search was performed in July 2023, and an update was made in February 2024 in the CINAHL databases by EBSCOhost, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. The search phrase was (“incidental physical activity” OR “incidental physical activity of daily living” OR “incidental movement” OR “vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity” OR “VILPA” OR “physical activity of daily living”). Fifty‐five studies were included, with non‐experimental (40), experimental (12), qualitative studies (2), and mixed design (1). Ten different terms for IPA were identified, and a conceptual definition was included in 33 articles. Behaviors measured as part of the IPA were reported in 41 articles. These definitions describe unstructured, unplanned, and unintentional physical activities of daily living that are performed as a by‐product of an activity with a different primary purpose during free or occupational time and without specific fitness, sport, or recreation goals. Include light and vigorous intensities ranging from short sessions of < 1 min to prolonged ones. They include home activities, self‐care, gardening, occupation, active transportation, and walking. Furthermore, evidence on IPA suggests an association with a lower risk of all‐cause mortality. The findings of this review contribute to the updated study of IPA. Advances in data processing methods are needed to capture the diversity of behaviors and deepen the understanding of IPA.