The aim of this study was to establish the role of maturation on the development of physical performance in adolescent athletes and nonathletes. The total studied sample consisted of 231 participants (131 athletes: 72 boys with an average chronological age of 13.53 ± 0.7 and 59 girls with an average chronological age of 11.97 ± 0.8; 100 nonathletes: 47 boys with an average chronological age of 13.73 ± 0.47 and 53 girls with an average chronological age of 11.93 ± 0.33), distributed according to their biological maturity stage (Pre-, Mid-, and Post-Peak Height Velocity [PHV]) and to their gender. The assessment of physical performance was performed using the following tests: Countermovement jump (CMJ), countermovement jump with arm swing (CMJA), squat jump (SJ), five-jump test (5JT), 5 m sprint (5 m), 10 m sprint (10 m), 20 m sprint (20 m), T-test, Zig Zag, and Slalom. The differences in athletes according to biological maturity were identified in all variables except for 5 m (p = 0.33) and Slalom (p = 0.07), while in nonathletes the differences were found in 5JT (p = 0.01), 5 m (p = 0.02), 10 m (p = 0.01), and 20 m (p = 0.01) tests. Additionally, a significant interaction of gender and biological maturity was detected for CMJ (p = 0.03), CMJA (p = 0.01), and Zig Zag (p = 0.05) in athletes. The findings of the current study confirm the importance of maturity status in the assessment of physical performance. As a consequence, a more rational selection of talented athletes could be provided, also enabling the timely development of physical performance in nonathletes as a “window of opportunity”.

The process of aging leads to changes in functional abilities, fitness levels, level of physical activity, and body mass index (BMI), all of which causes changes in the quality of life. The current study aims to determine the association between the level of physical activity (PA) and BMI, and quality of life (QoL) among elderly women. The total sample numbered 156 women, with an average age of 67.7 ± 5.6 years. To determine the level of physical activity, the self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire Long Form (IPAQ-LF), was used. To calculate the values of the BMI, the standard procedure recommended by the World Health Organization was used. Quality of life was evaluated using the short form of the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire designed by the World Health Organization. All the data were processed using the statistical package for data analysis SPSS 20.0. Pearson’s correlation analysis shows statistically significant relations at the level of p < 0.01 between PA and Physical health in Housework = 0.36, Leisure time PA = 0.27, Walking = 0.24, Moderate PA 0.43, Total PA = 0.43, while the correlations between the variables at the significance level of p < 0.05 were determined in PA in transportation = 0.19 and High-intensity PA = 0.16. Multiple linear regression analysis of different levels of PA as independent variables on individual domains of QoL shows that there is an association of PA and Physical health (Sig = 0.000), more precisely, Total PA is statistically the most closely related to Physical health (Sig = 0.000), and then follows PA at work and Social relations (Sig = 0.036). Similar results were obtained when BMI is added to model A. In contrast to model A, model B shows a statistically significant association between PA and BMI with the environmental domain of QoL (Sig = 0.001). The results of the current study indicate that high- and moderate-intensity physical activity both have benefits for physical health, whereas moderate PA showed higher significance levels. Results also show that elderly women with higher BMI values achieve better results in the environmental domain of QoL.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of physical activity levels and body mass index (BMI) on the quality of life among university students. Methods: The sample consisted of 495 students (176 males and 319 females). Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF), while quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. Pearson’s correlation coefficient and regression analysis were employed to determine relationships and predictive influence. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20, with the level of significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The results indicated that male students reported significantly higher levels of moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity compared to female students (p = 0.015 and p = 0.001, respectively), as well as higher scores in the physical health and social relationships domains of quality of life (p = 0.002 and p = 0.001, respectively). Both physical activity and BMI had a statistically significant impact on the physical health (p = 0.040 for males; p = 0.024 for females) and psychological health (p = 0.047 for males; p = 0.000 for females) domains. Specifically, moderate-intensity PA positively influenced physical health (β = 0.21, p = 0.005), while BMI was a predictor of psychological health in males (β = 0.18, p = 0.016). Among females, BMI negatively influenced physical health (β = −0.18, p = 0.002), and both low-intensity PA (β = 0.17, p = 0.002) and BMI (β = −0.21, p = 0.000) significantly affected psychological health. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of promoting diverse forms of physical activity and maintaining a healthy BMI in student populations, with consideration for gender-specific approaches to maximize quality of life outcomes.

Body mass index (BMI) and body image (BI) are constructs worth examining in the context of physical activity (PA), and they are both related to quality of life (QoL). PA, BMI, and BI should all be considered as associated parameters, and their effect on QoL should be examined and understood. This study aimed to determine the moderating role of PA in the relationship of BMI and BI with QoL. The sample of examinees consisted of 500 respondents (307 women; aged 39 ± 6 years). A physical activity self-evaluation questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) was used to estimate PA; BI was evaluated by using the Body Image Dimensional Assessment (BIDA) questionnaire, while QoL was determined with the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire. The results showed that vigorous PA moderates the relationship between BMI and social relationships in adults (Sig. = 0.000). Walking and vigorous PA affect the relationship between BMI and environmental health (Sig. = 0.017 and Sig. = 0.049, respectively). Both walking (Sig. = 0.035) and moderate PA (Sig. = 0.032) alternate the relationships between BI and social relationships. Walking (Sig. = 0.000) and vigorous PA (Sig. = 0.016) moderate the relationship between BI and environmental health. The influence of PA on the moderation of the relationship of BMI and BI with physical and psychological health in the working population was not statistically significant.

Numerous studies highlight the beneficial effects of physical activity on children's and adolescents' health in all areas, and it is commonly known that regular sports participation enhances motor skills and has a major impact on physical development and posture. However, asymmetric physical exercises, unique to a certain sport, such as rhythmic gymnastics (RG), can cause aberrant curvatures of the spine, particularly during times of rapid growth and development. The main research objective is to determine the type and prevalence of postural disorders of the spine in sagittal and frontal plane in 48 young female rhythmic gymnasts (RGs), aged 6 to 18, as well as to examine the differences between 25 juvenile and 23 adolescent RGs. Their baseline characteristics (age, body height and mass, and body mass index) were established, as well as their spine curvature status (kyphosis, lordosis, and thoracic and lumbar scoliosis, in °) by means of the SpinalMouse® device. The data were analyzed (descriptive statistics, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, ANOVA, Chi-square test) using SPSS 21.0. Research results showed that large percentage of RGs had postural disorders in the sagittal (64.6%), and also in the frontal plane (77.1%), noting that postural disorders are more prevalent in juvenile RGs (72% and 76% in the sagittal and the frontal plane, respectively), and flat back is a common spinal posture disorder in RGs. When comparing the sizes of the spinal column curvatures of juvenile and adolescent RGs, statistically significant differences exist only when it comes to kyphosis (p=0.037), and that "in favor" of the older subsample. Such results (presence of lordotic, scoliotic and minor presence of kyphotic posture) are not surprising if we take into account the technical and tactical requirements of RG which belongs to a group of asymmetric sports-RGs have stronger extensors than trunk flexors which leads to absence of kyphotic and an increase of lordotic posture; also, RG is a sport of asymmetric spine loading because of unilateral hip flexibility in various conditions, which explains the large prevalence of scoliotic posture among RGs.

Due to the pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19) from March 16th to May 18th 2020. the lectures at the Faculty of Sports and Psysical Education, University of Niš, took place exclusively through online learning platforms. The faculties of sports and physical education are content-wise and methodogically specific in comparison to other faculties. The aim of this study is to identify the degree to which students were able to complete their academic commitments, what their motivation for learning was, what variables affected their ability to do so, and how anxious they were throughout the epidemic. In total, 364 students from the Faculty of Sports and Physical Education, representing all undergraduate and graduate academic years, took part in the online study. The research was conducted using a questionnaire consisting of self-assessment of mastered material in all subjects (five-point scale), the degree of motivation for distance learning (five-point scale), questions about factors that hindered students in learning and anxiety scales (AT-29, Tovilović and Novović, 2009). The results show that 68.6% of students managed to fulfill more than 60% of the obligations from the course per year. The largest number of students was mostly motivated (51.3%), while 17.9% were highly motivated for online learning. Less than 10% of all respondents were not motivated at all (7.4%). The largest number of students (42.6%) fulfilled their academic obligations in the percentage of 60 to 80%, while 33% of students fulfilled their obligations between 80 and 100%. The research showed that the biggest obstacle in online learning is the lack of direct contact and communication between students with colleagues and professors (36%), as well as technical problems, which represent a barrier for 16.8% of respondents. The results showed that there is a statistically significant difference in the degree of anxiety between male and female students (Sig. = .001), with higher values of anxiety recorded in female students.