Sport for children and adolescents must consider growth and maturation to ensure suitable training and competition, and anthropometric variables could be used as bio-banding strategies in youth sport. This investigation aimed to analyze the association between chronological age, biologic maturation, and anthropometric characteristics to explain physical performance of young judo athletes. Sixty-seven judokas (11.0–14.7 years) were assessed for anthropometric and physical performance. Predicted adult stature was used as a somatic maturation indicator. A Pearson’s bivariate correlation was performed to define which anthropometric variables were associated with each physical test. A multiple linear hierarchical regression was conducted to verify the effects of age, maturity, and anthropometry on physical performance. The regression models were built with age, predicted adult stature, and the three most significantly correlated anthropometric variables for each physical test. Older judokas performed better in most of the physical tests. However, maturation attenuated the age effect in most variables and significantly affected upper body and handgrip strength. Anthropometric variables attenuated age and maturity and those associated with body composition significantly affected the performance in most tests, suggesting a potential as bio-banding strategies. Future studies should investigate the role of anthropometric variables on the maturity effect in young judokas.

Young judo athletes are bio-banding based on age and body mass and compete in weight classes. The purposes of this study were to investigate the influences of maturation on physical performance in young judokas through controlling the chronological age and body mass, and to examine the mediating role of anthropometric variables. Sixty-seven judokas, aged 11.0–14.7, were measured for 11 anthropometric and seven physical performance variables. Pearson partial correlations were conducted to verify the relationship between the maturational indicator and the dependent variables. Mediation analyses were performed to identify the extent to which anthropometric variables mediate the relationship. The maturation effect remained on the aerobic capacity and handgrip strength (p < 0.05). Fat mass (b = 80.335, 95%CI 11.580–204.270) and fat-free mass (b = 108.256, 95%CI 39.508–207.606) totally mediated the effect on aerobic capacity. Fat mass (b = 0.023, 95%CI 0.004–0.057), fat-free mass (b = 0.029, 95%CI 0.011–0.058), stature (b = 0.031, 95%CI 0.008–0.061), arm span (b = 0.021, 95%CI 0.003–0.044), and inferior members length (b = 0.022, 95%CI 0.005–0.049) totally mediated the effect on handgrip strength. The effect of biological maturation is noticeable even after age and body mass control, being mediated by anthropometric variables related to body composition and size.

Studies assessing age and maturation effects on morphological and physical performance measures of young judokas are scarce. This study aimed to assess the independent and combined effects of chronological age and biological maturation on anthropometry and physical performance of 67 judokas aged 11-14. Participants’ anthropometric profiles were assessed, and physical performance tests were completed. Multivariate analyses of variance revealed an independent effect of age (anthropometry: F = 1.871; p < 0.05; Pillai’s trace = 0.545; η²_p = 0.272; physical performance: F = 2.876; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.509; η²_p = 0.254) and maturity (anthropometry: F = 10.085; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.669; η²_p = 0.669; physical performance: F = 11.700; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.581; η²_p = 0.581). There was no significant combined effect of age and maturity. The maturation effect remained significant when controlled for age (anthropometry: F = 4.097; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.481; η²_p = 0.481; physical performance: F = 3.859; p < 0.01; Pillai’s trace = 0.0.318; η²_p = 0.318). Inadolescent judokas, the maturation effect on growth and physical performance seems to be more relevant than the age effect, leading to the need to control this effect in training routines and competitive events. As in studies with youth soccer players and other youth athletes, bio-banding can be a strategy for controlling maturation in combat sports.

Social isolation was adopted as a strategy to reduce the transmission speed of the severe acute respiratory syndrome of coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in several countries in the world, including Brazil. As a result, schools were closed and the routines of children altered, affecting sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity. The present study aims to compare the children’s weekly routine and time spent on sleep, sedentary behavior and physical activity before and during the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A cross-sectional study with a quantitative and qualitative approach was performed, with 120 parents, mothers or guardians of children from 5 to 10 years of age of both sexes enrolled in 5 full-time schools in Arapiraca, Alagoas, Brazil. To meet the research objective, two interviews were conducted between 27 May and 5 June, out addressing aspects of sleep, sedentary behavior, and physical activity before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the analysis of quantitative data, the paired sample t test was performed, while for qualitative data, discourse analysis was used. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in the routine and in sleep time (increase 10%) and screen time (increase 36%) before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic, on weekdays and weekends. There was also a reduction in the practice of physical activity (54%). Therefore, the findings indicate that behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic could be harmful to children’s health and that the school may be an important social environment to protect children from exposure to these behaviors.

O presente estudo verificou a associação entre variáveis sociodemográficas, características da escola, nível de atividade física (AF) e comportamento sedentário (CS) em adolescentes brasileiros. A amostra foi composta por 71.903 adolescentes entre 13 e 16 anos (52,8% meninas), matriculados no último ano do ensino fundamental, em escolas públicas e privadas do Brasil, participantes da terceira edição da Pesquisa Nacional da Saúde do Escolar (PeNSE). As informações foram recolhidas através de questionário. O tempo de AF na aula de Educação Física e extra aula de Educação Física, o tempo em deslocamento ativo e o tempo em CS foram associados às variáveis sociodemográficas (tipo de município, local da escola, escolaridade da mãe, percepção de insegurança, idade e sexo) e características da escola (tipo de escola e quadra disponível para uso). Utilizou-se a análise de rede. Quanto ao comportamento ativo, a topologia de rede mostrou que os meninos são mais ativos do que as meninas, principalmente na AF extra aula de Educação Física. Além disso, os resultados revelaram um maior tempo de AF na aula de Educação Física para os meninos, estudantes cujas mães apresentavam maior escolaridade, matriculados em escolas privadas e com quadra disponível para uso. Os estudantes matriculados em escolas públicas apresentaram maior tempo de AF em deslocamento ativo. Quanto ao CS, jovens do contexto urbano apresentaram maior exposição quando comparados aos pares do contexto rural. Conclui-se que as características sociodemográficas e da escola estão relacionadas com os comportamentos dos adolescentes brasileiros em todos os domínios da AF e no CS.

The study investigated the prevalence of students meeting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendations and factors associated with MVPA during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 4059 university students (2200 females [F]) during the lockdown using an electronic form. PA was assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge to perform PA, pre-pandemic PA, sedentary behavior (SB), and health self-reports related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 56% of students met MVPA recommendations (males [M]: 57.7%, F: 54.3%; χ² = 4.703, p = 0.030). Knowledge to perform PA (M: OR = 3.012, 95% CI: 2.413–3.759; F: OR = 2.948, 95% CI: 2.444–3.556) and being physically active before the pandemic (M: OR = 2.651, 95% CI: 2.060–3.412; F: OR = 1.459, 95% CI: 1.079–1.974) increased the likelihood that students attained the MVPA recommendations. In contrast, longer daily exposure to SB was negatively associated with MVPA in both sexes. In this context, the present findings reinforce the relevance of universities as strategic settings for the promotion of PA in middle-income countries, where social and economic vulnerabilities may exacerbate the long-term consequences of physical inactivity.