The continuous changes in our society require adapted training that encompasses both technical and competency knowledge. There is a high level of demand, especially in areas such as engineering, which can affect the mental health of students, producing high levels of stress and psychological distress, hindering self-efficacy and academic performance. Embodied learning working on self-awareness, stress reduction and self-knowledge can help to generate healthier environments. Creative therapies can be a tool to promote the prevention of health problems in this group of the population. In particular, Dance Movement Therapy has demonstrated its effectiveness in improving health in clinical and non-clinical settings. In this work, a body awareness program based on Dance Movement Therapy is developed and implemented in engineering students. Through a mixed pre-post methodology, its impact is evaluated and analyzed in an experimental group of engineering students. Psychometric tests, physiological variables and reflective diaries are used as data sources. The results show that the experimental group, compared with the control group, increased their levels of body awareness and connectedness, well-being and life satisfaction and reduced their stress levels. The results were supported by cortisol measures. Likewise, the students acknowledged having increased their levels of self-awareness and self-knowledge and considered the inclusion of these bodily approaches in higher education to be necessary.

Introduction: COVID-19 provoked a myriad of challenges for people’s health, poor life satisfaction and an unhealthy diet that could be associated with serious negative health outcomes and behaviours. University is a stressful environment that is associated with unhealthy changes in the eating behaviours of students. The association between diet and mental health is complex and bidirectional, depending on the motivation to eat; emotional eaters regulate their emotions through the increased consumption of comfort foods. Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the nutritional habits, alcohol consumption, anxiety and sleep quality of female health science college students. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study of 191 female undergraduate students in Madrid was used. Their body mass index and waist hip ratio were measured. The questionnaires used included the Mediterranean Diet Adherence test, AUDIT, Emotional Eater Questionnaire, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Food Addiction, Perceived Stress Scale and STAI questionnaires. Results: We observed a high intake of protein, fat, saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Overall, 9.5% never had breakfast, and 66.5% consciously reduced their food intake. According to Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, they mainly slept 6–7 h, and 82% presented with a poor sleep quality; 13.5% presented moderate–high food addiction, and 35% had moderate Mediterranean Diet Adherence score. Conclusion: Female students’ macronutrient imbalances were noted, with a high-level protein and fat intake diet and a low proportion of carbohydrates and fibre. A high proportion of them need alcohol education and, depending on the social context, they mainly drank beer and spirits.

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of an individual training programme based on the tensiomyography results in the contractile properties of the knee flexor muscle with football players. Thirty-four subjects were recruited and assigned to an experimental (EG) or control group (CG). The contraction time and the muscle displacement measured by tensiomyography were assessed on two occasions: pre-time (middle of the competitive season, January) and post-time 8 weeks later. The training programme aimed to improve muscle tone and explosiveness according to the individual needs of each player. There was a significant interaction between time (assessment points) × group (EG vs. CG) × muscle in multivariate analysis. The findings confirmed that mechanical and neuromuscular characteristics changed over time and varied with the individual training programme (EG vs. CG) and the muscle being analysed. The 90° change of direction worsens the execution time in the control group and is maintained in the experimental group. The individual training programme, based on the tensiomyography results, showed improvements in the contractile properties in the muscles. Football coaches could use the programme to improve neuromuscular characteristics that improve performance and reduce the risk of muscle injury.

The purpose of the present cross-sectional study was to analyze the relationship between adherence to healthy lifestyles and academic performance in students of different Vocational Education and Training (VET) degrees. Methods: 55 Vocational Education students´ from the Animation and Physical-Sports Activities Course (n 28) and from Dental Pathology and the Prosthetic Anatomy courses (DPPA) (n 27), were analyzed through the G-PAQ and the KIDMED questionnaires, to asess their adherence to Physical Activity and to Mediterranean diet. In addition, anthropometric dataand academic qualifications were correlated. Results: APSA students scored significantly higher in Mediterranean diet adherence, as well as in the number of minutes of vigorous and moderate intensity aerobic exercise. DPPA students obtained significantly higher values in sedentary activities. No significant differences were found in the academic performance of both groups. Conclusion: the practice of PA was positively correlated with a greater adherence to Mediterranean diet. This fact entails a factor of prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic disease in the future. Thus, the implementation of nutritional education and PA programs for VET students is suggested. Resumen. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar la relación entre la adherencia a estilos de vida saludables y el rendimiento académico en estudiantes de diferentes titulaciones de Formación Profesional (FP). Método: 55 estudiantes del curso de Animación y Actividades Físico-Deportivas (TAFAD) (n 28) y de los cursos de Patología Dental y Anatomía Protésica (DPPA) (n 27), fueron analizados a través de los cuestionarios G-PAQ y KIDMED, para valorar su adherencia a la Actividad Física y a la dieta mediterránea. Además, se correlacionaron datos antropométricos y calificaciones académicas. Resultados: Los estudiantes de TAFAD obtuvieron puntuaciones significativamente más altas en la adherencia a la dieta mediterránea, así como en la cantidad de minutos de ejercicio aeróbico vigoroso y de intensidad moderada. Los alumnos de la DPPA obtuvieron valores significativamente más altos en actividades sedentarias; no se encontraron diferencias significativas en el rendimiento académico de ambos grupos. Conclusión: la práctica de AF se correlacionó positivamente con una mayor adherencia a la dieta mediterránea. Este hecho conlleva un factor de prevención de enfermedades cardiovasculares y metabólicas en el futuro. Por tanto, se sugiere la implementación de programas de educación nutricional y AF para estudiantes de FP.

University life is a critical period for acquiring and consolidating healthy habits. This study examined the influence of sex on the body image perception, attitude toward food, nutritional status, and lifestyle habits of university students. This descriptive observational study included 163 university students from a program of Health Sciences. The data were collected with digitally distributed, self-administered questionnaires. Instruments such as the International Physical Activity Questionnaire were used to measure physical activity, the Eating Attitudes Test-26 to assess attitudes toward food, the Multidimensional Body Self Relations Questionnaire and Gardner’s assessment for body image perception, and the Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea for adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Body composition was evaluated with an InBody 770 device. Most of the values found were within the appropriate range and not significant in practice, except in the Gardner test for women, where relevant values were found. Female participants demonstrated greater dissatisfaction with their body image and higher EAT-26 scores, indicating an increased risk for eating disorders. Male participants exhibited higher body mass index and physical activity levels. No significant differences were observed in adherence to the Mediterranean diet between the sexes. Correlations between the variables revealed that body dissatisfaction was associated with a higher percentage of body fat and visceral fat area in both sexes. Gender differences in body image perception and attitude toward food underscore the need for sex-specific interventions. Promoting a positive body image perception and healthy eating habits is essential for improving the physical and mental health of university students. Educational programs should consider these differences and emphasize the promotion of physical activity and adherence to balanced diets.

Tensiomyography (TMG) is a non-invasive tool used to assess contractile properties. This systematic review aimed to accomplish the following: (1) Analyze quadriceps TMG parameters in professional football players during the season and compare them with reference values. (2) Assess the differences in TMG parameters between quadriceps muscles. A PRISMA-guided search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Sport Discus (up to March 2024) identified 139 studies. Twelve in-season professional soccer players (20–29 years old) and quadriceps tensiomyography parameters were included (muscle displacement, delay time, and contraction time). All the studies were assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa scale, scoring 7/9 to 8/9, indicating good quality. The findings of this study were that of the nine parameters analyzed, three variables were found to differ significantly. The weighted mean values were as follows: rectus femoris (contraction time 30.11 ms, muscle displacement 8.88 mL, delay time, 24.68 ms), vastus medialis (contraction time 25.29 ms, muscle displacement 7.45 mL, delay time, 21.27 ms), and vastus lateralis (contraction time 23.21 ms, muscle displacement 5.31 mL, delay time, 21.89 Â ms). Furthermore, significant differences were observed in muscle displacement between the rectus femoris and vastus medialis, and between the rectus femoris and vastus lateralis. The TMG can serve as a valuable device for assessing neuromuscular function in soccer players.