Daniele Masala

International Physical Activity Questionnaire: validation and assessment in an Italian sample

Background: A standardized method for the assessment of physical activity, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), was developed in the late 1990s as instrument for cross-national assessment. This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the IPAQ short and long version questionnaire in a Italian sample. Methods: The long and short versions of IPAQ questionnaires were administered twice, with an interval of one day between each administration, to 2 different random samples. Cronbach’s alpha was used as a measure of the internal consistency of the two versions. Results: The long version was administered to 60 subjects and the short version to 58. The Cronbach’s alpha on items about physical activity in the long version was 0.73, and 0.60 for the short version. The referred comments on short and long version were not very different both in number and content though they suggest a better understanding of the short version compared to the long one. Discussion: IPAQ short and long versions show acceptable reliability properties in the Italian adult setting. The utilization of a questionnaire seems be more influenced by time of administration and number of requested information. In terms of internal consistency and validity they appear to have similar performance.

Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours on doping and supplements in young football players in Italy.

• This study investigates knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of young amateur players about doping (growth hormone, anabolic steroids) and the use of nutritional supplements (amino acids, creatine) in sport.

ACTN3 R577X polymorphism is not associated with team sport athletic status in Italians

BackgroundThe ACTN3 gene may influence performance in team sports, in which sprint action and high-speed movements, regulated by the anaerobic energy system, are crucial to the ultimate success of a match. The aim of this study was to determine the association between the ACTN3 R577X (rs1815739) polymorphism and elite team sport athletic status in Italian male athletes.MethodsWe compared the genotype and allele frequency of the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism between team sport athletes (n = 75), endurance athletes (n = 40), sprint/power athletes (n = 64), and non-athletic healthy controls (n = 192) from Italy. Genomic DNA was collected using a buccal swab. Extraction was performed according to the manufacturer’s directions provided with a commercially available kit (Qiagen S.r.l., Milan, Italy).ResultsTeam sport athletes showed a lower frequency of the 577RR genotype compared to the 577XX genotype than sprint/power athletes (p = 0.044). However, the ACTN3 R577X polymorphism was not associated with team sport athletic status compared to endurance athletes and non-athletic controls.ConclusionsOur results agree with a recent large-scale study involving athletes from Spain, Poland, and Russia. The ACTN3 R577X polymorphism was not associated with team sport athletic status compared to endurance athletes and non-athletic controls.

Determinants of drug use in sport: a survey of Italian athletes

The aim of this survey was to study the socio-demographic determinants of drug use in sporting activities at an amateur level in Italy. In 2000 a cross-sectional study was carried out in two Italian regions (Latium and Campania). The participants were 1056 athletes (age range: 16-35 years; 660 males and 396 females). The results show that 28.3% thought “doping” was creatine, 14.7% said racemed amino-acids, 5.8% said proteins, 24.7% did not know and finally 35.7% correctly recognised it as growth hormone. When asked if using drugs was acceptable in order to improve sporting performance, significant results were associated with age (OR = 1.64 for 18-24 years old and OR = 2.22 for 25-30 years old); gender (males were more prone to consider them acceptable); type of sport undertaken (OR = 1.34 for athletes who practice team sport); educational level (athletes with an elementary level education are at higher risk), and knowledge of the effects of anabolic agents (OR = 0.6 for athletes with poor knowledge). The findings of our study confirm the need to implement preventive interventions, with a special focus on healthier behaviour, for reducing factors that encourage the use and the willingness to use licit and illicit drugs.

Towards Sustainable Sport

Ecological disasters, climatic emergencies, soil air and water pollution, are indicators that confirm that we are faced with anenvironmental crisis never before seen, and that the future of our planet is more uncertain with every passing day.We need to develop solutions within a holistic political project that calls upon multidisciplinary sector interventions. Sport is notimmune to these environmental challenges, and a future model of sustainable sport is required, one founded on the strength ofmultidisciplinary participation and knowledge, that motivates lifestyle changes and who’s ultimate goal is a cultural revolution.

Italy physical activity country profile: Results from the first set of country cards of the Global Observatory for Physical Activity - GoPA!

The Global Observatory for Physical Activity – GoPA! country cards were launched last Dec 4th in London [1]. GoPA! was created in response to the urgent call to action to prevent the physical inactivity pandemic described in the Lancet physical activity series back in 2012 [2,3]. These population, researcher and policy maker friendly profiles aim to contribute promoting physical activity worldwide. Each profile put together a set of prevalence, health burden, research, surveillance and policy indicators. Each country has a representative that reviews the content presented in the card. Italy was launched in the first set of cards and it has an interesting profile. Main questions that were answered:

Attivitá fisica extra-scolastica negli adolescenti: il ruolo dello stato socio-economico delle famiglie

Obiettivi : l’associazione fra stato socio-economico (SES) ed attivita fisica e poco indagata. Obiettivo del presente studio e quello di valutare la relazione tra attivita fisica extra-scolastica di adolescenti scolarizzati e lo SES della famiglia di provenienza. Metodi : l’indagine ha previsto la somministrazione nel corso dell’anno scolastico 2002-2003 di un apposito questionario anonimo autocompilato, gia validato in uno studio pilota, ad un campione di studenti delle scuole medie inferiori del Lazio (province di Roma, Frosinone e Latina). Risultati : hanno partecipato allo studio 1486 studenti di cui 756 maschi (50.9%) e 730 femmine (49.1%). L’eta dei partecipanti varia fra gli 11 ed i 15 anni (eta mediana 12 anni). Il 72.7% degli studenti dichiara di svolgere attivita fisica al di fuori della scuola. Il livello di istruzione dei genitori e la loro attivita lavorativa sembrano avere un peso notevole sui determinanti dell’attivita fisica negli studenti. Infatti, svolgono prevalentemente attivita fisica extra-scolastica i figli di genitori manager/libero professionisti (OR = 3.29) e con un elevato livello educativo (OR = 10.38 per i figli di genitori laureati). Conclusioni : i risultati confermano quanto la situazione socio-economica delle famiglie sia in netta relazione con l’attivita fisico-sportiva dei giovani. Tali risultati potranno essere utili per gli operatori scolastici e gli amministratori nell’ispirare e realizzare azioni volte a diminuire il divario esistente fra i giovani che hanno le possibilita economiche e svolgono attivita sportiva extra-scolastica e quelli che, invece, appartenendo a famiglie svantaggiate, hanno minore accesso a tali attivita.