Aida Fernández-Ojeda

Background: Physical inactivity affects 66.2% of Chilean adults. School physical education (PE) is the only guaranteed institutional setting for physical activity (PA) for the entire school population; however, evidence suggests that the affective quality of PE experiences—more than their mere quantity—shapes PA attitudes and levels in adulthood. Objective: To synthesize the scientific evidence on the relationship between school PE memories and PA practice in adults, analyzing affective, motivational, and behavioral mediating mechanisms, with emphasis on the Chilean context. Methods: Systematic review with quantitative synthesis following PRISMA 2020. Searches were conducted in PubMed, Scopus, WoS, SciELO, LILACS, and Google Scholar (2010–2026). Methodological quality was assessed with NOS (observational studies), PEDro (intervention designs), and CASP (qualitative/mixed studies). Effect sizes (Pearson's r) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using a random-effects model. Results: Of 1,284 identified records, 31 primary-data studies met inclusion criteria (18 cross-sectional retrospective, 9 longitudinal, 4 qualitative/mixed; cumulative N ≈ 42,000 participants). PE enjoyment was associated with more favorable PA attitudes (r = 0.37; 95% CI: 0.31–0.43) and lower sedentarism (r = −0.14; 95% CI: −0.21–−0.07). Social exclusion in PE predicted adult inactivity (r = −0.22; 95% CI: −0.30–−0.14). PA tracking from childhood to adulthood was low but significant (r = 0.14–0.19), mediated by motivational variables. Gender differences were consistent: women reported more negative PE experiences and showed greater adult inactivity. Conclusions: School PE memories are a relevant determinant of adult PA, mediated by enjoyment, perceived competence, and autonomous motivation. In Chile, where specific research on this relationship is scarce, these findings justify the pedagogical redesign of PE toward inclusive and meaningful experiences for all students.

Introduction: Population aging in Chile highlights the need to develop strategies that promote active aging and the training of professionals committed to health promotion and the quality of life of older adults. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a physical activity program implemented through the Service-Learning (S-L) methodology by Physical Education Pedagogy students from Universidad Central de Chile. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study with a single-group pretest–posttest design and qualitative interpretative support was conducted. Participants included 41 older adults and 15 Physical Education Pedagogy students. Physical fitness was assessed using the Senior Fitness Test battery. In addition, a survey was administered to students and semi-structured interviews were conducted with older adults. The intervention was carried out between March and November 2024 and included 18 sessions of 120 minutes each. Results: Significant improvements were observed in lower-body strength, upper-body strength, aerobic endurance, and dynamic balance (p < .05). Ninety-five percent of participants improved in at least one functional variable assessed, and 100% of students reported that the experience contributed to the development of professional skills. Discussion: The findings are consistent with the existing evidence on multicomponent physical exercise programs for older adults, highlighting the value of Service-Learning as a bidirectional strategy that integrates functional, social, and educational benefits. Conclusions: Physical activity programs implemented through Service-Learning contribute to the well-being of older adults and to the professional training of future teachers.

In order to optimize body composition and its components, it is of interest to analyze inter-limb asymmetries in athletes of popular combat sports such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). This study aimed to assess the magnitude and direction of body composition asymmetry in competitive male BJJ athletes. Seventeen experienced and competitive male BJJ athletes (age 34.59 ± 8.00 years, 172.94 ± 5.46 cm, BJJ experience 7.88 ± 5.57 years, and 3.71 ± 1.05 days of weekly volume training), including Guard Fighters (n = 7) and Pass Fighters (n = 10), participated in this study. In a single session, whole-body and segmental upper limb and lower limb body composition (BC) was assessed utilizing dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The assessment included total mass (TM), fat mass (FM), fat mass percentage (%FM), fat-free mass (FFM), and bone mineral content (BMC). Absolute differences between limbs were analyzed using a paired t-test. A comparison of BC asymmetries according to combat styles was conducted using an independent t-test. The effect size (ES) was interpreted as Cohen’s d. The main results revealed significant asymmetries in the upper limbs (ULs) of the total group; greater values were found on the left side for TM (p = 0.009, ES = 0.725), FM (p = 0.016, ES = 0.650), FFM (p = 0.026, ES = 0.594), and BMC (p < 0.001, ES = 0.993). In Pass Fighters, differences favored the right side in TM (p = 0.003, ES = 1.277), FM (p = 0.009, ES = 1.039), FFM (p = 0.011, ES = 1.000), and BMC (p < 0.001, ES = 1.916). In contrast, Guard Fighters showed no discrepancies in these parameters. No notable disparities were observed in the lower limbs. This pilot study reveals that BJJ athletes present significant asymmetries in BC, particularly in the ULs, with a marked predominance on the right side, especially in Pass Fighters.

Durante la pandemia por COVID-19, el confinamiento, los cambios radicales en los hábitos de vida y las sospechas de contagio, favoreció el aumento de la vulnerabilidad al estrés. Con el objetivo de analizar la actividad física y la asociación con el estado nutricional, los hábitos nutricionales y la vulnerabilidad al estrés en estudiantes universitarios durante la pandemia por COVID-19, se realizó un estudio cuantitativo, no experimental, descriptivo, comparativo y transversal. La muestra estuvo constituida por 350 estudiantes, 207 mujeres y 143 hombres, que cursan carreras en Escuelas de Educación y Salud, de una universidad privada. Se aplicó la prueba de versión corta del IPAQ, la encuesta sobre hábitos alimentarios y la prueba de vulnerabilidad al estrés. Los hombres tienen MET más altos que las mujeres (p<0.001). Los pacientes obesos tipo I son menos vulnerables al estrés que el peso normal y el sobrepeso (p< 0.001). Los niveles altos de actividad física tenían hábitos alimenticios más saludables que la actividad física moderada o baja (p<0.001) y la actividad física alta en confinamiento tenía mayor vulnerabilidad a los niveles de estrés (p<0.001). Los hábitos alimenticios poco saludables fueron menos vulnerables al estrés que los hábitos alimenticios regulares o saludables (p<0.001). En conclusión, los estudiantes universitarios con niveles de actividad física más altos son más vulnerables al estrés en contextos de confinamiento, mientras que, estudiantes universitarios que presentan inactividad física y estados nutricionales menos saludable como obesidad tipo I, tienen menor probabilidad de vulnerabilidad al estrés en el mismo contexto. Palabras clave: Actividad física, estudiantes universitarios, hábitos alimentarios, salud mental, sedentarismo. During the COVID-19 pandemic, confinement, radical changes in lifestyle habits and suspicions of contagion favored an increase in vulnerability to stress. With the objective of analyzing physical activity and the association with nutritional status, nutritional habits and vulnerability to stress in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, a quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive, comparative and cross-sectional study was carries out. The sample was made up of 350 students, 207 women and 143 men, who are studying in Schools of Education and Health, at a private university. The IPAQ short version test, the eating habits survey and the stress vulnerability test were applied. Men have higher METs than women (p<0.001). Type I obese patients are less vulnerable to stress than normal weight and overweight patients (p<0.001). high levels of physical activity had healthier eating habits than moderate or low physical activity (p<0.001) and high physical activity in confinement had greater vulnerability to stress levels (p<0.001). Unhealthy eating habits were less vulnerable to stress than regular or healthy eating habits (p<0.001). In conclusion, college students with higher levels of physical activity are more vulnerable to stress in confinement context, whereas, college students with physical inactivity and less healthy nutritional states such as type I obesity are less likely to be vulnerable to stress in the same context. Keywords: Physical activity, university students, eating habits, mental health, sedentary lifestyle.