PhD defence: Fitness and Health Effects of Frequent Intense Training in 8-10-year-old Danish Children

Malte Nejst Larsen

PhD thesis

Physical activity plays a crucial role in preventing a number of lifestyle diseases. Previously studies show that children who are involved in regular activities in sports clubs, have better cardio-vascular and bone health than children who are not members of a sports club. Furthermore  team sports seems to have a positive effect on bone mineral content and bone mineral density compared to individual sports.

In this PhD thesis the effects in children who had normal school exercise is compared with children exposed to 1-2 hours pr. week of school-based high intense exercise in the form of small sided ballgames, interval running or 'circuit strenght training' consisting of gymnastic and strengthening exercises.

The thesis shows that 2 hours of intense school exercise pr. week have significant positive effects on bone mineral density, muscle strength and balance for 8-10 year old children.

2016, 115 sider.

Time

11 November 2016, 14:00

Venue

Store Auditorium, Nørre Allé 53, 2200 Copenhagen.

Opponents

Professor Christian Mølgaard (chair), Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Professor Lars Bo Andersen, Høgskulan i Sogn og Fjordane, Norges idrettshøgskole, Norge.

Associate Professor Ingegerd Ericsson, Department of Sport Sciences, Malmø University, Sweden.

Supervisor

Professor Peter Krustrup, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Co supervisor

Professor Jens Bangsbo, Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.