Dear Colleagues,

Physical activity is crucial for short- and long-term health, whether physical or mental, and may enhance children’s and adolescents’ scholastic and cognitive performances. Among adolescents, it is connected with higher self-esteem, improved musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health, and decreased anxiety and sadness. Physical activity also promises to improve and strengthen society by encouraging social connection and community participation.

Habits formed throughout childhood and adolescence in this regard are likely to continue into adulthood. Sedentary behaviour and low levels of physical activity are connected with being overweight, obesity, and chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and many types of cancer. Low levels may also hinder school focus and productivity and even lead to social alienation and isolation.

Additionally, the current COVID-19 epidemic has widened existing disparities in youth physical activity levels and healthy lifestyles in terms of gender, socioeconomic status, rural and urban locations, and other factors. Conversely, today we see a continual barrage of messages in the media and communication networks about self-care, improved diet, and new fitness activities aimed mainly at the digital native youth demographic.

We will welcome submissions from a variety of fields. For this Special issue of Children, special consideration will be given to original research articles, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses on the following topics:

• Physical fitness in children and adolescents;
• Healthy lifestyles in children and adolescents;
• Evaluation of physical fitness, healthy lifestyles and psychomotor learning process in children and adolescents;
• Promotion of a healthy lifestyle among children and adolescents;
• Policies related to the promotion of healthy behaviours in children and adolescents;
• The promotion of physical education and healthy lifestyles;
• Sociodemographic characteristics stratified the relationship between physical fitness and healthy lifestyles;
• Physical activity adherence throughout childhood and adolescence.

Dr. Szabo Dan-Alexandru
Prof. Dr. Silvia Teodorescu
Dr. Popescu Veronica
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Children is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• physical activities
• physical fitness
• childhood
• adolescence
• health
• psychomotor activities
• lifestyles
• promotion
• evaluation