Talent selection is often affected by the relative age effects (RAEs), resulting in the overrepresentation of relatively older (vs. relatively younger) players among those selected. The use of sport-specific tasks is suggested to reduce RAEs during talent selection. Purpose: To test the hypothesis that talent selection including only sport-specific tasks is not affected by the RAEs and to analyse the body size and biological maturity of the top selection level according to relative age. Methods: Participants were U14 female (n = 5428) and U15 (n = 4408) male handball players participating in four programs consisting of four selection levels (local, county, regional, and national) grouped in bi-annual age. Handball-specific generic skills, position-specific technical drills and in-game performance were the selection criteria evaluated by experts and coaches. Body dimensions were measured and bone age, as an indicator of maturity, was estimated. The relative age quartile distributions within the bi-annual cohorts were examined using Chi-square and Odds Ratios. Results: In terms of all the registered players no RAEs were evident. However, the RAEs of moderate effect size were evident at the county level; χ2 = 53.2 (girls) and 66.4 (boys), OR = 2.5 and 3.3, respectively. The RAEs of a large effect size were found at the regional level; χ2 = 139.5 (girls) and 144.9 (boys), OR = 8.2 and 5.2, respectively. At national level, RAEs were still present, but with no further increase in the effect size. At the highest selection level, there were no differences in the anthropometric measures between the relatively older and younger players. Conclusion: The findings provide support to the hypothesis that the selection process exacerbates RAEs even when using only sport-specific selection criteria. The performance metrics in technical skills, but also coaching assessments are likely involved. In addition, an advanced maturity and/or an above-average body size increases the selection odds for relatively younger players.

The study focused on the peculiarities of fat accumulation during maturation. The main purpose of the study was trifold: to detect the alterations in fat gain during breast maturation; to examine fat accumulation after physiological maturation and the influence of breast maturation and sport activity on fatness. The subjects were athlete (N=1428) and non-athlete (N=1030) girls. They were grouped by the stages of breast development. Fat accumulation was followed up until four years after menarche. Regional fat distribution was examined on the basis of skinfolds taken at triceps, scapula, abdomen and thigh. Progressing with breast development, body fat percent increased in both groups, though in non-athletes a decrease was found in stage B4. During sexual maturation the thickness of subcutaneous adipose tissue decreased on the extremities and increased on the trunk. Non-athletes stored more fat on their upper trunk, while athletes did it on their lower trunk. After menarche the differences between athlete and non-athlete girls were preserved. In conclusion it may be stated that during sexual maturation the regional apposition trend of body fat was similar for athletes and non-athletes. The differences emerged in the relative distributions. Athlete girls accumulated proportionally more fat on their lower body, representing better the female-type distribution of body fat than non-athlete girls.

One’s self-concept is the representation of one’s self-knowledge developing during physical and mental maturation. It has unquestionable importance in sport performance as a motivational factor. This study assessed and analyzed the self-concept of secondary students aged 14 to 18 assigned to three groups of elite athletes, non-elite athletes and non-athletes. The research focused on the following questions: (1) Are there any differences between males’ and females’ self-concept? (2) Are there any differences in various components of the self-concept according to the level of physical performance? Components of the self-concept were assessed with the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale. Gender differences were tested by independent samples t tests and the effects of athletic activity and gender on various self-concept components by a multivariate analysis of variance. The results showed that males had a more positive self-concept than females. Regarding the level of athletic activity, non-athletes reported the least positive self-concept in both genders. According to the level of athletic performance, no difference was found between the three male groups, while the most positive self concept was clearly reported by non-elite athletes among females. The multivariate analysis of variance revealed that both gender and the level of athletic activity had an effect on self-concept components. Finally, the findings show that an optimally positive self-concept enhances performance in everyday life as well as in sports.

Background: The growing prevalence of childhood obesity is very unfavourable, not only because obesity may increase the risk of many serious diseases, but because obese children are very likely to become obese adults, and adult fatness is accompanied by a high prevalence of physical and psychic disorders. Objective: To present changes in the nutritional status of Hungarian children and adolescents as observed during the past twenty years on the basis of the 1st (1983-1986) and 2nd (2003-2006) National Representative Growth Studies (NRGS). Subjects: NRGS I: 39,158 children and NRGS II: 27,958 children, aged 3-18 years. Methods: Body height and mass, BMI, skinfold thicknesses, body composition and the Heath-Carter somatotype were used to estimate body development and nutritional status. Centiles for measurements were derived by the LMS method. Fat mass and lean body mass were estimated using Siri's and Durnin-Rahaman's formulas. Results: (1) A marked positive change could be observed in body height, body mass and in subcutaneous skinfold thicknesses.(2) The somatotype moved towards a fatter and less robust body build. (3) The fraction of fat mass contributed more to the secular increment of body mass than the fraction of lean body mass. (4) Both the medians and the 90th centiles of BMI markedly exceeded those recorded 20 years ago and (5) The prevalence of overweight and obese children has become much higher in all age groups of girls and boys up to age 15. Conclusions: The increase in height was not accompanied by a proportionate increase in body mass. The components of total body mass did not alter in parallel: the children became not only heavier, but also fatter. It is mirrored in their more endomorphic somatotype and in the higher prevalence of overweight and obesity.

Absztrakt: A serdülőkor a személyiség jelentős szerkezeti változásának, az énkép kimunkálásának, a pszichés vonások stabilizálódásának a korszaka. A pubertáskori változások-kal együtt járó kiegyensúlyozatlanság, a hangulatingadozások maguk is stressz források lehetnek, amelyek pszichoszomatikus tünetképző jelentőséggel bírnak. Ebből fakadóan elsősorban a sportoló és nem sportoló gyermekek pszichikus tüneteinek megjelenési gyakoriságának különbségeit elemeztük. Az egyes alcsoportokban a hangulati elemek mintá-zatát is vizsgáltuk, valamint a tünetek gyakoriságára a nem és a fizikai aktivitás befolyását is megnéztük. Értelmeztük az egészséggel való elégedettség szintjei szerinti eltéréseket a sportoló és a nem sportoló gyermekek tüneteinek megoszlásában. Kulcsszavak: pszichoszomatika, fizikai aktivitás, egészség Abstract: Adolescence is a period of significant structural change of personality, forming of self-image and stabilization of psychological traits. Changes in puberty are associated with psychic imbalance and mood swings. These factors may themselves be sources of stress and they can generate psychosomatic symptoms. Differences in the frequency of appearing psychic symptom in athlete and non-athlete children were analysed. The patterns of mood elements in the individual subgroups were studied and the influence of gender and physical activity on the frequency of symptoms was investigated. Distributions of symptoms in the different levels of health satisfaction among the athlete and non-athlete children's were evaluated as well. Keywords: psychosomatic, physical activity, health BevezetésA serdülők életminőségének vizsgálata során az objektív tényezők felkutatása mellett nagyon fontos az egyének szubjektív nézőpontjának hangsúlyozá-sa, azaz mennyire érzik jól magukat a "bőrükben", mennyire elégedettek önmagukkal és a környeze-tükkel. A szubjektív jóllét vagy észlelt életminőség több dimenziós fogalom, a testi, lelki és szociális jól-lét különböző aspektusait foglalja magában (Diener, 1984, Diener és mtsai, 1999, Költő és Kökönyei, 2011. Diener (2000) definíciója szerint "a szubjektív jóllét az embereknek a saját életükkel kapcsolatos kognitív és érzelmi értékelése".Az érzelmi összetevőkben a pozitív (mint például a biztonságérzet, az öröm, a boldogság, nyugalom) és a negatív (düh, félelem, szorongás, depresszió) érzelmek és hangulati állapotok jelennek meg. A mentális mutatók közé tartozik a kognitív mérle-gelés és ítélethozatal, amely kiterjed többek között az élettel való elégedettség, a testi-egészségi állapot és az énkép értékelésére (Kökönyei, 2003, Költő és Kökönyei, 2011. Az életminőség szociális aspektusa a szűkebb és tágabb közösségekbe való beilleszkedés és a folyamatos kapcsolattartás sikerességét jelzi.A területtel kapcsolatos kutatások szerteágazóak. A témakörök között kellő súllyal szerepel az egész-ség önmegítélésének problémaköre és a pszichoszomatikus tünetek vizsgálata (Simeoni és mtsai,