Physical fitness of primary school children in relation to overweight prevalence and physical activity habits

A cross-sectional study was carried out to analyse, through a limited number of fitness tests, the main conditioning and coordinative abilities in children aged 8-9 years, and their relationship with gender, anthropometric variables and physical activity habits. The height and weight of 256 boys and 241 girls were measured and information about physical activity habits was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Physical performance was assessed by means of a few standardised tests: 'sit & reach', medicine-ball forward throw, standing long jump, 20 m running speed, and forward roll test. In both boys and girls, body weight and body mass index (BMI) were positively correlated with the medicine-ball throw performances and negatively correlated for the standing long jump and speed tests, while no association was found with tests measuring back flexibility and total body coordination. Daily physical activity and participation in sport were not significantly correlated with body weight and BMI, but were positively associated with children's motor performance. The standardised fitness tests selected in the current study have been found to be suitable to identify fitness levels of primary school children. Thanks to their limited number and ease of measurement, they can be used in any school context to classify children and for monitoring the effects of targeted interventions promoting physical activity.     

Physical fitness of primary school children in relation to overweight prevalence and physical activity habits

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was carried out to analyse, through a limited number of fitness tests, the main conditioning and coordinative abilities in children aged 8–9 years, and their relationship with gender, anthropometric variables and physical activity habits. The height and weight of 256 boys and 241 girls were measured and information about physical activity habits was collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Physical performance was assessed by means of a few standardised tests: ‘sit & reach’, medicine-ball forward throw, standing long jump, 20 m running speed, and forward roll test. In both boys and girls, body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) were positively correlated with the medicine-ball throw performances and negatively correlated for the standing long jump and speed tests, while no association was found with tests measuring back flexibility and total body coordination. Daily physical activity and participation in sport were not significantly correlated with body weight and BMI, but were positively associated with children's motor performance. The standardised fitness tests selected in the current study have been found to be suitable to identify fitness levels of primary school children. Thanks to their limited number and ease of measurement, they can be used in any school context to classify children and for monitoring the effects of targeted interventions promoting physical activity.     

Physical activity correlates for children with autism spectrum disorders in middle school physical education

This study examined potential correlates that might influence physical activity (PA) of adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in physical education. Students with (n = 19) and without (n = 76) ASD wore an accelerometer during physical education. Data were collected in 38 physical education lessons. The results showed that (a) students with ASD were less physically active than their peers, (b) their PA was related positively to their social interaction with peers, and (c) their moderate to vigorous PA depended on PA content, physical environment, and instructor-related characteristics. The findings suggest a need for additional studies on the relationship between the needs of adolescents with ASD and the content offered in physical education so as to inform school policies and help to remove barriers to promoting PA among this population.     

In-school and out-of-school physical activity in primary and secondary school children

The aim of this study was to compare in-school and out-of-school physical activity within a representative sample. Socio-demographic, physical activity, and anthropometric data were collected from a random sample of children (250 boys, 253 girls) aged 3-16 years attending nine primary and two secondary schools. Actigraph GT1M accelerometers, worn for seven days, were used to estimate physical activity levels for in-school (typically 09.00-15.00 h), out-of-school (weekday), and weekend periods. Physical activity as accelerometer counts per minute were lower in school versus out of school overall (in school: 437.2 +/- 172.9; out of school: 575.5 +/- 202.8; P < 0.001), especially in secondary school pupils (secondary: 321.6 +/- 127.5; primary: 579.2 +/- 216.3; P < 0.001). Minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accumulated in school accounted for 29.4 +/- 9.8% of total weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity overall but varied by sector (preschool: 37.4 +/- 6.2%; primary: 33.6 +/- 8.1%; secondary: 23.0 +/- 9.3%; F = 114.3, P < 0.001). Approximately half of the children with the lowest in-school activity compensated out of school during the week (47.4%) and about one-third at the weekend (30.0%). Overall, physical activity during the school day appears to be lower than that out of school, especially in secondary school children, who accumulate a lower proportion of their total weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at school than younger children. As low in-school activity was compensated for beyond the school setting by less than half of children, promoting physical activity within the school day is important, especially in secondary schools.     

构建中小学课外体育活动科学体系的研究

采用问卷调查和教学实验法,对我国中小学课外体育活动的科学体系构建进行了研究。同其他国家相比,我国中小学课外体育活动人均参与活动率低、效果不佳、差距十分显著。构建课外体育活动体系需要全面贯彻落实"学校体育要树立健康第一"的指导思想,建立课外体育活动的目标体系、课外体育活动的内容和组织方法体系、课外体育活动的评价与管理体系。     

Effectiveness of professionally-guided physical education on fitness outcomes of primary school children

Abstract

Physical education (PE) at school is an important starting point for long-term interventions improving quality of life in elderly. To evaluate the effectiveness of professionally led PE on motor and health-related abilities of Italian primary schoolchildren (3rd–5th graders), three schools were assigned to the experimental groups “A” (38 pupils, 17 M, 21 F) and “B” (37 pupils, 16 M, 21 F), and to control group “C” (26 pupils, 18 M, 8 F). All groups underwent a six-month, twice-a-week (60 min each session) PE intervention. The PE program of the EGs was age-tailored, included strength training and was administered by specialised teachers. Group A and B programs differed in the strength training devices used, while they were identical in terms of training load. The control group program was not structured and administered by generalist teachers. At baseline and follow-up, children underwent a motor and health-related abilities test battery. At follow-up, children in group C gained significantly more weight than children in the EGs and scored significantly less than the children in the EGs in the following assessments: counter movement jump (C:+0.15% vs. A:+4.1% and B:+6.99%), plate tapping (C:+13.56% vs. A:+19.37% and B:+36.12%), sit-and-reach (C:?311.15% vs. B:+409.57%), pinch strength (C:+2.39% vs. B:+10.83, on average) and sit-up (C:+29.69% vs. A:+72.61%). In conclusion, specialist-led pupils demonstrated greater increases in some motor and health-related abilities tests compared to generalist-led peers, while different strength training devices produced comparable increases of strength in both EGs.     

Fundamental movement skills and weight status in British primary school children

Abstract

Weight status has been shown to have a negative impact on children's competence in performing fundamental movement skills (FMSs). Following ethics approval and informed consent, 281 children in years 2–6 from a school in central England volunteered to participate. Each child performed eight FMSs (run, hop, gallop, jump, balance, kick, throw and catch) three times, all attempts were video-recorded. Video analysis was performed (Quintic Biomechanics software) using the Process Orient Checklist (subjective measurement). Height and weight were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and weight status was determined. Results highlighted that year group (age) had a significant effect on seven out of the eight skills (not kick). Year 4 (aged 8–9 years) significantly scored lower in all three locomotor skills (run, hop and gallop) at this age, whereas Year 5 (aged 9–10 years) all significantly peaked at the object control skills (catch and throw) at this age. Weight status (BMI) significantly affected the run, identifying that a child with a larger BMI will have a lower mastery level of the run. Gender significantly affected the kick, throw and balance, with girls outperforming in the balance and the boys in the kick and throw. By highlighting that children at different ages will have a lower score in different skills, the effect of BMI and gender on certain FMS is important knowledge for the target of intervention in primary school children.     

Parental activity as a determinant of activity level and patterns of activity in obese children

The purposes of this study were to measure the level and pattern of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA = > 4.5 METs) and examine predictors of activity in obese children. Fifty-one 8-12-year-old children seeking obesity treatment wore accelerometers for 3 or 4 days. Children averaged 12.2 bouts of MVPA per day that lasted an average of 4.2 min, while parents engaged in 3.9 bouts of MVPA that lasted 4.2 min. Hierarchical regression models showed parent activity improved the prediction of obese children's activity levels and the number of bouts of MVPA but not the duration of MVPA. These results suggest that programs to increase physical activity in obese children should structure the activity in short bouts and attempt to increase parental physical activity.     

Acquisition of a complex basketball-dribbling task in school children as a function of bilateral practice order

The purpose of this study was to investigate order-of-practice effects for the acquisition of a complex basketball skill in a bilateral transfer paradigm. The task required participants to dribble as fast as possible in slalom-like movements across six javelins and return to the initial position. Fifty-two right-handed school children (M age = 11.7years) practiced this skill in eight sessions over 4 weeks under one of two training schedules: (a) with the dominant hand, before changing to their nondominant hand (D-ND group), or (b) with the nondominant hand, before changing to the dominant hand (ND-D group). All tests were conducted with the right hand or the left hand only, and a transfer test was given with both hands alternating. The results of a retention test yielded significantly larger learning gains for the ND-D group as compared to the D-ND group. It is interesting that this performance advantage was independent of the respective hand tested. The same pattern of result was found in the transfer test, with significantly shorter movement times for the ND-D group with both hands alternating. Such order-of-practice effects for the acquisition of complex skills can be explained with hemispheric brain asymmetries for the processing of specific task requirements.     

Physical activity levels of 5-11-year-old children in England as determined by continuous observation.

Continuous observation of the physical activity of 56 preadolescent children was conducted in four regions of England from October 1988 to July 1989. Observations were undertaken during school break times, lunch times, and physical education lessons, as well as during the children's free time. Of total time observed, the children spent 32.4% of it engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Children were shown to be most active during school breaks and least active during free time at home. However, it is thought that cardiorespiratory benefits are best achieved by participation in sustained periods of MVPA. Only 8 (14%) of the 56 children were observed to participate in MVPA for sustained periods of 20 min or longer. A random sample of 55 physical education lessons was observed. Only 6 children engaged in MVPA for sustained periods of 5 min or more, and no children participated in MVPA for 10 min or longer. The implications of these results are that, although the children engaged in a reasonable amount of MVPA, it may not have been sustained for periods of sufficient length to produce a cardiovascular training response. Consideration is given to ways of promoting lifelong involvement in physical activity.     

江苏省中小学生体力活动及影响因素研究

江苏省城市中小学生每天参加的体育锻炼时间总体低于一小时标准,尤其是随着年级升高,学生每天运动水平呈下降趋势。影响和制约学生参加体育锻炼的因素很多,不但有外在客观的因素,也有主观人为的因素,还存在家庭等方面的原因。提高青少年的体力活动水平,需要培养学生的体育意识和锻炼习惯,利用学校的体育设施及师资组织学生参加校内体育锻炼,让校外身体活动成为学生体力活动干预的重要组成部分,积极引导家长参与学生的体育教育和体育锻炼管理与监督。     

2000年部颁中小学《体育与健康教学大纲》的新变化

从课程名称、指导思想、教学目的任务、课程结构体系、课时安排等几个方面说明了2000年部颁中小学<体育与健康教学大纲>的新变化.另外,重点阐述了选修教材的变化,高中体育与健康教学大纲和成绩考核与评价的新变化.     

Biological maturity and primary school children's physical activity: Influence of different physical activity assessment instruments

Abstract

Biological maturation may attenuate hypothesized sex differences in children's physical activity but overall the evidence for this is equivocal. In this study, we investigated how the selection of different physical activity assessment instruments affects the detected relationship between biological maturation and late primary school children's physical activity. Altogether, 175 children (97 girls, 78 boys) aged 10.6±0.3 years completed the PAQ-C self-report questionnaire and wore ActiGraph GT1M accelerometers for 5 consecutive days. Maturity status was predicted by estimating attainment of age at peak height velocity. Following initial exploration of sex differences in PAQ-C (t-test) and multiple ActiGraph outcome variables (MANOVA), the influence of maturity status was controlled using ANCOVA and MANCOVA. Unadjusted analyses revealed that boys were significantly more active than girls according to the PAQ-C (P<0.0001, d=0.52) and ActiGraph (P<0.0001, d=0.36–0.72). After controlling for maturity status, the differences in PAQ-C scores increased (P=0.001, d=0.64), but the significant differences disappeared for the ActiGraph data (P=0.36, d=0.17–0.33). The detected relationship between maturity status and late primary school children's physical activity is dependent on the physical activity assessment tool employed, reflecting the different aspects of physical activity captured by the respective measures.     

Physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, and adiposity in children

With cardiovascular fitness (CVF) as the dependent variable, relationships with habitual level of physical activity, age, gender, and body mass index (BMI) were investigated in a sample of 93 high adiposity and 93 low adiposity children, ages 8 to 13. A physical activity score (PAS) was computed for each child from a 2-day observation period. A physical working capacity index from cycle ergometry (PWC170) was the measure of CVF. Low and high adiposity samples were classified by a median split (42.9 mm) on the sum of three skinfold measures (tricep, suprailiac, subscapula). For the high adiposity sample, PAS, age, BMI, and gender were significant and the overall model was significant (p less than .001), accounting for 38% of variance in PWC170. In the low adiposity sample, gender (p less than .04) was significantly related to CVF, but the overall model was not significant (p less than .35). PAS, thus, was a significant predictor of CVF among the high adiposity children, but not the low adiposity children. Mechanisms that may account for this difference include greater work for equal activity among the obese, a ceiling effect on CVF among the low adiposity children, or differences in hormonal or metabolic factors mediating the activity-CVF relationship.     

Exergaming impact on physical activity and interest in elementary school children

In this study, I explored the impact of exergaming on in-class physical activity (PA) and motivation in physical education. Elementary children participated in a 4-week exergaming unit and a 4-week fitness unit. A t test showed the children's in-class PA in the exergaming unit was significantly lower than in the fitness unit. Results also indicated that students' situational interest in exergaming was significantly higher than in the fitness unit at the beginning and end of instruction. Children's interest declined significantly in both units and at the same rate. The evidence suggests that exergames may have strong motivational power but it is premature to claim they will increase physical activity enough for children to receive health benefits in physical education.     

Physical activity and academic achievement in children: A historical perspective

As the focus on academic achievement has increased, physical activity (PA) opportunities in schools have decreased in the United States. In an attempt to discover how the decline in PA may affect academic achievement, researchers have been studying the effects of PA on cognition and academic achievement in children for more than 50 years. This review takes a historical perspective on the science of PA and academic achievement prior to and during the past 5 years. A total of 125 published articles were included and reviewed. Fifty-three of these articles were published in the past 5 years. In recent years, the overall quality of the studies has increased, but the results continue to be inconsistent. Many use cross-sectional designs and the methods vary substantially. The majority of conclusions show a positive effect of PA on constructs related to academic achievement. Future studies should use strong study designs to examine the types and doses of PA needed to produce improvements in academic achievement.     

对上海、大阪小学高年级学生身体形态、运动能力与生活习惯的比较研究

对上海市345名小学生和大阪府161名小学生在运动能力与生活习惯方面进行了对比研究.结果表明:1)从身高、体重的结果来看,上海男女学生的数值均高于大阪男女学生的数值.2)坐位体前屈的数值,上海男女学生均超过大阪男女学生的数值,但50米跑、20米往返跑、投球三项运动能力测试,大阪男女学生的数值均高于上海男女学生的数值.3)由于升学的压力,上海学生的运动时间、玩伴都难以得到保证,5年级学生的平日身体活动量明显低于大阪学生的平日身体活动量.4)上海学生每天视听时间少于大阪学生,而睡眠时间多于大阪学生.     

对小学实施体育与健康课程标准的疑虑及建议

通过一年多对《体育与健康课程标准》的实验，以“健康第一”为目标，分析《体育与健康课程标准》的主要优点和疑虑，然后提出建议。