Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment
(1) Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if an after-school intervention program could prevent obesity and promote the physical fitness of urban sedentary school children. (2) Methods: A 16-week after-school physical fitness program was provided to 36 middle school students (7th, 8th,...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/3/358 |
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| author | Ji Hwan Song Ho Hyun Song Sukwon Kim |
| author_facet | Ji Hwan Song Ho Hyun Song Sukwon Kim |
| author_sort | Ji Hwan Song |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | (1) Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if an after-school intervention program could prevent obesity and promote the physical fitness of urban sedentary school children. (2) Methods: A 16-week after-school physical fitness program was provided to 36 middle school students (7th, 8th, and 9th graders) recruited from a middle school for three days a week. They were high-risk youth showing poor health status (level 4 or 5) in the regular physical fitness evaluation conducted. Their body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, quickness, and flexibility were evaluated. (3) Results: A paired sample <i>t</i>-test was used (α = 0.05). There were statistical differences ((<span style="text-decoration: overline;">x</span> ± s), <i>p</i> < 0.05) between the pre-Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) (13.36 ± 4.98 (# of laps)) and post-PACER (18.64 ± 6.31 (# of laps)) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), between the pre-sit-up (18.06 ± 7.22 (# of sit-ups)) and post-sit-up (24.89 ± 7.52 (# of sit-ups)) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and between the pre-Trunk Flexion (2.64 ± 3.49 ((cm))) and post-Trunk Flexion (5.97 ± 2.78 ((cm)) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the pre-50m-Run (10.74 ± 1.30 ((sec))) and post-50m-Run results (10.69 ± 1.25 (sec)) (<i>p</i> = 0.063) or between the pre-BMI (24.84 ± 3.97 (kg/m<sup>2</sup>)) and post-BMI (24.76 ± 3.61 (kg/m<sup>2</sup>)) (<i>p</i> = 0.458). Overall, the physical fitness measures improved, whereas BMI did not change after 16 weeks. (4) Conclusion: Sixteen weeks of the school-based Health-related Physical Fitness (HrPF) program can be effective in improving overall physical fitness levels of adolescents, although additional treatments would be required to change BMI, which showed no improvement in the present study. It is concluded that in order for adolescents to maintain and promote physical fitness and health, participation in a school-based HrPF program is recommended for at least 30 min a day, three days a week. In addition, schools should provide high-risk youth with easy access to physical activities that are similar to the objectives of the physical education curriculum. In order to promote the health of school-age children, each school should establish and operate school-based systematic intervention programs. |
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| language | English |
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| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
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| spelling | doaj.art-2345843331d54449be0e6e799e6a3a122023-11-21T11:32:06ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-03-019335810.3390/healthcare9030358Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-ExperimentJi Hwan Song0Ho Hyun Song1Sukwon Kim2Department of Physical Education, Jeonju National University of Education, Jeonju-si 55101, KoreaHo-Sung Middle School, Jeollabukdo Office of Education, Jeonju-si 54817, KoreaDepartment of Physical Education, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju-si 54896, Korea(1) Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate if an after-school intervention program could prevent obesity and promote the physical fitness of urban sedentary school children. (2) Methods: A 16-week after-school physical fitness program was provided to 36 middle school students (7th, 8th, and 9th graders) recruited from a middle school for three days a week. They were high-risk youth showing poor health status (level 4 or 5) in the regular physical fitness evaluation conducted. Their body mass index (BMI), cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, quickness, and flexibility were evaluated. (3) Results: A paired sample <i>t</i>-test was used (α = 0.05). There were statistical differences ((<span style="text-decoration: overline;">x</span> ± s), <i>p</i> < 0.05) between the pre-Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) (13.36 ± 4.98 (# of laps)) and post-PACER (18.64 ± 6.31 (# of laps)) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), between the pre-sit-up (18.06 ± 7.22 (# of sit-ups)) and post-sit-up (24.89 ± 7.52 (# of sit-ups)) (<i>p</i> < 0.001), and between the pre-Trunk Flexion (2.64 ± 3.49 ((cm))) and post-Trunk Flexion (5.97 ± 2.78 ((cm)) (<i>p</i> < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the pre-50m-Run (10.74 ± 1.30 ((sec))) and post-50m-Run results (10.69 ± 1.25 (sec)) (<i>p</i> = 0.063) or between the pre-BMI (24.84 ± 3.97 (kg/m<sup>2</sup>)) and post-BMI (24.76 ± 3.61 (kg/m<sup>2</sup>)) (<i>p</i> = 0.458). Overall, the physical fitness measures improved, whereas BMI did not change after 16 weeks. (4) Conclusion: Sixteen weeks of the school-based Health-related Physical Fitness (HrPF) program can be effective in improving overall physical fitness levels of adolescents, although additional treatments would be required to change BMI, which showed no improvement in the present study. It is concluded that in order for adolescents to maintain and promote physical fitness and health, participation in a school-based HrPF program is recommended for at least 30 min a day, three days a week. In addition, schools should provide high-risk youth with easy access to physical activities that are similar to the objectives of the physical education curriculum. In order to promote the health of school-age children, each school should establish and operate school-based systematic intervention programs.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/3/358Physical Activity Promotion Systemphysical fitnessBMIadolescentsschool health |
| spellingShingle | Ji Hwan Song Ho Hyun Song Sukwon Kim Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment Healthcare Physical Activity Promotion System physical fitness BMI adolescents school health |
| title | Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment |
| title_full | Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment |
| title_fullStr | Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment |
| title_short | Effects of School-Based Exercise Program on Obesity and Physical Fitness of Urban Youth: A Quasi-Experiment |
| title_sort | effects of school based exercise program on obesity and physical fitness of urban youth a quasi experiment |
| topic | Physical Activity Promotion System physical fitness BMI adolescents school health |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/3/358 |
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