Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study
Physical literacy (PL) has received considerable attention in the field of physical education and physical activity (PA) worldwide. According to recent studies, the level of physical fitness (PF) among Chinese university students is gradually decreasing. This study aims to examine the impact of the...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-03-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.833461/full |
| _version_ | 1818992603257896960 |
|---|---|
| author | Cheng Zhang Yong Liu Shuang Xu Raymond Kim-Wai Sum Ruisi Ma Ruisi Ma Pu Zhong Shixiang Liu Minghui Li |
| author_facet | Cheng Zhang Yong Liu Shuang Xu Raymond Kim-Wai Sum Ruisi Ma Ruisi Ma Pu Zhong Shixiang Liu Minghui Li |
| author_sort | Cheng Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Physical literacy (PL) has received considerable attention in the field of physical education and physical activity (PA) worldwide. According to recent studies, the level of physical fitness (PF) among Chinese university students is gradually decreasing. This study aims to examine the impact of the PF level (fit/unfit) on PA and PL, as well as the relationships among PF, PA, and PL, in Chinese university students. Participants comprised 798 university students (390 men; mean age, 19.2 ± 1.2 years) in Chongqing, China. Participants completed the tests of vital capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility, according to the National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards Manual (NPFMSM), as well as questionnaires on PA (time spent performing PA at various intensities) and PL. The independent t-tests were conducted to examine sex differences in the evaluated variables, and the Pearson’s correlation between each PF test and PL attributes and PA was calculated according to sex. In addition, the independent t-tests were conducted to determine whether the PF level had an effect on PL attributes and PA at various intensities. Significant sex differences were found in the PF domains of vital capacity, muscular strength, and aerobic fitness, with higher scores in men than in women (all p-values < 0.05), but not in the PF domain of flexibility and total PL score. Furthermore, the PF domains of muscular strength and aerobic fitness were significantly and positively correlated with the PL attributes of confidence and physical competence in both men and women, while the PF domains of vital capacity and aerobic fitness were significantly and positively correlated with the PL attribute of motivation in men. In addition, PL was significantly and positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness, vital capacity, muscular strength, and flexibility among participants in the fit group. These findings support advocating for increased participation in PA in university students and using PL as a tool to improve PF components. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:28:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3b602cbb240c41cbb6d00a1763b5c89c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T20:28:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3b602cbb240c41cbb6d00a1763b5c89c2022-12-21T19:27:24ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782022-03-011310.3389/fpsyg.2022.833461833461Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional StudyCheng Zhang0Yong Liu1Shuang Xu2Raymond Kim-Wai Sum3Ruisi Ma4Ruisi Ma5Pu Zhong6Shixiang Liu7Minghui Li8College of Physical Education and Health Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing, ChinaChildren’s Health and Exercise Research Centre (CHERC), Sport and Health Sciences, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, United KingdomSchool of Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Sport Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaDepartment of Sport Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Jinan University, Guangzhou, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, ChinaSchool of Physical Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing, ChinaDepartment of Sport Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaPhysical literacy (PL) has received considerable attention in the field of physical education and physical activity (PA) worldwide. According to recent studies, the level of physical fitness (PF) among Chinese university students is gradually decreasing. This study aims to examine the impact of the PF level (fit/unfit) on PA and PL, as well as the relationships among PF, PA, and PL, in Chinese university students. Participants comprised 798 university students (390 men; mean age, 19.2 ± 1.2 years) in Chongqing, China. Participants completed the tests of vital capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and flexibility, according to the National Physical Fitness Measurement Standards Manual (NPFMSM), as well as questionnaires on PA (time spent performing PA at various intensities) and PL. The independent t-tests were conducted to examine sex differences in the evaluated variables, and the Pearson’s correlation between each PF test and PL attributes and PA was calculated according to sex. In addition, the independent t-tests were conducted to determine whether the PF level had an effect on PL attributes and PA at various intensities. Significant sex differences were found in the PF domains of vital capacity, muscular strength, and aerobic fitness, with higher scores in men than in women (all p-values < 0.05), but not in the PF domain of flexibility and total PL score. Furthermore, the PF domains of muscular strength and aerobic fitness were significantly and positively correlated with the PL attributes of confidence and physical competence in both men and women, while the PF domains of vital capacity and aerobic fitness were significantly and positively correlated with the PL attribute of motivation in men. In addition, PL was significantly and positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness, vital capacity, muscular strength, and flexibility among participants in the fit group. These findings support advocating for increased participation in PA in university students and using PL as a tool to improve PF components.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.833461/fullphysical literacyphysical fitnessphysical activityuniversity studentscross-sectional study |
| spellingShingle | Cheng Zhang Yong Liu Shuang Xu Raymond Kim-Wai Sum Ruisi Ma Ruisi Ma Pu Zhong Shixiang Liu Minghui Li Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study Frontiers in Psychology physical literacy physical fitness physical activity university students cross-sectional study |
| title | Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full | Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_short | Exploring the Level of Physical Fitness on Physical Activity and Physical Literacy Among Chinese University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study |
| title_sort | exploring the level of physical fitness on physical activity and physical literacy among chinese university students a cross sectional study |
| topic | physical literacy physical fitness physical activity university students cross-sectional study |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.833461/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT chengzhang exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT yongliu exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT shuangxu exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT raymondkimwaisum exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT ruisima exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT ruisima exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT puzhong exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT shixiangliu exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy AT minghuili exploringthelevelofphysicalfitnessonphysicalactivityandphysicalliteracyamongchineseuniversitystudentsacrosssectionalstudy |