진주지역 초등학교 고학년 아동의 체격 및 건강체력의 시대적 변화

Abstract

This study attempts to explore the chronological changes in upper grade children`s physique and healthrelated fitness in Jinju. This study conducted chronological t test to examine changes in physique or healthrelated fitness between 1999 and 2010, aimed at 571 elementary 5th and 6th graders(285 boys and 286 girls) in Jinju. After examining the relationship between physique and health-related fitness with Pearson correlation coefficient, we came to three conclusions. First, there is a slight growth in height but overall stagnant in chronological changes. There is a growth in weight and BMI among boys and girls, especially significantly among 6th graders. While boys` height and weight are below the national average, similar-average in BMI, girls` height and weight are slightly above the national average. Second, while there is a slight decrease in health-related fitness among boys, there is a slight growth among girls. Both boys and girls tend to show decline in cardiovascular endurance. There seems to be a significant decline in muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility among boys. On the other hand, it seems that girls have the upward tendency in muscular strength, cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. While both boys and girls` muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance are slightly above the national average, flexibility is below the national average. Third, in a correlation between physique and health-related fitness, boys` height is significantly related with muscular strength and flexibility and boys` weight and BMI with muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance. For female students, height and weight have much to do with muscular strength, BMI related with muscular strength, muscular endurance and cardiovascular endurance. As mentioned above, there is a chronological difference between physique and health-related fitness in different ways among male and female students. For male students, there is a marked decline in every healthrelated fitness element. In contrast, there is a marked improvement in every health-related fitness element except cardiovascular endurance among female students. It is obvious that one of the most influential factors that affect health-related fitness is BMI. Accordingly, we need to recognize the importance of health-related fitness, aimed at developing a program for improving cardiovascular