A COMPARISON OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, BODY COMPOSITION AND SELF-ESTEEM LEVELS OF 5TH AND 6TH GRADE STUDENTS 686

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare self-esteem to levels of body fat percentage and physical activity levels of children. Subjects were 204, 5th and 6th grade students who attended two middle schools in Southwest Michigan. The Lohman 2-site skinfold test was used to group the subjects into four percent body fat groups; low, healthy, moderately-high, and high. A physical activity questionnaire was used to group the subjects into four physical activity levels; low, average, high, and very high. The Harter “What I Am Like” self-esteem questionnaire was used to measure self-esteem in six subscales; social acceptance, athletic competence, physical appearance, scholastic competence, behavioral conduct, and global self-worth. Males (n = 95) were grouped into three body fat groups (healthy, 52%; moderately-high, 18%; and high, 31%) and into all four physical activity levels (low, 22%; average, 48%; high, 24%; and very high, 5%). Females (n = 109) were grouped into all four body fat groups (low, 12%; healthy, 42%; moderately high, 23%; and high, 23%) and into only two of the physical activity groups (low, 42% and average, 58%). For these groupings, significant differences (p >.05) were found among the males' body fat groups for the following self-esteem subscales: (1) athletic competence, (2) physical appearance, (3) social acceptance, and (4) global self-worth. No significant differences were found(1) between the body fat groups for the females, or (2) among the physical activity groups for males or females. The following conclusions were made: (1) As the males' body fat percentage increased, their self-esteem decreased; (2) no relationship existed for females' body fat groups and self-esteem, (3) males scored higher than females on all but one of the self-esteem subscales(behavioral conduct); and (4) physical activity was not related to self-esteem for males or for females.