ATTITUDES TOWARD EXERCISE AND FITNESS/ACTIVITY VARIABLES IN ADOLESCENTS

Abstract

682 The relationship between attitudes towards exercise (benefits/barriers) and physical activity (PA) or fitness (VO2max) has been studied in adults; however, little has been done with attitudes towards exercise in youth. Thus, this study assessed attitudes towards exercise (AtE) in middle school-age children and examined the relationship between those attitudes and the children's VO2max, self-reported PA, body mass index (BMI), and sum of triceps and subscapular skinfolds (ΣSF). The AtE scale, which included both benefits and barriers to exercise, was developed and pilot tested by the Cardiovascular Health in Children and Youth Study. Middle-school aged children(1510 6th/7th graders; 49.8% female, 27.2% nonwhite) from 29 middle schools completed questionnaires to measure PA in the past week and AtE. Height, weight, triceps and subscapular skinfolds and VO2max (submaximal cycle ergometer) were measured. The overall mean AtE score was 32 (possible range = 10-40). Boys had more positive AtE than girls (32.4 vs 31.9; p =0.02), but no racial differences were found. AtE was correlated with PA and VO2max(PA r =0.20; VO2max r =0.20; p =0.0001). AtE was also weakly but significantly inversely related to BMI (r = -0.14) and ΣSF (r =-0.17). Regardless of gender, subjects with high benefits scores, compared to those with high barriers scores had significantly (p =0.0001) higher mean PA scores(253.2 vs 193.1), higher VO2max (39.6 vs 35.7 ml/kg/min), lower mean BMI (20.3 vs 22.2 kg/m2) and lower ΣSF (26.8 vs 34.2 mm). These results suggest that, although youth tend to have positive attitudes towards exercise, their attitudes can differentiate between high active/fit and low active/fit youth of similar ages, regardless of gender.