Changes of Physical Activity Level and Physical Fitness in Adolescent Students within One Year

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Previous studies focused on the relationship between physical activity level and physical fitness in adolescents were mostly from cross-sectional data. Since growth have influence on the development of physical fitness in these population. More longitudinal study would be helpful to better understand the related factors. PURPOSE: To explore the changes and sexual difference of junior high school students' physical activity level and physical fitness in one year period. Further examine the correlation between physical activity level and changes of physical fitness. METHODS: Subjects were 308 seven-grade students (145 males; 163 females) of Ta-Kuan junior high school in Taipei country, Taiwan. Physical activity level was collected using International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Adolescence in Taiwan-Show Card Version (IPAQ-A). Physical fitness was assessed as body mass index (BMI), sit-and-reach, long jump, sit-up and 800/1600-m walk/run test. The interval of two tests was one year. According to the data, we came to the conclusion through the method of descriptive statistics, independent t-test, paired t-test and Pearson's product-moment correlation. RESULTS: In average, there was no significant change of physical activity level after one year in this observed population (1834.00 +/- 1686.70 vs. 1882.03 +/- 1482.54 MET-min·wk-1). No significant differences were found on changes of physical activity level between genders. After one year, there were significant growth (p<.05) in height (3.12 +/- 2.60 cm), weight (3.61 +/- 3.40 kg), and BMI (0.62 +/- 1.20 kg·m-2). Significant improvements (p<.05) of sit-and-reach (4.51 %), long jump (1.29 %) and 800/1600-m walk/run test (10.09 % in male; 4.53 % in female) were also found. The improvements of male students' height, weight, long jump and 800/1600-m walk/run test were greater than females'. There were no significant correlations between average physical activity level and changes of physical fitness in one year period. CONCLUSIONS: When adolescent students maintained their habitual physical activity, some of their physical fitness improved with age in puberty.