Prediktori fizičke ativnosti u ranoj adolescenciji - doprinos opšte fizičke forme i fizičkog self-koncepta

Snežana Radisavljević-Janić,Ivana Milanović,Dušanka Lazarević,Ljiljana Lazarević

doi:10.5937/fizkul2002000r

Abstract

Vast empirical evidence suggests a high significance of physical activity (PA) for health and well-being. Still, researches show a decline of PA in youth worldwide. Early adolescence is a particularly sensitive period because then children adopt healthy habits and build a positive attitude towards PA. Examining the significance and contribution of potential factors to overall PA in early adolescence is of theoretical and practical relevance. Thus, this study aimed to explore the validity of physical fitness and physical self-concept in the prediction of overall PA in early adolescence, taking into account gender and Body Mass Index (BMI). The sample consisted of 417 primary school students (54.9% boys), the average age 13.6 years (SD=0.73) who participate in regular physical education classes three times per week, each class 45 minutes. Physical self-concept was measured using the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire (PSDQ). To assess everyday physical activity, we used the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). Anthropometric measurements included the body height and bodyweight of the respondents. Physical fitness, i.e., flexibility, muscular strength (abdominal endurance strength and lower-limb explosive strength), and cardiorespiratory endurance were measured using the EUROFIT test battery. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that physical self-concept predicts 35% of the variance of PA over and above gender and dimensions of physical fitness. Significant predictors of physical activity were dimensions of physical self-concept: Physical Activity, Sports Competence, and Endurance. The interaction of Gender and Self Esteem contributed significantly indicating that higher Self Esteem had a significant role in the level of PA only in male adolescents. The main finding is that physical self-concept plays a crucial role in the prediction of the level of overall PA in which early adolescents will be engaged. The results support findings showing that intervention programs aimed to improve PA should encourage positive physical self-concept of adolescents with appropriate content and procedures.

Highlights

Physical activity (PA) or “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure” (Caspersen et al, 1985, p. 234) has tremendous importance on health, as well as on physical, psychological, and social well-being (Biddle & Mutrie, 2007; Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010; World Health Organization, 2010; Hamer et al, 2013; Gomes et al, 2015)
Having in mind the relevance of physical activity (PA) for the development and nourishment of a healthy and active lifestyle in early adolescents, this study aims to assess the validity of physical fitness and physical self-concept in the prediction of PA, taking into account the effects of covariates like gender and Body Mass Index (BMI)
On all measures of physical fitness, males exhibited a better performance in comparison to females, except on the Sit and Reach

Summary

Introduction

Physical activity (PA) or “any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure” (Caspersen et al, 1985, p. 234) has tremendous importance on health, as well as on physical, psychological, and social well-being (Biddle & Mutrie, 2007; Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010; World Health Organization, 2010; Hamer et al, 2013; Gomes et al, 2015). 234) has tremendous importance on health, as well as on physical, psychological, and social well-being (Biddle & Mutrie, 2007; Janssen & LeBlanc, 2010; World Health Organization, 2010; Hamer et al, 2013; Gomes et al, 2015). According to available evidence, a large percentage of the youth is insufficiently physically active (Sallis et al, 2000; Riddoch et al, 2004; Collings et al, 2014). The level of PA is gender-related in favor of males (Crocker et al, 2000; Sallis et al, 2000; Trost et al, 2002; Thibault et al, 2010; Radisavljević-Janić et al, 2012; Collings et al, 2014; Gomes et al, 2015;). The level of PA is age-related; it decreases with age (Trost et al, 2002; Thibault et al, 2010; Jekauc et al, 2012; Radisavljević-Janić et al, 2012), and this trend is more noticeable in female adolescents (Sallis et al, 2000; Nader et al, 2008; Whitehead & Biddle, 2008)

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