Abstract
The aim of the study was to analyze step counts of middle school students in structured and unstructured physical education classes (PE) according to age, gender, and school type. Data were collected on a sample of 74 students, 40 7th and 34 8th grade students recruited from private and public middle schools. Omron HJ-112 pedometers were used in this study to obtain step counts. There were statistically significant differences between boys and girls in the step counts in both structured and unstructured PE. A significant difference was observed between school types in step counts during structured PE in both genders, while no significant difference was found for unstructured PE. Significant difference was found between step counts of only boys of different grades in unstructured PE. Boys made more steps than girls both in structured and unstructured PE. In structured PE, 7th grade boys reached a higher number of steps than 8th grade boys.
Highlights
Regular physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of some chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, cancer, obesity, and diabetes [1,2]. people who exercise regularly have an important advantage in the prevention of disease because they can balance the ratio of energy intake and outflow [3]
While no statistically significant difference was observed in step counts during physical education (PE) between 7th and 8th grade girl students (p>0.05), step counts of 7th grade boys were statistically significantly greater than those of 8th grades (p=0.05) (Table 2)
The results of the present study showed that girls made fewer steps than boys both in structured and unstructured PE
Summary
Regular physical activity (PA) reduces the risk of some chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disorders, cancer, obesity, and diabetes [1,2]. people who exercise regularly have an important advantage in the prevention of disease because they can balance the ratio of energy intake and outflow [3]. The health benefits associated with moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) are well-known, worldwide participation in MVPA is still lower than recommended levels. Lower participation in recreational activities and longer periods spent at screens can lead to a decrease in children’s PA levels [4]. It is known that more than 80 % of 11-17-year old children worldwide are not as active as they are recommended to be [5]. Several studies on this issue have revealed that school setting and especially physical education (PE) classes [4] play a significant role in increasing PA levels [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call