Youth’s Physical Activity and Fitness from a Rural Environment of an Azores Island

João Pedro Gouveia,Pedro Forte,Eduarda Coelho

doi:10.3390/socsci10030096

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize and compare physical activity (PA) and fitness levels by sex in 109 students of a rural environment. The participants were between 15 and 20 years old, from the Santa Maria High School in the Azores’ Santa Maria island. PA levels were assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-short form. The physical fitness was evaluated by the Fitnessgram battery tests. The sample of this study were physically active, 67.9% were classified with high and moderate PA levels. Regarding the sex comparisons, no significant differences between PA levels were founded. However, males presented higher values of vigorous physical activity, whereas females spent more time in moderate activity, such as walking. Moreover, females had more time in sitting positions during the week and weekend. Regarding the physical fitness levels, males presented significantly higher performances in the upper strength (p < 0.001) and aerobic capacity tests (p < 0.001), whereas females showed higher values in the sit and reach test (p < 0.001), in the trunk lift test (p < 0.005), and in the fat mass values (p < 0.001). It seems reasonable to assume that there is a sociodemographic influence on the PA and physical fitness levels in our sample. We may speculate that rural life provides more opportunities for youth for being physically active than urban life. No differences were founded between sexes for physical activity. However, differences were found between sex for strength, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition. That might be explained by the biological differences and the type of physical activity habits that each sex use to have in rural environmental.

Highlights

Introduction published maps and institutional affilThe XXI century is characterized by the raise of new technologies, being this fact markedly related with physical activity (PA) decreasing levels (WHO 2010; Baptista et al.2011)
The sample of this study demonstrated to be physically active with 67.9% characterized with high and moderate PA levels (Table 1)
Males showed the highest percentage of high PA levels while females had higher percentages in moderate and low levels

Summary

Introduction

The XXI century is characterized by the raise of new technologies, being this fact markedly related with physical activity (PA) decreasing levels (WHO 2010; Baptista et al.2011). This considerable PA reduction as a prominent characteristic of modern societies. The vast majority of young people occupy their free time with sedentary activities such as reading, watching television and video, surf the internet, listening or playing music, going to the cinema, and dating (Esculcas and Mota 2005; Nodari et al 2016). There is an association between PA practice and the absence of metabolic pathologies in young people (Tolocka et al 2019).

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Discussion

Conclusion