Leisure-Time Physical Activity and Physical Fitness of Male Adolescents in Oman

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between leisure-time physical activity and physical fitness (cardiovascular fitness, body fat percentage, flexibility, muscle strength, and endurance) of 10th-grade male students in Oman. Data were collected from 330 students. All participants completed a descriptive questionnaire, a 1 mile walk/run test; a skinfold analysis of the chest, abdomen, and thigh; a sit and reach test; a hand grip test; and a 1-minute sit-up test. Students spent an average of 19.20 ± 6.77 hours on sedentary activities, 3.46 ± 2.11 hours on sports activities, and 11.22 ± 9.24 hours working per week. The students had an average body fat percentage of 6.38% ± 4.67%, muscle strength 38.04 ± 7.55 kg, flexibility 38.01 ± 7.41 cm, abdominal muscle endurance 38.85 ± 8.15 times/min, and cardiovascular endurance 8.10 ± 1.65 minutes.

Estimation of leisure time physical activity and sedentary behaviour among school adolescents in Nepal

“…For those students using cycles, rest time at home could also be longer due to tiredness. In contrast to this, higher sedentary behaviour among urban residents has also been reported [42,43]. Furthermore, this study has also found higher sitting time among male students using vehicles to reach to school.…”

Motivação para a prática de atividades físicas e esportivas de crianças: Uma revisão sistemática

“…Em relação à idade, as crianças mais novas valorizavam mais amizade e diversão e as crianças mais velhas concorrência, habilidades e competição, o que é comprovado pelo fato da idade ser considerada inversamente proporcional ao nível de atividade física, ou seja, o nível de atividade física tende a diminuir com o aumento da idade 3,4,36 . Assim, justifica-se o fato das crianças iniciarem seus hábitos de atividade física por diversos fatores, especialmente sociais e de lazer e permanecerem com o hábito da prática de atividade física quando mais velhos por estarem envolvidos com treinamento e competições, de forma sistematizada e organizada, destacando que a literatura demonstra que estes tipos de atividade são mais eficazes para a manutenção dos níveis de atividade física 37,38,39 .…”

“…A inatividade física está associada a determinantes psicológicos, sociais, econômicos e culturais [3][4][5][6][7] . Entre os fatores psicológicos, pode-se destacar a motivação como primordial para a manutenção de elevados níveis de atividade física, especialmente na infância.…”

Prevalence and Factors Associated With Physical Activity in Socially Vulnerable Children

“…Lifestyle has been undergoing changes in response to technological innovation, especially in the industrialized societies. 1,2 Thus, childhood and adolescence are considered critical risk phases for physical inactivity and, consequently, excess body weight, 3 especially in individuals at social risk due to cultural, educational, economic, and health differences. 4 Although the benefits of physical activity are widely recognized, studies have identified that many children and adolescents do not reach sufficient levels of physical activity.…”

“…5 Physiological factors mainly refer to increased body weight, which is associated with an increased prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, and oncologic diseases, which are considered a public health problem. 1,5 Psychological factors are related to behavioral changes that reduce the likelihood of adopting healthy habits as studies have shown that inactive children are more likely to become inactive adults 3 and suffer from changes in mood and anxiety states that can cause several psychological disorders, such as depression and low self-esteem. 5 To understand the motivation for the practice of physical and sport activities as a psychological factor, one must also understand the reasons that lead children and adolescents to engage in physical activities, which enables the design of more efficient intervention strategies.…”