TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical fitness and obesity levels during an academic year followed by summer holidays
T2 - An issue of insufficient time for physical activity
AU - Aphamis, George
AU - Ioannou, Yiannakis
AU - Giannaki, Christoforos D.
PY - 2019/1/1
Y1 - 2019/1/1
N2 - Today, available time for physical activity has been continuously decreasing, whilst, school-time physical education (PE) classes appear to be the only real option for many adolescents to engage in physical activity and exercise. The aim of the present study was to investigate fitness and health related parameters over one academic year, and after the summer holidays for adolescents who do not engage in out-of-school physical activities. Participants were 153 students (age: 15-17 years; boys n = 86) who exercised only during PE (2 × 45-min periods per week). Body fat, flexibility, handgrip strength, squat jump, 30 m sprint and cardiorespiratory fitness were examined at the beginning and end of a school year, and after the ensuing summer holidays. The boys improved handgrip and flexibility, but no other significant improvement was observed over the school year in any of the examined physical fitness parameters, or obesity indices. Instead, the girls' cardiorespiratory fitness decreased over the summer holidays. It seems that exercising only twice a week during school PE classes is insufficient to induce significant improvements in physical fitness, body composition and health parameters.
AB - Today, available time for physical activity has been continuously decreasing, whilst, school-time physical education (PE) classes appear to be the only real option for many adolescents to engage in physical activity and exercise. The aim of the present study was to investigate fitness and health related parameters over one academic year, and after the summer holidays for adolescents who do not engage in out-of-school physical activities. Participants were 153 students (age: 15-17 years; boys n = 86) who exercised only during PE (2 × 45-min periods per week). Body fat, flexibility, handgrip strength, squat jump, 30 m sprint and cardiorespiratory fitness were examined at the beginning and end of a school year, and after the ensuing summer holidays. The boys improved handgrip and flexibility, but no other significant improvement was observed over the school year in any of the examined physical fitness parameters, or obesity indices. Instead, the girls' cardiorespiratory fitness decreased over the summer holidays. It seems that exercising only twice a week during school PE classes is insufficient to induce significant improvements in physical fitness, body composition and health parameters.
KW - body fat
KW - cardiorespiratory fitness
KW - physical education
KW - strength
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85062876336&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1515/ijamh-2016-0137
DO - 10.1515/ijamh-2016-0137
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85062876336
SN - 0334-0139
VL - 31
JO - International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health
JF - International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health
IS - 1
M1 - 20160137
ER -