Final Year Primary School Children's Physical Activity Levels and Choices

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to examine the physical activity levels and choices of a sample of 10-11 year-old primary school children. Nine hundred and twenty-four children completed a self-report questionnaire devised to assess participation in physical activity over the previous 7 days. Over the previous week 17.1% of the children failed to accumulate 30 min total physical activity, in particular, over one fifth of the girls (21.2%) had not participated in more than 30 min in total. Less than one third (31.5%) of the children had satisfied the recommended level of physical activity for increasing cardiorespiratory fitness, HDL cholesterol and enhancing psychological health, although more boys (36.3%) had satisfied the criteria than girls (26.7%). Gender differences were also apparent in the activities chosen, the boys were more likely to participate in the team sports traditionally taught in physical education whilst the girls spent more of their time engaged in sports not usually included in the curriculum.

Parenting Style and Cultural Influences on Overweight Children's Attraction to Physical Activity

“…Examination of the subscales of overweight children's attraction to physical activity shows no difference between boys and girls. Because previous studies (21, 32, 56) have demonstrated an apparent gender difference in boys’ and girls’ ratings of “fun of physical exertion,” “liking of vigorous physical activity,” “activity intensity,” “participation rate,” and “activity chosen,” it is possible that being overweight masks any gender effect. In normal‐weight children, gender stereotypes are present, as is indicated in their scores on the attraction to physical activity scale (32).…”

Health enhancing physical activity: Factors influencing engagement patterns in children

“…Environmental press in physical activity engagement patterns is evident when insufficient time and space is available for children to participate in physical activities. This is one of many factors that have contributed to the declining fitness levels and associated health concerns seen in industrialised nations today (Cale & Almond, 1992;Kirk, O'Connor, Carlson, Davis & Glover, 1997;Shropshire & Carroll, 1998).…”

“…Self-or proxy-reports may be prone to memory lapses where sporadic activity is forgotten. The thresholds of activity to determine sufficient participation and ongoing health benefits need further exploration in the light of these considerations (Shropshire & Carroll, 1998).…”

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“…Furthermore, the invasion games which are the object of this paper, focus on PE preferences. Both physical education teachers as well as learners from different countries agree to designate them as, in the case of teachers, the most taught, and in the case of students the preferred choice (Shropshire and Carroll 1998;Hill and Cleven 2005;Gutiérrez, Pilsa, and Torres 2007).…”