Contribution of physical education and sport to health-related fitness in high school student

Abstract

This study compared health-related fitness variables of high school student (14 to 19 year old; 120 males, 67 females) participating in physical education (PE) and school sponsored sport (SSS) to student participating solely in PE. Cardiovascular fitness, the primary variable of interest was measured using the 20-Meter shuttle run (number of completed laps, 20-MST). Secondary analysis compared upper body strength (push ups), flexibility (sit and reach), and body mass index (8MI kg/m2). Comparison were made between student participating in 1-2 SSS and >3 SSS for males and 1 SSS and >2 for females to student participating solely in PE. Males participating in 1-2 SSS (20MST, 63,80 and 25,61) and> 3 SSS (81,13, 28,26) completed significantly (P < ,001) more laps than male participating solely in PE (44.18, 19.09). Females participating in 1 SSS (37.33 and 15.53) and >2 SSS (49.48, 19,83) completed significantly more laps than females participating solely in PE (23.50, 7.96). Significant differences in number of push ups was observed between males participating in > 3 SSS (49.41, 12.90) and males participating solely in PE (37.63, 11.79, P = ,006). No significant differences existed for males on BMI (p = ,223) or the sit and reach (p = ,145), and for females on push ups (p = ,79), sit and reach (p = ,579) and BMI (p = ,122). As the number of SSS increase, significant increase was observed in cardiovascular fitness with youth participating solely in PE exhibiting the lowest levels of cardiovascular fitness in comparison to youth participating in PE and SSS.