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Physical activity patterns of adolescents in a secondary school in Singapore
Author
Lim, Guat Hong
Supervisor
Schmidt, Gordon James
Abstract
Over the past five years, there has been much research interest in the quantity and quality of physical activity experienced by children and adolescents. Different guidelines have been given regarding the appropriate physical activity for children and adolescents to maintain and/or improve cardiorespiratory health.
The purposes of this study were to assess the physical activity patterns of Singaporean adolescents, to determine the differences between the physical activity patterns of girls and boys, to determine the differences between self-reported physical activity and heart rate monitoring, and to relate their cardiorespiratory fitness and body fat measurements to their habitual physical activity patterns. Heart rate monitors (Sport Tester PE 4000; Polar Electro OY, Finland) were worn by 58 girls (mean + SD; 15.6 + 0.6 yrs) and 46 boys (15.6 + 0.8 yrs) on three school days and a Sunday for a minimum of 14 hours each day. On each day of heart rate monitoring, subjects recorded their physical activity on a self-report form provided. A 2.4 km walk/run test was administered on another day for all subjects. On a separate day, 11 girls and 10 boys were randomly selected from the 104 subjects to participate in the laboratory fitness test.
The number and length of time of sustained 5-minute and 10-minute periods of heart rates greater than or equal to 120 b.min-1 (ACSM, 1991) and of at least 140 b.min-1 (Armstrong et al., 1991) were the two criterion heart rate measures used to assess the intensity of effort during physical activity. In the assessment of self-reported data, a modified 4-point scale of activity index (Puhl et al., 1990; Dipietro et al., 1993) was used to categorize the different activities of the subjects. Values of 3 and 4 on the activity index scale which correlated to heart rates greater than or equal to 120 b.min-1 were used in the determination of relationship between self-reported activity and heart rates.
Daily self-reported physical activity used together with heart rate monitoring was a suitable means of assessing the quantity and quality of physical activity experienced by Singaporean adolescents. This study found no differences in the physical activity patterns of boys and girls during schooldays and Sunday. All subjects were significantly more active on schooldays than on Sunday. Physical activity patterns of Singaporean adolescents on schooldays were similar to those found in other countries. Boys had significantly higher capacity than girls in the time taken to complete the 2.4 km walk/run test and the laboratory graded exercise test (VO2peak ). There were no significant differences between percent body fat and the amount of time spent on physical activity.
This study provides further evidence that activity patterns for Singaporean adolescents do not attain sufficient intensity or duration to maintain or improve cardiorespiratory fitness. However, when the criteria of 120 b.min-1 is applied, 71.1% of the boys and 79.3% of the girls achieved a minimum of three 5-minute blocks. This criteria may need further assessment to be considered as a minimum measure of habitual physical activity for adolescents for the maintenance of healthy lifestyles.
The purposes of this study were to assess the physical activity patterns of Singaporean adolescents, to determine the differences between the physical activity patterns of girls and boys, to determine the differences between self-reported physical activity and heart rate monitoring, and to relate their cardiorespiratory fitness and body fat measurements to their habitual physical activity patterns. Heart rate monitors (Sport Tester PE 4000; Polar Electro OY, Finland) were worn by 58 girls (mean + SD; 15.6 + 0.6 yrs) and 46 boys (15.6 + 0.8 yrs) on three school days and a Sunday for a minimum of 14 hours each day. On each day of heart rate monitoring, subjects recorded their physical activity on a self-report form provided. A 2.4 km walk/run test was administered on another day for all subjects. On a separate day, 11 girls and 10 boys were randomly selected from the 104 subjects to participate in the laboratory fitness test.
The number and length of time of sustained 5-minute and 10-minute periods of heart rates greater than or equal to 120 b.min-1 (ACSM, 1991) and of at least 140 b.min-1 (Armstrong et al., 1991) were the two criterion heart rate measures used to assess the intensity of effort during physical activity. In the assessment of self-reported data, a modified 4-point scale of activity index (Puhl et al., 1990; Dipietro et al., 1993) was used to categorize the different activities of the subjects. Values of 3 and 4 on the activity index scale which correlated to heart rates greater than or equal to 120 b.min-1 were used in the determination of relationship between self-reported activity and heart rates.
Daily self-reported physical activity used together with heart rate monitoring was a suitable means of assessing the quantity and quality of physical activity experienced by Singaporean adolescents. This study found no differences in the physical activity patterns of boys and girls during schooldays and Sunday. All subjects were significantly more active on schooldays than on Sunday. Physical activity patterns of Singaporean adolescents on schooldays were similar to those found in other countries. Boys had significantly higher capacity than girls in the time taken to complete the 2.4 km walk/run test and the laboratory graded exercise test (VO2peak ). There were no significant differences between percent body fat and the amount of time spent on physical activity.
This study provides further evidence that activity patterns for Singaporean adolescents do not attain sufficient intensity or duration to maintain or improve cardiorespiratory fitness. However, when the criteria of 120 b.min-1 is applied, 71.1% of the boys and 79.3% of the girls achieved a minimum of three 5-minute blocks. This criteria may need further assessment to be considered as a minimum measure of habitual physical activity for adolescents for the maintenance of healthy lifestyles.
Date Issued
1996
Call Number
GV443 Lim
Date Submitted
1996