Gender- and school-level correlates of growth in health-related fitness knowledge among US high-school students

2018 ◽  
Vol 77 (8) ◽  
pp. 927-938 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xihe Zhu ◽  
Justin A Haegele

Objective: Health-related fitness knowledge holds the potential for physical activity and behavioural changes. The purpose of this retrospective longitudinal study with retrospective data was (a) to examine high-school students’ health-related fitness knowledge growth through the 9th, 10th and 11th grades under one curriculum condition and (b) to examine gender- and school-level correlates of students’ health-related fitness knowledge and its rate of growth. Method: This study used existing data collected by school districts as they implemented the curriculum. Participants were students ( n = 9,883, 49.4% girls) from 40 high schools following the same curriculum. Health-related fitness knowledge performance was assessed annually for 3 years using an online platform. Potential student- and school-level correlates were collected. A three-level hierarchical linear model was used to examine student health-related fitness knowledge growth and its relation to gender- and school-level correlates. Results: The results showed that high-school student health-related fitness knowledge growth was linear during the 3-year period, with an estimated growth rate of 9.14 ± 1.40% per year under the curriculum condition. Girl students had a higher growth rate than boys, holding other factors constant. Other school-level variables were not significant predictors of health-related fitness knowledge. Conclusion: Overall, the curriculum context was conducive to student health-related knowledge growth. The different knowledge growth rate between boys and girls was a possible reason for gender discrepancy at the 11th grade.

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 654-660
Author(s):  
Sheila Dwi Loviani ◽  
Yudha Munajat Saputra ◽  
Nurlan Kusmaedi‪ ◽  
Hamidie Ronald Daniel Ray ◽  
Lutfi Nur‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Skip M. Williams ◽  
Dan Phelps ◽  
Kelly R. Laurson ◽  
David Q. Thomas ◽  
Dale D. Brown

Summary Study aim: The purpose of this study was to determine if high school physical education seniors’ health-related fitness knowledge is related to their aerobic capacity and body composition. Material and methods: The FitSmart test assessed students (n = 171) health-related fitness knowledge. Aerobic capacity was calculated based on the students PACER score. Body Composition was measured using the Tanita TBF 300A body composition analyzer. Results: Aerobic fitness was a statistically significant predictor of exam score (β = 0.563, p < 0.001), but percent body fat was not (β = 0.185, p =0.074). Comparing the health-related fitness exam scores by the FITNESSGRAM classification system, students who were classified as Very Lean and High Risk for body composition had lower exam scores than those classified in the healthy fitness zone. Conclusions: The results confirmed previous findings that students have inadequate health-related fitness knowledge. Furthermore, the study extends these findings by identifying some associations of percent body fat and estimated VO2max to health-related fitness knowledge.


2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Wilkinson ◽  
Keven Prusak

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between health-related fitness knowledge (HRFK) and various intensity and activity levels of physical activity in male and female high school students. At the end of a Fitness for Life course, high school students (N = 280) completed a HRFK questionnaire and the Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (Godin & Shephard, 1985). Pearson correlations were computed among physical activity levels (mild, moderate, and strenuous). A one-way MANOVA with appropriate follow-up univariate ANOVAs examined the effect of gender on physical activity intensity scores (total, healthy, and strenuous). A one-way ANOVA examined the difference in HRFK scores between the active group and the less active group. Results showed no significant correlation between HRFK and all physical activity scores. Females had higher HRFK scores and males had higher physical activity scores for all intensity levels. Ninety-two percent of all students were classified as active and males were more active than females. There was no significant difference in HRFK scores between the active group and the less active groups.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (20) ◽  
pp. 5810 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang-Ting Tsai

This study explored the variance in ocean literacy accounted for by student and school levels and examined the influence of these two predictors on senior high school students’ ocean literacy using a hierarchical linear model. Data were collected from 1944 students from 99 schools and used to construct the two-level hierarchical linear model. The results indicated that the variance in ocean literacy accounted for by students was larger than that accounted for by schools; approximately a quarter of the total variance in ocean literacy was accounted for by schools. At the student level, attitude toward the ocean and frequency of reading ocean-themed books or magazines were predictors of ocean literacy, whereas at the school level, school region and location were significant influential factors. This study’s results have significance for policy-making regarding ocean literacy improvement.


Author(s):  
Punnee Leekitchwatana ◽  
Paitoon Pimdee

The research used a hierarchical linear model to develop a model to study the variables of appropriate Internet use of 2,400 Thai high school students from 48 high schools. Furthermore, the groups were divided into one group of 1,200 students in science related programs, while the second group of 1,200 students were in a non-science related program. The data collection instrument was a reliability questionnaire which was determined to range between 0.75-0.97. Data were analysed using statistical averages, standard deviation, and analysis of hierarchical linear models (HLM). The research found that Thai high school students have appropriate Internet use behaviour at a very appropriate level, while the HLM of appropriate Internet use behaviour of students contained two predictive variables at both the student level and school level. These included the four student predictive variables of ability, characteristic, family, and student grade point average (GPA). At the school level in the HLM, there were two predictor variables including friends and schools, which had a direct influence and an indirect influence, respectively. There were also six capacity variables having both positive influence and statistical significance.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liz Haslem ◽  
Carol Wilkinson ◽  
Kevin A. Prusak ◽  
William F. Christensen ◽  
Todd Pennington

The purpose of this study was (a) to test a hypothesized model of motivation within the context of conceptual physical education (CPE), and (b) to explore the strength and directionality of perceived competence for physical activity as a possible mediator for health-related fitness knowledge (HRFK) and physical activity behaviors. High school students (N = 280) at the end of a CPE course completed the following: Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire–2, Godin Leisure–Time Exercise Questionnaire, Perceived Competence Scale, and a HRFK Questionnaire. Structural equation modeling analysis was used to explore the relationships between the variables of HRFK, perceived competence, motivation, and physical activity. The analysis resulted in a modified model that showed a relationship between perceived competence and physical activity, mediated by introjected and identified regulation. A relationship also existed between HRFK and external regulation indicating students felt controlled. Suggested value-promoting activities could help students value concepts being taught.


Author(s):  
Selamawit Hirpa ◽  
Andrew Fogarty ◽  
Adamu Addissie ◽  
Linda Bauld ◽  
Thomas Frese ◽  
...  

Shisha smoking is also known as hookah, water pipe, goza, and nargile. Shisha use among the young is increasing globally. Shisha smoke results in a high concentration of carbon monoxide, tar, nicotine, and heavy metals which can be toxic to humans, especially with chronic exposure. This study aims to determine the prevalence and risk factors of shisha smoking among in-school adolescents in Ethiopia. Four regional states in Ethiopia (Oromia, Amhara, Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region, Tigray) and the capital city (Addis Ababa) were the study areas. A two-stage cluster sampling approach was employed to produce a representative sample. From the sampling frames in the study areas, 36 high schools were selected randomly. A multi-level logistic regression analysis was used to account for cluster-specific random effects, the effect of individuals’, and school-level variables for ever-use of shisha. A total of 3355 secondary school grade 9 and 10 students aged between 13 and 22 years took part in this study. A total of 86 (2.6%) and 20 (0.6%) of the study participants, reported that they had ever smoked or were current smokers of shisha, respectively. Of all study participants, 38.6% perceived shisha as less harmful than cigarettes and 48.5% reported that they do not know which was more harmful to health. Students were more likely to ever use shisha if they had friend/s who smoke shisha (AOR = 16.8, 95% CI: 6.4–44.3), ever smoked cigarettes (AOR = 8.2, 95% CI: 3.4–19.8), ever used khat (AOR = 4.2, 95% CI: 1.9–10.4), ever used marijuana (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI: 1.4–11.1), ever used smokeless tobacco (AOR = 3.1 95% CI: 1.1–8.4), and students had received income from their parents (AOR = 3.1 CI: 1.1–8.8). Prevalence of ever and current use of shisha among high school students is low in Ethiopia compared to many countries in Africa. The majority of adolescents perceived shisha as less harmful to health than cigarette smoking. Health education about the harmful effects of shisha should be delivered to adolescents, along with information on other substances like khat, cigarettes, marijuana, and smokeless tobacco to prevent initiation of substance use.


2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Talida M. State ◽  
Judith R. Harrison ◽  
Lee Kern ◽  
Timothy J. Lewis

Little is known about the feasibility and acceptability of interventions designed to address the needs of high school students with emotional and behavioral challenges and adopted by their teachers. In this study, 336 general and special education teachers rated classwide interventions (e.g., expectations, routines, positive student–teacher interactions [PSTI]) and individual student interventions (e.g., study skills, organizational skills) in terms of priority, feasibility, and acceptability before implementation. Teachers who implemented the interventions rated their acceptability post-implementation. Results indicated that acceptability ratings varied across interventions, and it appeared that teachers rated interventions that required the least amount of time to implement (e.g., PSTI) most acceptable and those that required the most time for implementation (e.g., study skills) least acceptable. Lack of time, perceived lack of effectiveness, and poor environmental fit were often cited as reasons for lack of feasibility. Regression analyses revealed that teacher characteristics (e.g., years of experience) and type of intervention (e.g., classwide vs. individualized) contributed to teacher ratings of intervention acceptability. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.


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