Physical Health and the Way towards It
Introduction
Research Training
In this chapter, you will learn about different aspects of the element ‘Methods/ Methodology’ in a research article and the importance of critically looking at the quality of a study.
English Competence
You will also learn about attitudes towards physical activity and exercise and how these attitudes and practices affect the overall health of children.
Article 2: Attitudes Towards Physical Activity
Summary
Physical activity and regular exercise are important to prevent and treat adolescent obesity. In the non-stationary setting, obesity treatment includes encouraging long-lasting sport participation.
The following study examined potential differences in attitudes towards physical activity and exercise between adolescents with body mass indices in obese and healthy-weight ranges.
To measure the attitudes, 395 adolescents from schools and 16 adolescents from a non-stationary obesity treatment program filled out a questionnaire and were measured for weight and other body parameters. They participated in a one-year obesity treatment program which combined dietary, psychological and physical activity and exercise-related interventions administered under medical supervision.
The results show that adolescents in the healthy-weight range showed more positive attitudes towards intense exercise/ sports competition. Independent of weight status, positive attitudes about “training and competition” and “social contacts” were related to children's involvement in physical and sport activity.
The researchers concluded that training and competitive activities offer a lower incentive for obese adolescents than for healthy-weight peers.
(Note: The information above contains parts of the article's abstract)
Article
In the following link you can find the full article:
Kopczynski, S. & Chen-Stute, A. & Kellmann, M. (2014). Navigation