Health-related fitness monitoring practices in secondary school-based physical education programmes

Purpose: To examine the prevalence of and approaches to monitoring health-related physical fitness (HRPF) in secondary school-based physical education programs. Methods: Physical education teachers (N = 327; 56.6% females) from 235 secondary schools (33.1% of national total) in the Republic of Ireland completed a survey designed specifically for the purposes of this study. Results: HRPF tests were used by 95.3% of teachers. A significant decline in the testing frequency was observed from the junior grades (age 13–15 years) to the senior grades (age 16–18 years) (p < .001). Just over half (51.7%) of the teachers discarded the test results after a single use. Less than one third of the teachers indicated that they shared the test results with the students’ parents. The vast majority (87.0%) of the teachers agreed that the development of a digital platform would facilitate monitoring test results over time. Conclusions: HRPF testing is highly prevalent in secondary schools. More actions are needed to ensure that teachers use pedagogically sound student-centered approaches toward monitoring HRPF, with a focus on learning that may lead to more positive testing experiences for students. Consideration should be given to the development of digital platforms to facilitate monitoring and reporting HRPF

Physical activity parenting practices in Ireland: a qualitative analysis

Worldwide, children do not meet the recommended guidelines for physical activity (PA) and a unified approach is required to increase children’s engagement in PA. Parents, are increasingly regarded as playing a key role in children’s PA behaviours. Physical activity parenting (PAP) is growing as a research field and refers to parental behaviours intended to influence children’s investment in PA. Using the perspectives of both parent and child, this research aims to identify PAP practices (positive and negative) engaged by Irish parents and to examine how PAP is embedded within a socioecological context. A purposive sample of 116 families in Ireland were included in the study. Families were stratified by social class, location, and family structure. Parents and children were interviewed and a secondary analysis of the interview data was completed. A theoretical model and conceptual framework relating to PAP guided data analysis to identify and understand parenting practices that influence children’s PA behaviour. Data was deductively analysed and key findings indicated that PAP practices of encouragement, involvement, and facilitation were positively associated with children’s engagement in structured sport activities. Co-participation was positively associated with children’s participation in unstructured PA. Mothers and fathers differed in their PA roles, with fathers engaged to a greater extent in involvement parental practices. Children from middle and higher socio-economic class families participated in a greater repertoire of structured PA and benefited from a greater diversity of PAP practices. Family context (social class, structure, size), community resources and organisational factors mediated the presence of PAP practices. Parents’ PA attributes and parents perceptions of PA attributes were less important influencers. Successful and effective engagement of parents in PA interventions is dependent on consideration of the various social contexts that are embedded in families

Test-retest reliability of student-administered health-related fitness tests in school settings

Purpose: To examine the test-retest reliability of student-administered (SA) health-related fitness tests in school settings and to compare indices of reliability with those taken by trained research-assistants. Methods: Participants (n = 86; age: 13.43 [0.33] y) were divided into 2 groups, SA (n = 45, girls = 26) or research-assistant administered (RA; n = 41, girls = 21). The SA group had their measures taken by 8 students (age: 15.59 [0.56] y, girls = 4), and the RA group had their measures taken by 8 research-assistants (age: 21.21 [1.38], girls = 5). Tests were administered twice by both groups, 1 week apart. Tests included body mass index, handgrip strength, standing broad jump, isometric plank hold, 90° push-up, 4 × 10-m shuttle run, back-saver sit and reach, and blood pressure. Results: Intraclass correlation coefficients for SA (≥.797) and RA (≥.866) groups were high, and the observed systematic error (Bland-Altman plot) between test 1 and test 2 was close to 0 for all tests. The coefficient of variation was less than 10% for all tests in the SA group, aside from the 90° push-up (24.3%). The SA group had a marginally lower combined mean coefficient of variation across all tests (6.5%) in comparison with the RA group (6.8%). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that, following familiarization training, SA health-related fitness tests in school-based physical education programs can be considered reliabl

The feasibility of a fitness test battery and web-based platform for monitoring key indicators of adolescent health in school settings

Aim: To examine the feasibility of a fitness test battery and web-based platform for monitoring key indicators of adolescent health in school settings. Methods: A process evaluation framework for feasibility studies, developed by Orsmond and Cohn (2015), was used to conduct a systematic evaluation of a student centred approach to measure and monitor health-related fitness in schools. Adolescents (N = 1215, female = 609) aged 13.4 years (SD.41) from a randomised sample of 20 schools in the Republic of Ireland, stratified for sex, location and educational (dis)advantage, completed a series of field-based fitness tests. Five feasibility benchmarks were examined, including; recruitment capability, data collection, acceptability of study procedures, resources, and an evaluation of teacher participant experiences. Various sources were used to operationalise the feasibility framework including, student (n = 795) and teacher (n = 20) evaluation surveys, test-retest reliability indices, and health-related fitness data from the 20 school expansion phase. Results: Overall, 95% of teachers (n = 19) and 79% of students (n = 618) surveyed agreed or strongly agreed that the Youth-Fit project was a worthwhile experience on a 5-point Likert scale. All feasibility benchmarks including recruitment capability, data collection procedures, resources and participant responses, were reached or exceeded. Further refinements including reducing the number of test items, increasing the time allocated for administering the test battery, and enhancing the efficiency of data input and quality of report output on the software platform are required. Conclusions: Positive feasibility benchmarks indicated that the Youth-Fit test battery and software platform represented a feasible, pedagogically sound and scientifically rigorous approach for monitoring health-related fitness in secondary school settings

Students’ attitudes towards and experiences of the youth-fit health related fitness test battery

The aim of this study was to examine secondary school students’ attitudes towards and experiences of a student-centred health-related fitness test battery. A total of 795 adolescents (403 boys, 50.7%; 392 girls, 49.3%) aged 13.2 years (±0.39) from 20 secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland participated in the study. Schools were stratified for gender, location and educational (dis)advantage. Students completed the test battery in small groups (n = ≤6) and each test item was administered by a trained senior student facilitator. Testing took place during physical education lessons. Test items included: body mass index; 20 m shuttle run; back-saver sit and reach; hand-grip strength; standing long jump; isometric plank-hold; 90° push-up; 4×10 m shuttle run; and blood pressure. Following participation in the test battery, students completed an instrument with valid scores for measuring attitudes towards fitness tests. Students’ experiences of each test item were also analysed. Overall, students had a positive attitude towards fitness testing (M = 3.9, ±0.59) on a five-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Although both positive, the mean attitude score for boys (M = 4.05, ±0.59) was significantly higher than girls (M = 3.79, ±0.59; p < 0.01, t-test). Most students (n = 690, 86.8%) agreed or strongly agreed that the senior student facilitator made it easier for them to perform the tests. In conclusion, students had positive attitudes towards and experiences of the Youth-fit test battery. Physical education teachers should consider implementing a small-group and senior student-facilitated approach when administering fitness tests

Profiling the health-related physical fitness of Irish adolescents: A school-level sociodemographic divide

Background and aims Examining factors that may explain disparities in fitness levels mong youth is a critical step in youth fitness promotion. The purpose of this study was twofold; 1) to examine the influence of school-level characteristics on fitness test performance;2) to compare Irish adolescents’ physical fitness to European norms. Methods Adolescent s (n = 1215, girls = 609) aged 13.4 years (SD .41) from a randomised sample of 20 secondary schools, stratified for gender, location and educational (dis)advantage, completed a series of field-based tests to measure the components of health-related physical fitness. Tests included: body mass index; 20 metre shuttle run test (20 m SRT); handgrip strength; standing broad jump (SBJ); 4 x 10 metre shuttle run; and back-saver sit-and-reach (BSR). Results Overall, boys outperformed girls in all tests, aside from the BSR (p < 0.005, t-test, Bonferroni correction). Participants in designated disadvantaged schools had significantly higher body mass index levels (p < 0.001), and significantly lower cardiorespiratory endurance (20 m SRT) (p < 0.001) and muscular strength (handgrip strength) (p = 0.018) levels compared to participants in non-disadvantaged schools. When compared to European norms, girls in this study scored significantly higher in the 20 m SRT, 4 x 10 metre shuttle run and SBJ tests, while boys scored significantly higher in the BSR test (Cohen’s d 0.2 to 0.6, p < 0.001). However, European adolescents had significantly higher handgrip strength scores (Cohen’s d 0.6 to 0.8, p < 0.001)

Lower back pain in physically demanding college academic programs : a questionnaire based study

Background: Lower back pain (LBP) is ranked first as a cause of disability and inability to work, and is expected to affect up to 90% of the worlds population at some point in their lifetime. The annual first time incidence of LBP is 5%, and the annual prevalence (i.e. those suffering at time of questioning) is between 15 and 63%. Prospective studies demonstrate that low back problems do not display a six-week spontaneous recovery pattern, as was once believed. The condition is regularly seen to worsen over time, becoming a chronic disorder, influenced by both physical and psychosocial factors. Methods: The current study assessed the level of LBP amongst students engaged in educational programs that were physically demanding, and its influence on lower back problems. A 1-year retrospective questionnaire consisting of 37 closed, open and multi-choice questions was designed to ascertain self-reported information on the occurrence, cause and type of LBP. Treatment, care seeking and general knowledge regarding LBP were also recorded. Students were enrolled in BSc Equine Science, BSc Physical Education and BSc Sports & Exercise Science degree programs and a total number of 188 valid questionnaires were collected. Results: The self reported, anthropometrical data for participants in this study are: age 20.9 ± 2.7 yrs; height 171.8 ± 9.3 cm; weight 66.7 ± 10.4 kg; female 64% (n = 120), male 36% (n = 68). The overall self reported prevalence of LBP was 32% (n = 61). Within the LBP population, 77% reported their problem as recurring. Two factors showed significance as having an influence on LBP. They were age (21.6 ± 3.5 yrs, p = 0.005) and hours of personal training physical activity (14.0 ± 8.2 hrs per week, p = 0.02). LBP sufferers also displayed poor management of their condition and an interest in education and treatment of their problem. Conclusion: The current study revealed high prevalence of LBP consistent with that of the literature, and unveiled a recurrence rate and behavioral habits of sufferers, which are warning signs of a more chronic state to come. Novel data presented here offers strong support for the need for prospective injury tracking, plus educational intervention and treatment aimed at prevention of LBP

A nation of couch potatoes? Physical activity, sedentary behaviour and health in Ireland

Effective national level health guidelines and policy must be based on accurate information about how physical activity and sedentary behaviour contribute to health. Research undertaken at the University of Limerick has utilised technology to accurately quantify levels of physical activity and sedentary behaviours, and has related these measures to both health indices and behavioural determinants. Publications based on these findings have been widely reported in the national media and referenced at government level. Members of UL’s Centre of Physical Activity and Health Research have contributed to the National Guidelines on Physical Activity for Ireland, Ireland’s National Physical Activity Plan and Ireland’s 2014 Report Card on Physical Activity in Children and Youth. The centre is currently taking a leading role in the Determinants of Diet and Physical Activity Choice (DEDIPAC) Knowledge Hub (www.dedipac.eu)

Improved prediction of body fat in healthy young Irish adults: preliminary findings from the University of Limerick (UL) body composition study

no abstract availabl

Physical Activity Behavior, Health and Wellbeing Study - Questionnaire

Project Tittle: Test-Retest Reliability of a Physical Activity Behavior, Health and Wellbeing Questionnaire in AdolescentsThe data was collected as part of a test-retest reliability study on a physical activity behavior, health and wellbeing questionnaire in adolescents and was conducted via the Physical Education and Sport Sciences Department and Health Research Institute in the University of Limerick. Research ethics approval for this study and the associated protocols was granted by the research ethics committee of the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, University of Limerick. The study aimed to examine the test-retest reliability of the physical activity behavior, health and wellbeing questionnaire in adolescent populations, administered by teachers in school settings, in the Republic of Ireland. A cross-sectional included 55 participants (45.5% males: Age,13.94 (±.40) were included. The participants completed the questionnaire on two occasions (T1 and T2), on the same day and time, one week apart following identical proceduresThe physical activity behaviour, health and wellbeing survey was assembled using tools with previously established validity. Although some research exists to support the reliability of questionnaires to measure physical activity behavior, health and wellbeing, there is a scarcity of research examining the reliability of tools to estimate all components as part of one questionnaire, utilizing a range of relative and absolute reliability indices.The questionnaire consists of variety of physical activity behaviour (n=13), health (n=11) and wellbeing (n=2) variables. The data was collected between January and March 2023. The current survey is supporting information for publication.</p