Constraints experienced by physical education teachers with overweight and obese students

Abstract

Despite ‘antifat’ attitude of some PE teachers (Greenleaf & Weiller, 2005) and the PE public relations problem in regard to how obese students are treated (Irwin et al., 2003), it seems evident that this school subject represents a key element in the involvement of the education sector in the fight against the worldwide escalating global epidemic of obesity (Tappe & Burgeson, 2004). In fact, PE teachers consider that they lack of specific knowledge to implement instructional strategies dealing with overweight and obese students (Cloes & Ziant, 2009). Some authors proposed models to illustrate constraints that PE teachers encounter in their classes with obese students and their potential solutions (Cloes et al., 2013; Rukavina et al., 2010). On the other hand, data are missing when identifying those that are considered as their main concerns and the ways that they would prefer to receive some support regarding this specific topic. This study is focused on these two aspects. Five hundred thirteen PE teachers fulfilled an online questionnaire (Lickert scales) in which they had to determine (1) the perceived importance of 20 problems proposed by PE teachers and validated by 8 experts; (2) their relative interest toward the reception of support aiming to deal with those problems; (3) their preference for receiving information about the potential instructional strategies. Based on the answers, the top 3 problems are: (1) Students’ lack of awareness about the risks of overweight and obesity; (2) Constraints associated with the motor/physical disabling; (3) Parents’ lack of awareness about physical activity impact on health. Internet (3.49±.6/4), continuing professional development activities (3.29±.8/4), and educational info capsules (3.07±.8/4) were identified as the main resources that PE teachers would use preferentially. This study provides useful information for PE teachers’ educators who should develop now material to be shared with the practitioners