Physical activity benefits for schoolchildren’s health and life quality

Фотографии: 

ˑ: 

PhD, Associate Professor L.E. Pakhomova1
PhD, Associate Professor O.V. Petrenko1
PhD, Associate Professor V.K. Klimova1
PhD T.A. Mironova1
1Belgorod State National Research University, Belgorod

Keywords: schoolchildren, physical activity, health, quality of life, sports.

Introduction. Physical activity is an independent socio-educational phenomenon, which is essential for the formation of individual’s physical culture and ensures a synergy of his social, physical and mental performance, as well as integrity of his health, culture and activity [1].

No matter how much energy medical professionals expend treating the sick, if an individual does not strive to preserve his/her own health as a top priority in life and the main criterion of life quality, more and more new incurable health problems will occur [2].

Quality of life is an integral characteristic of man’s physical, psychological, emotional and social function based on his subjective perception.

Consequently, the individual’s quality of life is defined as overall satisfaction with life and wellbeing. In other words, the quality of life is the degree of person's comfort both within himself and in social environment. At the same time, personal opinion is the determining factor [2, 3].

Sports are among the main components of formation of the quality of life of the younger generation.

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of systemic physical activity for schoolchildren’s health, wellbeing and motivations for leisure-time physical practices.

Methods and structure of the study. A questionnaire survey under the study was performed at a few gymnasia (№ 1, 2, 38) in Belgorod. A sample of 487 (210 male and 277 female) students was surveyed and split up into 11-, 13- and 15-year-old groups; with the survey data processed by the standard computer software.

Results and discussion. During the study we analyzed the subjects’ physical activity indicators, in particular the number of training days per week (each training session lasting for at least 60 minutes).

Our major interest was to conduct a quantitative analysis of the indicators in the males and females training for 1 to 3 hours a week, more than 3 hours a week, and untrained subjects of both gender groups.

The research data analysis showed an increase in the number of schoolchildren not attending physical education classes and a decrease in the number of those training for 4 to 7 days a week. The number of physical education classes per week officially increased to 3 resulted in the increase of the number of regularly training (up to 3 days a week) individuals, except for the 13-15 year-old females. In the first case, this can be explained by the fact that the number of students diagnosed with certain diseases is increasing year by year, as evidenced by the survey results. In particular, we have the following question in the questionnaire: "How often have you experienced the following disagreeable sensations over the past 6 months?".

The list of disagreeable sensations included: headache, abdominal pain, back pain, depression, irritability or bad mood, stress, insomnia, dizziness. Depending on their frequency these disagreeable sensations were grouped as follows: almost every day, more than once a week, almost every week, almost every month, rarely or never. We obtained the correlation rate between the weekly volume of physical load and disagreeable sensations, which students experienced in total almost every day and more than once a week (Table 1).

Table 1. Correlation between load volume and discomfort experienced by students of different age and gender groups during the week, %

Age,

y.o.

Number of training days per week (each training session lasting for at least 60 minutes)

0

1 – 3

4 -7

11

M

4

44

51

F

10

46

44

13

M

9

29

45

F

12

45

43

15

M

13

49

38

F

24

43

14

Of all the above-mentioned disagreeable sensations, 80-100% of boys and girls of all age groups experienced headache, back pain, depression, irritability or bad mood, stress almost every day or more than once a week. Moreover, depression and especially irritability or bad mood were registered on a more frequent basis. None of the schoolchildren indicated insomnia or dizziness. There are two more aspects to be emphasized. First, the number of untrained children who experienced discomfort increased from class to class, while the number of those training 4 to 7 days a week decreased. On the one hand, this testifies to the beneficial effect of systemic physical activity on the schoolchildren’s health, and on the other hand, it is disturbing that about half of the children additionally attending sport sections feel some discomfort. We can assume that the children's day regime was irrational. Secondly, the number of girls of all age groups not engaged in additional physical training and attending academic physical education classes only exceeded the number of boys experiencing pain, irritation or bad mood.

The question of the schoolchildren's wellbeing is presented as a 10-point scale, which, for the purpose of the data analysis, was divided into three levels: 0-4 - low, 5-7 - average, 8-10 high. In this case, we registered the responses testifying to the low (0-4) level of wellbeing. The correlation was determined by comparing each student’s answers to the selected questions (Table 2).

Table 2. Correlation between load volume and wellbeing of Belgorod schoolchildren, %

 

Life quality indicator

 

Age,

y.o.

Number of training days per week (each training session lasting for at least 60 minutes)

0

1 - 3

4 - 7

m

f

m

f

m

f

 

Well-being

11

1

1

4

1

4

1

13

0

3

5

4

0

5

15

2

1

5

1

0

0

The data obtained based on the schoolchildren’s self-rating suggest that some children encounter serious problems in the course of a lifetime, regardless of the load volume, where 13-year-old schoolchildren form the biggest share.

It is not characteristic of a child to demonstrate his problems, and if his answer to the question about his/her wellbeing corresponds to the low level, this can be regarded as "a cry from the heart". Naturally, there are only a few children like that - up to 5%, but they exist. Most likely, this testifies to the more important child-centered problems rather than to the irrational organization of one's vital activity.

Most likely, not all children frankly answered the question about their wellbeing, as the study of the answers to other questions showed that their life was far from untroubled. For instance, 8% of the 11-year-old and 9% of the 15-year-old boys live without their mothers. 41% of the 11-year-old boys and 27% of girls live without their father. The children experience great difficulties with discussing things important for them with their parents. Some children feel lonely and unwanted. For example, more than 40% of the 11-year-old boys, when at school, never or very rarely feel comfortable. Many schoolchildren of all age groups do not consider their classmates to be kind and sympathetic.

The analysis of the questionnaire survey data revealed the majority of schoolchildren attending the school sport sections in off-class hours. Moreover, the older they get, the more rarely they attend children's and youth sports schools, especially girls (Table 3). Some schoolchildren do not exercise in their free time at all, which means that their health is at risk.      

Table 3. Places for off-class physical practices, %

School and sport section

6 grade

8 grade

10 grade

M

F

M

F

M

F

In the general education school I go to

56.7

66.7

59.4

54.9

70.1

70.0

In the recreation center, fitness club

4.5

9.3

2.9

13.4

4.5

11.8

In the youth sports school, sports club

26.9

14.7

13.0

14.6

13.4

5.5

I do not exercise

11.9

9.3

24.6

17.1

11.9

12.7

The study found sports the schoolchildren are practicing and would like to practice in off-class hours (Table 4, 5). There was meant to be a discrepancy. The analysis of the data obtained confirmed this to some extent.

Table 4. Sports schoolchildren practice on a regular basis, %

Regularly practice in off-class hours

grade 6

grade 8

grade 10

M

F

M

M

F

M

1. Sport games

35.2

8.8

32.2

24.2

37.3

30.1

2. Coordination sports

1.9

12.3

0.0

4.8

0.0

3.6

3. Track and field athletics

3.7

15.8

5.1

4.8

11.9

12.0

4. Water sports

16.7

15.8

13.6

9.7

3.4

2.4

5. Skiing

0.0

1.7

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

6. Cyclic sports

0.0

0.0

1.7

0.0

0.0

0.0

7. Winter sports

0.0

1.8

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

8. Technical sports

1.9

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

9. Combat sports       

25.9

1.8

16.9

1.6

6.8

0.0

10. Team sports

1.9

3.5

1.7

1.6

1.7

3.6

11. Strength sports

0.0

0.0

1.7

1.6

1.7

1.2

12. Conditioning training

13.0

38.6

20.3

48.4

35.6

47.0

13. Other sports

0.0

1.8

5.1

3.2

1.7

0.0

Table 5. Sports schoolchildren would like to practice in off-class hours, %

Would like to practice in off-class hours

grade 6

grade 8

grade 10

M

F

M

M

F

M

1. Sport games

40.0

15.2

42.9

31.0

36.8

18.9

2. Coordination sports

8.0

23.9

0.0

2.4

0.0

3.8

3. Track and field athletics

0.0

8.7

3.6

11.9

0.0

11.3

4. Water sports

24.0

19.6

10.7

21.4

15.8

26.4

5. Skiing

0.0

0.0

3.6

0.0

7.9

0.0

6. Cyclic sports

4.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

7. Winter sports

0.0

15.2

3.6

4.8

0.0

7.5

8. Technical sports

0.0

0.0

7.1

0.0

2.6

1.9

9. Combat sports       

12.0

0.0

3.6

9.5

13.2

7.5

10. Team sports

0.0

6.5

3.6

11.9

7.9

3.8

11. Strength sports

4.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

12. Conditioning training

8.0

10.9

10.7

7.1

10.5

18.9

13. Other sports

0.0

0.0

10.7

0.0

5.3

0.0

The schoolchildren were extremely interested in sport games in particular, as well as in winter, water sports, combat sports and team games. At the same time, some Olympic sports seem less attractive for them: track and field athletics, cyclic sports (cycling, speed skating, different kinds of rowing, etc.). A part of the schoolchildren would refuse to be engaged in conditioning training.

Conclusion. It was found that the physical education class absenteeism has grown up and the attendance of off-class trainings (4-7 times a week) has sagged. Furthermore, 80-100% of the respondents in every age and gender subgroup reported having headache, spinal pain, irritability, frustration, bad mood, stress at least once a week, with girls being more vulnerable to them. Some respondents reported serious problems and rated their wellbeing/ quality of life low; whilst most of the respondents attended off-class physical trainings in the school sport groups.

References

  1. Komkov A.G. Sotsialno-pedagogicheskie osnovy formirovaniya fizicheskoy aktivnosti detey shkolnogo vozrasta. Avtoref. dis. dokt. ped. nauk [Socio-pedagogical basics for physical activation of school-aged children. Doct. diss. abstract]. St. Petersburg., 2000, 54 p.
  2. Levin M.Ya., Tajmazov V.A., Orekhova L.Yu., Stepanova V.N. Kachestvo zhizni i vliyayuschie na nego faktory. Ucheb. posobie, 2nd ed., sup. [Quality of life and factors to affect it. Study guide, 2nd ed., sup.]. St. Petersburg: Olimp SPb publ., 2003, 360 p.
  3. Razumov A., Ponomarenko V., Piskunov V., [ed. V.S. Shinkarenko] Zdorovye zdorovogo cheloveka (Osnovy ozdorovitelnoy meditsiny) [Health of healthy person (Fundamentals of Health Medicine)]. Moscow: Meditsina publ., 1996, pp. 140-149.

Corresponding author: pakhomova@bsu.edu.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to analyze benefits of systemic physical activity for the schoolchildren’s health, wellbeing and motivations for leisure-time physical practices. A questionnaire survey under the study was performed at a few gymnasia in Belgorod. A sample of 487 (210 male and 277 female) students was surveyed and split up into the 11-, 13- and 15-year-old groups; with the survey data processed by the standard computer software. It was found that the physical education class absenteeism has grown up and the attendance of off-class trainings (4-7 times a week) has sagged. Furthermore, 80-100% of the respondents in every age and gender subgroup reported having headaches, spinal pains, irritability, frustration, bad mood, stress at least once a week, with girls being more vulnerable to them. Some respondents reported serious problems and rated their wellbeing/ quality of life low; whilst most of the respondents attended off-class physical trainings in the school sport groups