Factors Associated with Physical Fitness among Overweight and Non-Overweight Austrian Secondary School Students

Gerhard Ruedl, Nikolaus Greier, Martin Niedermeier, Markus Posch, Vera Prünster, Martin Faulhaber and Martin Burtscher
Additional contact information
Gerhard Ruedl: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Nikolaus Greier: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Martin Niedermeier: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Markus Posch: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Vera Prünster: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Martin Faulhaber: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria
Martin Burtscher: Department of Sport Science, University of Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 21, 1-10

Abstract: The aim of the study was to evaluate factors associated with physical fitness (PF) among overweight and non-overweight Austrian secondary school students. PF was measured using the German motor test (DMT) 6–18 and students were asked about sex, migration background, weekly leisure time physical activity and daily electronic media use. In total 560 adolescents (56.6% female) with a mean age of 15.4 ± 1.4 years and a mean body mass index (BMI) of 22.5 ± 4.2 kg/m² were evaluated with 130 (23.2%) students classified as overweight or obese. For the total cohort, results of the multiple linear regression analysis (R 2 = 0.34) revealed that a younger age (β = −0.16), no migration background (β = 0.13), a lower BMI (β = −0.29), a higher weekly leisure time physical activity (β = 0.34) and a lower daily electronic media use (β = −0.15) were associated with increased PF. Separate regression analyses for non-overweight and overweight students showed similar regression coefficients except for BMI. In conclusion, the positive influence of modifiable factors such as lower BMI, higher self-reported weekly leisure time sports activity and lower self-reported daily electronic media use should be considered already at young ages to increase physical fitness in overweight and non-overweight youth.

Keywords: physical fitness; motor competence; physical activity; adolescents; overweight (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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