Youth’s Physical Activity and Fitness from a Rural Environment of an Azores Island

João Pedro Gouveia, Pedro Forte and Eduarda Coelho
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João Pedro Gouveia: Department of Sports Sciences, Health and Exercise, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Edifício de Ciências do Desporto, Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Pedro Forte: Research Center in Sports, Health and Human Development, CIDESD, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
Eduarda Coelho: Department of Sports Sciences, Health and Exercise, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Edifício de Ciências do Desporto, Quinta de Prados, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal

Social Sciences, 2021, vol. 10, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: This study aimed to characterize and compare physical activity (PA) and fitness levels by sex in 109 students of a rural environment. The participants were between 15 and 20 years old, from the Santa Maria High School in the Azores’ Santa Maria island. PA levels were assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-short form. The physical fitness was evaluated by the Fitnessgram battery tests. The sample of this study were physically active, 67.9% were classified with high and moderate PA levels. Regarding the sex comparisons, no significant differences between PA levels were founded. However, males presented higher values of vigorous physical activity, whereas females spent more time in moderate activity, such as walking. Moreover, females had more time in sitting positions during the week and weekend. Regarding the physical fitness levels, males presented significantly higher performances in the upper strength ( p < 0.001) and aerobic capacity tests ( p < 0.001), whereas females showed higher values in the sit and reach test ( p < 0.001), in the trunk lift test ( p < 0.005), and in the fat mass values ( p < 0.001). It seems reasonable to assume that there is a sociodemographic influence on the PA and physical fitness levels in our sample. We may speculate that rural life provides more opportunities for youth for being physically active than urban life. No differences were founded between sexes for physical activity. However, differences were found between sex for strength, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition. That might be explained by the biological differences and the type of physical activity habits that each sex use to have in rural environmental.

Keywords: physical activity; physical fitness; rural environment; adolescents and youngsters (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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