Physical Activity Of Students Of Teachers’ Training Faculty In Subotica

Author(s):

Szabolcs Halasi(presenting / submitting)Josip Lepeš

Conference:

ECER 2015

Network:

18. Research in Sports Pedagogy

Format:

Paper

Session Information

18 SES 06, Utilising Effective Pedagogies in Physical Education

Paper Session

Time:

2015-09-09

15:30-17:00

Room:

326.Oktatóterem [C]

Chair:

Mark Griffiths

Contribution

Physical activity contributes to physical, mental and social health and improves the quality of life of people of all ages. Not enough physical activity is the biggest health problem of one nation, and it is proved that it is the factor that contributes to the development of chronic diseases and disorders (Blair, La Monte & Nichaman, 2004). The excess body mass and low physical fitness were associated with several metabolic risk factors that increase students’ risk of chronic disease (Sasceck et al., 2010). Research has consistently revealed that lifestyle behaviours of the young adult population are putting individuals at an increased risk for the development of numerous chronic diseases later in life (Sparling, 2003). Obesity and higher body weight are strongly associated with a sedentary lifestyle and lack of physical activity in the adult population of the European Union (Martinez-Gonzáles et al., 1999). During student years, students become more sedentary and as their physical activity levels decrease. Watching television, using the computer or playing video games and finishing tasks for the university, these all belong to the sedentary behavior, and students forget to be physically active. They must find the balance between those areas. The majority of the negative health outcomes that arise from physical inactivity are largely preventable with lifestyle changes. The purpose of this study was to collect data from students of Teachers’ Training Faculty on Hungarian (TTFH) in Subotica about behaving at their free time, focusing on physical activities and sedentary behavior.

Method

The TTFH carried out a survey to assess the leisure time habits of their students in academic year 2013/2014. This study included a total of 118 voluntary undergraduate students (male: 24, female: 94). The questionnaire included 31 items, distributed in 5 blocks: descriptive data (3 items), healthy habits (5 items), feeding habits (5 items), sedentary behavior (14 items) and unhealthy behaviors (4 items). The anthropometric measures body mass and body height were taken using standard procedures and instruments, and accordingly, BMI (height/weight2) values were calculated. Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions were taken into consideration by gender. Parametric data with t-test, non-parametric data with Mann-Whitney U test were calculated.

Expected Outcomes

Surveyed male students reported greater participation in healthy habits than did female students, and they also spent more time with sedentary behavior, but the difference were not significant. Physical activity patterns during college are important influences on habitual physical activity during the full span of the adult life and, consequently, have significant implications for short- and long- term health outcomes (Sparling, 2003). Living an active lifestyle by integrating physical activity into an individual’s daily routine can be an effective way to increase personal fitness (Edwards & Tsouros, 2006). Students spent little time on physical activities in their free time and a lot of time with sedentary behaviour. It has to be changed, because by time they will become teachers and if they are bad examples to children we can not expect from the society to be healthier. The role and importance of physical activities should be taught on the universities. With the change of the university curriculum in all year there should be a course related to physical activity for which students could get credits and they would attend it weekly. It would help to make it possible for students to lead not only a sedentary but on active way of life organized by the university.

References

Blair, S.,N., LaMonte, M.J., & Nichaman, M.,Z. (2004). The evolution of physical activity recommendations: How muchis enough? American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 79 (5), 913-920. Edwards, P., & Tsouros, A. D. (2006). Promoting physical activity and active living in urban environments: The role of local governments. Copenhagen, Denmark: World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe. Martínez-González, M., Martínez, J., Hu, F., Gibney, M., & Kearney J. (1999). Physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle and obesity in the European Union. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, 23(11),1192-201. Sacheck, J. M., Kuder, J. F., & Economos, C. D. (2010). Physical fitness, adiposity, and metabolic risk factors in young college students. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 42(6), 1039-1044. Sparling, P. B. (2003). College physical education: An unrecognized agent of change in combating inactivity-related diseases. Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 46(4), 579-587.

Author Information

Szabolcs Halasi (presenting / submitting)

University of Novi Sad

Teachers' Training Faculty in Hungarian in subotica

Subotica

Josip Lepeš

University of Novi Sad, Serbia

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