The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #38910

Marci L. Hardy, MA and Stephen Nagy, PhD. Department of Health Sciences, University of Alabama, Box 870311, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, (205)-348-2486, InstructorHardy@aol.com

The report Promoting Better Health for Young People Through Physical Activity and Sports identified that many American youth are inactive, unfit, and overweight. Given physical activity’s complex nature, related demographic factors will need to be determined so that programs can be tailored. The purposes of this study were: 1) to examine gender differences in physical activity patterns of adolescents; 2) to examine gender differences between adolescent physical activity patterns and sedentary behavior patterns including hours spent watching television, playing video games, talking on the phone, and doing homework. Ninth and tenth grade students attending rural schools (N=899) were surveyed during Spring 2001. Physical activity (PA) levels were categorized as satisfactory and unsatisfactory, based upon American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommendations to complete at least three sessions of PA weekly. The results indicate that 72.8% of females and 51.3% of males did not meet ACSM recommendations (p<0.01). For females, insufficient PA was significantly associated with time spent on homework and time spent watching television (p<0.05). Male PA was not significantly associated with any of the sedentary behaviors. These results support the trends identified in the literature that male adolescents tend to participate in more vigorous PA than females. The results also indicate that more sedentary behaviors are associated with PA levels of female adolescents than of male adolescents. These data are preliminary needs assessment information and support the need for health education programs to encourage physical activity and modify sedentary behaviors. Tailoring programs by gender should receive strong consideration.

Learning Objectives:

• By the end of the session the learner will identify the relationship between physical activity levels and sedentary behaviors.
• By the end of the session the learner will discuss how gender differences in physical activity levels and sedentary behaviors may impact intervention.

Keywords: Needs Assessment, Physical Activity

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.