title: Habitual physical activity levels and health outcomes of Ontario youth.
abstract: Physical activity, sport participation, attitude towards physical education, aerobic fitness, body composition and frequency of upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) were investigated in 256 adolescents [mean age 14.3 (0.3) years] from the Niagara Region Public Schools in Canada. Subjects performed the 20-m shuttle run for prediction of aerobic fitness, and bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to assess relative body fat (%BF). Standardized questionnaires were used to determine physical activity-related variables and frequency of URTI. Males were more active, demonstrated higher shuttle run score, lower %BF and recorded fewer sickness days. In the complete cohort and in males, those who spent less time in sporting activities showed significantly (P<0.05) higher %BF, lower aerobic fitness and higher URTI frequency. Active females differed from hypoactive females only in %BF. Girls also showed significantly (P<0.05) less enjoyment of physical education than boys, which may explain their lack (P<0.05) of participation in sporting activities.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario, L2S 3A1, Canada. nota.klentrou@brocku.ca
authors.forename: Panagiota
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Klentrou
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hay
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plyley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001823:Body Composition; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009864:Ontario / Q000453:epidemiology; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires