title: Self-efficacy, physical activity, and aerobic fitness in middle school children: examination of a pedometer intervention program.
abstract: Physical activity in children has been associated with a number of health benefits. Unfortunately, physical inactivity continues to increase. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among self-efficacy levels, physical activity, aerobic fitness, and body composition (relative body mass index [RBMI]) and to determine whether a school-based pedometer intervention program would improve those variables. The sample consisted of 116 rural 11- to 13-year-old students. Weakly positive correlations between self-efficacy, physical activity, and aerobic fitness and weakly correlated inverse relationships between self-efficacy, physical activity, aerobic fitness and RBMI were found. There was no statistical significance between the intervention and control group when analyzing outcome variables. These findings suggest that those with optimal RBMI levels have higher self-efficacy, physical activity and aerobic fitness levels. Although not statistically significant, the intervention group had greater improvements in mean self-efficacy scores, aerobic fitness levels, and RBMI.
authors.affiliation: Murray State University, Murray, KY. Electronic address: dana.manley@murraystate.edu.
authors.forename: Dana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Manley
authors.affiliation: UT Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.affiliation: UT Health Science Center, Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities, Memphis, TN.
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Graff
authors.affiliation: Murray State University, Murray, KY.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perlow
authors.affiliation: Murray State University, Murray, KY.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.affiliation: UT Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
authors.forename: Phyllis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richey
authors.affiliation: UT Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
authors.forename: Zoila
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sanchez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002669:Child Welfare; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000517:prevention & control; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012016:Reference Values; D012572:School Health Services; D020377:Self Efficacy; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Aerobic fitness; Middle school children; Physical activity; Relative body mass index (RBMI); Self-efficacy levels