School of Health and Human Performance, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland.
BMC Public Health. 2014 Feb 5;14:122. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-122.
Despite known benefits of regular physical activity for health and well-being, many studies suggest that levels of physical activity in young people are low, and decline dramatically during adolescence. The purpose of the current research was to gather data on adolescent youth in order to inform the development of a targeted physical activity intervention.
Cross-sectional data on physical activity levels (using self report and accelerometry), psychological correlates of physical activity, anthropometic characteristics, and the fundamental movement skill proficiency of 256 youth (53% male, 12.40 ± 0.51 years) were collected. A subsample (n = 59) participated in focus group interviews to explore their perceptions of health and identify barriers and motivators to participation in physical activity.
Findings indicate that the majority of youth (67%) were not accumulating the minimum 60 minutes of physical activity recommended daily for health, and that 99.5% did not achieve the fundamental movement skill proficiency expected for their age. Body mass index data showed that 25% of youth were classified as overweight or obese. Self-efficacy and physical activity attitude scores were significantly different (p < 0.05) between low, moderate and high active participants. Active and inactive youth reported differences in their perceived understanding of health and their barriers to physical activity participation, with active youth relating nutrition, exercise, energy and sports with the definition of 'being healthy', and inactive youth attributing primarily nutritional concepts to 'being healthy'.
Data show a need for targeting low levels of physical activity in youth through addressing poor health related activity knowledge and low fundamental movement skill proficiency. The Y-PATH intervention was developed in accordance with the present study findings; details of the intervention format are presented.
尽管有规律的体育活动对健康和幸福感有好处，但许多研究表明，年轻人的体育活动水平较低，而且在青春期急剧下降。本研究的目的是收集青少年的数据，以便为有针对性的体育活动干预措施提供信息。
本研究共收集了 256 名青少年（53%为男性，年龄为 12.40±0.51 岁）的体育活动水平（使用自我报告和加速度计）、体育活动心理相关因素、人体测量特征和基本运动技能熟练程度的横断面数据。对 59 名青少年进行了焦点小组访谈，以探索他们对健康的看法，并确定参与体育活动的障碍和动机。
研究结果表明，大多数青少年（67%）没有达到每天推荐的最低 60 分钟健康体育活动量，99.5%的青少年没有达到与其年龄相符的基本运动技能熟练程度。体重指数数据显示，25%的青少年超重或肥胖。自我效能感和体育活动态度得分在低、中、高活动参与者之间有显著差异（p<0.05）。积极和不积极的青少年在他们对健康的理解和参与体育活动的障碍方面存在差异，积极的青少年将营养、锻炼、能量和运动与“健康”的定义联系起来，而不积极的青少年主要将营养概念与“健康”联系起来。
数据显示，需要通过解决与健康相关的活动知识不足和基本运动技能熟练程度低的问题，来提高青少年的体育活动水平。Y-PATH 干预措施是根据本研究的结果制定的；干预措施的格式细节也在文中呈现。
