Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / Numerous studies focusing on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, elevated serum lipids, inactivity and lack of physical fitness prevalent in children highlight the importance of the early diagnosis and prevention of conditions that are associated in adulthood with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of accumulative physical activity on the fitness profile, blood pressure and body composition in 14-16 year old school children in the Western Cape of South Africa. / South Africa

Recent research has suggested that the effects of sport on well-being are mediated by psychological characteristics such as physical self-concept, instrumentality and positive body images; in addition, sport was found to be related to these psychological benefits for high school girls. However, physical self-concept played a central role by mediating the sport -body image and sport instrumentality relationships. Positive body image and instrumentality, in turn, predicted greater psychological well-being. The purpose of this investigation was to replicate earlier studies, and to examine these relationships with non-sport physical activity. Sport and physical activity were expected to contribute to higher physical self-concept, which in turn, would contribute positively to instrumentality and body image. Further, instrumentality and body image would be positively related to psychological well-being. Participants were 355 9th (n = 170) and 10th (n = 193) graders and they completed measures of involvement in sport/physical activities, physical self-concept, instrumentality, body satisfaction, self-esteem, satisfaction with life, depression, and demographics. Structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the data. Overall, for both sport and physical activity, the models fit the data well (sport model: NNFI=.95, CFI=.96, SRMR=.08, RMSEA=.09, physical activity model: NNFI=.96, CFI=.97, SRMR=.08, RMSEA=.09). Specifically, sport participation was positively related to physical self-concept (R2 = .47); physical self-concept related to body image (R2 = .30) and instrumentality (R2 = .23); Physical activity was positively related to physical self-concept (R2 = .61); physical self-concept related to body image (R2 = .30) and instrumentality (R2 = .26). For both models, positive body image and higher levels of instrumentality contributed to greater psychological well-being (R2 = 66). These results highlight the importance of developing physical competence for high school girls through sport participation and physical activity.

Numerous studies focusing on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, elevated serum lipids, inactivity and lack of physical fitness prevalent in children highlight the importance of the early diagnosis and prevention of conditions that are associated in adulthood with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of accumulative physical activity on the fitness profile, blood pressure and body composition in 14-16 year old school children in the Western Cape of South Africa.

Numerous studies focusing on cardiovascular disease risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, elevated serum lipids, inactivity and lack of physical fitness prevalent in children highlight the importance of the early diagnosis and prevention of conditions that are associated in adulthood with cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of accumulative physical activity on the fitness profile, blood pressure and body composition in 14-16 year old school children in the Western Cape of South Africa.