It is well documented that behavioural and biological risk factors for Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle (CDL) such as overweight and high blood pressure persist from childhood into adulthood. CDL is considered to be a group of diseases that shares similar risk factors as a result of exposure over many decades to physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, smoking, lack of regular exercise, and possibly stress. This study assessed health-related physical fitness and risk factors associated with obesity among 1361 (boys: n=678; girls: n=683) primary school children aged 9-12 years in the Limpopo (LP) and Mpumalanga (MP) Provinces, South Africa. Anthropometric and physical fitness measurements were taken using the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) (Marfell-Jones, et al., 2006) and EUROFIT (1988) test batteries. Body composition measures included body mass index (BMI) (weight/height2), percentage body fat (%BF) and waist-to-hip ratio, respectively. BMI for age and gender was used to classify the children as underweight, overweight or obese (Cole et al., 2007), whilst %BF calculated from the sum of two skinfolds (triceps and subscapular) using the equation of Slaughter et al. (1988) indicated adiposity. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to categorise the children’s physical activity (PA) level as follows: Low (METs scores of less than 500); Moderate (METs scores from 500 to 1499) or High (METs >1500). In general, 75% of the children were underweight/stunted and 1.6% overweight. Frequencies of underweight, normal weight and overweight were 77%, 22.4% and 0.2% in MP and 72%, 24% and 3% in LP province. Boys were generally taller and heavier than girls. At age 10 the MP boys performed significantly (p=0.05) better in sit-ups (SUP: 20.5 ±5.4) than the LP boys (18.6±6.56). However, the LP boys performed significantly better than the MP boys in sit-and-reach (SAR) at ages 10 and 11. The MP boys performed significantly (p=0.00) better in SBJ (121.6±9.1cm) compared to the Limpopo (118.4±11.00cm) boys at age 9. Generally, LP boys were significantly (p=0.00) better than the MP boys across all ages. The PA results showed that 27.7% (377), 58.5% (796) and 13.8% (188) of the children participate in low, moderate and high PA, respectively. Children in the MP province had higher PA (28.6%) in comparison to the low PA participation in LP children (26.7%). Furthermore, 59.7% of MP children compared to the LP children (57.3%) participate in moderate PA. A higher PA participation rate (15.8%) was found among the LP than MP children (11.6%). The girls had non-significantly higher BP values (systolic: 112.94±11.28mmHg; diastolic: (79.40±12.80mmHg) than boys (systolic: 110.71±14.95mmHg; diastolic: (75.53±12.53mmHg) who had higher PA levels (METs =1286.72±317.47) than girls (METs =397.28±30.14) (p<0.01). A total of 81% (n=1089) and 19% (n=253) of the combined samples had normal BP and prehypertension, respectively. When controlled for provinces, gender and age, results indicated that BMI was negatively associated with systolic BP (SBP) (-0.54) (p<0.01), but positively correlated with %BF (0.133) (p<0.01), whilst SBP related positively with %BF (0.125) (p<0.01). The children’s PA level correlated positively with BMI (0.86) (p<0.01) but negatively with %BF (-0.67); weight circumference (WC) (-0.41); SUP (sit-up) (-0.22); and predicted 2max • VO (-0.17) (p<0.05). The high percentage of underweight and pre-hypertensive children in the study warrants an urgent need to periodically evaluate PA levels among South African children and design appropriate intervention programmes to alleviate concerns over body weight disorders and low PA levels in children, thus optimising health outcomes. / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

It is well documented that behavioural and biological risk factors for Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle (CDL) such as overweight and high blood pressure persist from childhood into adulthood. CDL is considered to be a group of diseases that shares similar risk factors as a result of exposure over many decades to physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, smoking, lack of regular exercise, and possibly stress. This study assessed health-related physical fitness and risk factors associated with obesity among 1361 (boys: n=678; girls: n=683) primary school children aged 9-12 years in the Limpopo (LP) and Mpumalanga (MP) Provinces, South Africa. Anthropometric and physical fitness measurements were taken using the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK) (Marfell-Jones, et al., 2006) and EUROFIT (1988) test batteries. Body composition measures included body mass index (BMI) (weight/height2), percentage body fat (%BF) and waist-to-hip ratio, respectively. BMI for age and gender was used to classify the children as underweight, overweight or obese (Cole et al., 2007), whilst %BF calculated from the sum of two skinfolds (triceps and subscapular) using the equation of Slaughter et al. (1988) indicated adiposity. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was used to categorise the children’s physical activity (PA) level as follows: Low (METs scores of less than 500); Moderate (METs scores from 500 to 1499) or High (METs >1500). In general, 75% of the children were underweight/stunted and 1.6% overweight. Frequencies of underweight, normal weight and overweight were 77%, 22.4% and 0.2% in MP and 72%, 24% and 3% in LP province. Boys were generally taller and heavier than girls. At age 10 the MP boys performed significantly (p=0.05) better in sit-ups (SUP: 20.5 ±5.4) than the LP boys (18.6±6.56). However, the LP boys performed significantly better than the MP boys in sit-and-reach (SAR) at ages 10 and 11. The MP boys performed significantly (p=0.00) better in SBJ (121.6±9.1cm) compared to the Limpopo (118.4±11.00cm) boys at age 9. Generally, LP boys were significantly (p=0.00) better than the MP boys across all ages. The PA results showed that 27.7% (377), 58.5% (796) and 13.8% (188) of the children participate in low, moderate and high PA, respectively. Children in the MP province had higher PA (28.6%) in comparison to the low PA participation in LP children (26.7%). Furthermore, 59.7% of MP children compared to the LP children (57.3%) participate in moderate PA. A higher PA participation rate (15.8%) was found among the LP than MP children (11.6%). The girls had non-significantly higher BP values (systolic: 112.94±11.28mmHg; diastolic: (79.40±12.80mmHg) than boys (systolic: 110.71±14.95mmHg; diastolic: (75.53±12.53mmHg) who had higher PA levels (METs =1286.72±317.47) than girls (METs =397.28±30.14) (p<0.01). A total of 81% (n=1089) and 19% (n=253) of the combined samples had normal BP and prehypertension, respectively. When controlled for provinces, gender and age, results indicated that BMI was negatively associated with systolic BP (SBP) (-0.54) (p<0.01), but positively correlated with %BF (0.133) (p<0.01), whilst SBP related positively with %BF (0.125) (p<0.01). The children’s PA level correlated positively with BMI (0.86) (p<0.01) but negatively with %BF (-0.67); weight circumference (WC) (-0.41); SUP (sit-up) (-0.22); and predicted 2max • VO (-0.17) (p<0.05). The high percentage of underweight and pre-hypertensive children in the study warrants an urgent need to periodically evaluate PA levels among South African children and design appropriate intervention programmes to alleviate concerns over body weight disorders and low PA levels in children, thus optimising health outcomes. / PhD (Human Movement Science), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Title: Effect of individual intervention programme on selected components of health- related fitness to proband without previous movement experience Objective: The main objective of the thesis is physical analysis and diagnosis of individual, individual intervention program creation and subsequent assessment of whether and how personally leaded program can affect selected components of health-related fitness to proband without any previous experience. Methods: For the needs of this thesis several types of measurements were used. Body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis, postural stability - posturograph, laboratory stress test on a treadmill, terrain stress test on the athletics track, the basic movement patterns using diagnostic according to Janda, as a complementary test was chosen dynamometer to determine the strength of forearm muscles. Results: During the 16-week intervention changes occurred in many of the parameters. Individual intervention program has brought significant changes in body composition, specifically to reduce the ratio of ECM/BCM in the early phase of the program, but later was its exacerbation. Generally, the trend showed improvement in postural stability due to the generally realized PA. The intervention program did not demonstrate significant changes in...

The unhealthy lifestyles of many individuals throughout the world put them at risk for health problems, including infectious disease; endocrine, circulatory, cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive disorders; and obesity. The modifiable health risks from unhealthy lifestyles account for a sizable percentage of health care costs. Regular exercise is recommended for health. However, currently little research exists regarding how individuals select which exercise regimens (personal training, group exercise, multimedia exercise, and self-directed) to follow. Selection of regimens that are based on one's personality may lead to regular, long-term exercise behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine whether personality was related to preference for different modalities among regular exercisers and whether the demographics of age and gender moderated this relationship. The theoretical foundation for the study consisted of the Big-5 personality theory. The nonexperimental quantitative, cross-sectional descriptive research design included the brief version of the Big-5 Inventory (BFI-10) and an exercise modality preference survey, which were administered to 199 individuals aged 25-65 years old who exercise at least twice a week. Results of the logistic regression analyses provided evidence that individuals highest on neuroticism levels were more likely to prefer group exercise while those highest on openness preferred any method of exercise that did not incorporate technology. The findings have implications for social change as they may guide health and fitness providers when recommending treatments to their patients to increase exercise adoption and maintenance. This, in turn, may improve individual health and lower costs associated with health care.

This field study is about well-being. It examines the proposition that exercise is a pathway to well-being. Participants in two "keep fit" groups at the Australian National University Sports Union and members of Lifestyle health and fitness club in Woden, Canberra, A.C.T. provided the population for the study. A critical review of the literature on well-being suggests that a number of differing perspectives exist and that these should be clarified before commencing such a study. The existence of multidimensional indices of well-being points to the use of a holistic model of well-being but did not provide an existing methodology. Therefore an experimental method was attempted using established and open-ended questionnaires. In addition, a short participant observation study of exercise programming in the A.N.U. groups was carried out. Implications for future studies of well-being are drawn, particularly suggesting that existing tools designed for special unidimensional examinations are inherently unsuitable. The development of new research tools to evaluate the different dimensions of well-being which together form the whole are foreshadowed.

According to research (Maher et al. 2007:450), participation in physical activity have health-, psycological, as well as physiological benefits for persons with or without physical disabilities. Participation in physical activity will also lead to improvement of physical fitness. Inactivity is associated with health-related diseases. It is therefore important to improve the physical fitness of athletes with physical disabilities to decrease health risks and to improve their performance in sport. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical fitness levels of 10 to 17 year old athletes with physical disabilies, in order to compile physical-ability profiles for spesific classes of participation. A second purpose was to compile exercise recommendations for specific classes of participation to enchance physical ability and reduce health-related diseases. A group (N=83) was selected by the coaches of selected schools in the Free State and Central Gauteng Provinces. Different racial groups [White (n=36), Black (n=46), Coloured (n=l)] formed part of this group. From this group, 56 boys and 27 girls completed the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) (Winnick & Short, 1999). For the analysis of the data, the Statistica for Windows computer package, 2008, was used. The physical-ability profiles indicated that most of the athletes have poor aerobic capacity, muscle strength and leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility. It is further recommended to include 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercises in the programme. To increase muscle strength, 8-12 repetions of an intensity level of 50 - 70 % of the 1RM, 1 - 2 sets and 1 - 2 minutes rest between exercises is recommended. To improve leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility it is further recommended to inclode stretching of 15 - 30 seconds. These recommendations will improve components of health-related physical fitness and functionality as well as decrease risks of developing health-related diseases. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

One of the major challenges facing service businesses today is the rapidly changing and highly competitive nature of service industries. As a result, customer expectations are also rising quickly. Increased competition in this regard has resulted in fitness facilities in particular aiming to improve their services in order for these businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors. By improving their services, fitness facilities can better satisfy the needs of their members. Therefore, fitness facilities need to identify those service elements which are important to their members in order to satisfy members' service needs by improving the quality of services delivered. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether customers of fitness facilities in the North West Province are satisfied with the services that are provided by these facilities. The research study on fitness facilities was based on descriptive research in order to allow for the identification of service elements that are important to members of fitness facilities. During the course of the study, secondary data was used for the literature review in order to investigate the research problem through the use of publications such as books and reliable academic and research articles. A quantitative research design was used in the form of self–administered questionnaires with a view to determine the level of customer satisfaction as well as the desires, perceptions and expectations of members regarding fitness facilities. Pre–testing of the questionnaire was also performed during this study to ensure that the collection and analysis of data would proceed as smoothly as possible. Self–administered questionnaires were distributed to members of fitness facilities from the 17th of May to the 26th of May 2010 by three fieldworkers in the cities of Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the North West Province. A convenience sampling method was used, which implied that respondents who were readily available and willing to complete the questionnaire at selected fitness facilities were selected for participation in the study. Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis was used to identify those service elements which are important to members of fitness facilities. Ten factors were identified, namely personnel professionalism, equipment condition, membership possibilities, fitness programmes, convenience issues, medical assistance, cleanliness, information availability, membership preferences and the opportunity to exercise in another town. The results indicated that differences exist in terms of respondents' gender, levels of education as well as differences between various age groups and the ten identified importance factors. Results also showed that customer satisfaction can influence customer behaviour, as satisfied customers would recommend the fitness facility to others and want to have a long–term relationship with the fitness facility. It is recommended that fitness facilities need to focus on those service elements that members view as important when planning and maintaining their service offerings. Furthermore, fitness facilities need to realise that all their members do not view the importance of service elements in the same way, and therefore they should deliver services specifically tailored to various age groups, levels of education and gender. Recommendations for future research include that a similar study can be conducted for individual fitness facilities, because fitness facilities are unique and have different capabilities to deliver services. When conducting a study for each individual fitness facility, a relevant comparison can be made between the services that the specific fitness facility offers and what the members of that fitness facility really want or view as important. Specific strategies can then be recommended to the individual fitness facility with a view to improve their service offering and concomitantly increase their member satisfaction. / Thesis (M.Com. (Marketing Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

According to research (Maher et al. 2007:450), participation in physical activity have health-, psycological, as well as physiological benefits for persons with or without physical disabilities. Participation in physical activity will also lead to improvement of physical fitness. Inactivity is associated with health-related diseases. It is therefore important to improve the physical fitness of athletes with physical disabilities to decrease health risks and to improve their performance in sport. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the physical fitness levels of 10 to 17 year old athletes with physical disabilies, in order to compile physical-ability profiles for spesific classes of participation. A second purpose was to compile exercise recommendations for specific classes of participation to enchance physical ability and reduce health-related diseases. A group (N=83) was selected by the coaches of selected schools in the Free State and Central Gauteng Provinces. Different racial groups [White (n=36), Black (n=46), Coloured (n=l)] formed part of this group. From this group, 56 boys and 27 girls completed the Brockport Physical Fitness Test (BPFT) (Winnick & Short, 1999). For the analysis of the data, the Statistica for Windows computer package, 2008, was used. The physical-ability profiles indicated that most of the athletes have poor aerobic capacity, muscle strength and leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility. It is further recommended to include 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercises in the programme. To increase muscle strength, 8-12 repetions of an intensity level of 50 - 70 % of the 1RM, 1 - 2 sets and 1 - 2 minutes rest between exercises is recommended. To improve leg-, hip-, and trunk flexibility it is further recommended to inclode stretching of 15 - 30 seconds. These recommendations will improve components of health-related physical fitness and functionality as well as decrease risks of developing health-related diseases. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

One of the major challenges facing service businesses today is the rapidly changing and highly competitive nature of service industries. As a result, customer expectations are also rising quickly. Increased competition in this regard has resulted in fitness facilities in particular aiming to improve their services in order for these businesses to differentiate themselves from their competitors. By improving their services, fitness facilities can better satisfy the needs of their members. Therefore, fitness facilities need to identify those service elements which are important to their members in order to satisfy members' service needs by improving the quality of services delivered. The primary objective of the study is to determine whether customers of fitness facilities in the North West Province are satisfied with the services that are provided by these facilities. The research study on fitness facilities was based on descriptive research in order to allow for the identification of service elements that are important to members of fitness facilities. During the course of the study, secondary data was used for the literature review in order to investigate the research problem through the use of publications such as books and reliable academic and research articles. A quantitative research design was used in the form of self–administered questionnaires with a view to determine the level of customer satisfaction as well as the desires, perceptions and expectations of members regarding fitness facilities. Pre–testing of the questionnaire was also performed during this study to ensure that the collection and analysis of data would proceed as smoothly as possible. Self–administered questionnaires were distributed to members of fitness facilities from the 17th of May to the 26th of May 2010 by three fieldworkers in the cities of Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp in the North West Province. A convenience sampling method was used, which implied that respondents who were readily available and willing to complete the questionnaire at selected fitness facilities were selected for participation in the study. Furthermore, an exploratory factor analysis was used to identify those service elements which are important to members of fitness facilities. Ten factors were identified, namely personnel professionalism, equipment condition, membership possibilities, fitness programmes, convenience issues, medical assistance, cleanliness, information availability, membership preferences and the opportunity to exercise in another town. The results indicated that differences exist in terms of respondents' gender, levels of education as well as differences between various age groups and the ten identified importance factors. Results also showed that customer satisfaction can influence customer behaviour, as satisfied customers would recommend the fitness facility to others and want to have a long–term relationship with the fitness facility. It is recommended that fitness facilities need to focus on those service elements that members view as important when planning and maintaining their service offerings. Furthermore, fitness facilities need to realise that all their members do not view the importance of service elements in the same way, and therefore they should deliver services specifically tailored to various age groups, levels of education and gender. Recommendations for future research include that a similar study can be conducted for individual fitness facilities, because fitness facilities are unique and have different capabilities to deliver services. When conducting a study for each individual fitness facility, a relevant comparison can be made between the services that the specific fitness facility offers and what the members of that fitness facility really want or view as important. Specific strategies can then be recommended to the individual fitness facility with a view to improve their service offering and concomitantly increase their member satisfaction. / Thesis (M.Com. (Marketing Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

This study compared the effects of a non-traditional and a traditional strength training program for adolescents on measures of health-related fitness and physical activity enjoyment (PACES). Male (n = 7) and female (n = 12) adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 years registered for a community based program and volunteered to participate in the study component. Participants were assigned to a non-traditional training group (n = 10) utilizing kettlebells or a traditional training group (n = 9) utilizing dumbbells. Health-related fitness and PACES were measured at baseline and post-training, with an additional PACES measure at mid-training. Both training groups significantly improved several health-related fitness measures, with the only significant difference between groups being seen in KB swing squats. PACES significantly decreased from baseline to mid-training, and stayed constant from mid- to post-training, for both training groups. There was no significant difference between training groups on physical activity enjoyment.