Evaluating the Influence of Weight Status and Gender on Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Sedentary Time in Physical Education Lessons: A Cross-Sectional Study

Overview

Journal Healthcare (Basel)

Specialty Health Services

Date 2025 Mar 13

PMID 40077123

Authors

Badriya Al-Hadabi

Meral Kucuk Yetgin

Fatih Dervent

Osama Aljuhani

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background/objectives: Low physical activity (PA) and excessive sedentary time negatively impact health, contributing to obesity. Physical education (PE) can help reduce the risk of obesity in schoolchildren. This cross-sectional study objectively measured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time during PE in Türkiye, examining the influence of weight status and gender.

Method: Accelerometers measured MVPA in 274 children and adolescents (ages 10-14, 49.6% girls). Sedentary time and MVPA were classified based on accelerometer count per 15 s (sedentary: <25; MVPA: ≥574). A two-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) assessed body mass index (BMI) and gender effects on MVPA and sedentary time.

Results: Students spent 44.5% of PE time sedentary and 43.2% in MVPA, below the recommended 50% of PE in MVPA. Only 45.6% met this target (44.2% males and 47.1% females). Overweight/obese students had higher sedentary time, while normal-weight students engaged in more MVPA ( < 0.05).

Conclusions: Students did not meet the recommended 50% of PE in MVPA. Increasing MVPA and reducing sedentary time during PE is particularly important for overweight/obese students. Physical education intervention should target students in co-educational classes.

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