Effects of an eight-week fitness curriculum on the fitness knowledge, fitness test scores, attitude and self-efficacy towards physical activity of fifth-grade children

The Surgeon General's Report (1996) concluded that almost half of American youths are not physically active on a regular basis. In order to try and avoid the development of chronic diseases later in life the introduction to physical activity at an early age has been advocated in an effort to help children establish and maintain healthy lifestyle choices that include the incorporation of daily physical activity participation. Because children spend the majority of their day in school, school-based physical activity interventions are one way of improving the health behaviors of children.; The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an eight-week fitness curriculum on the fitness knowledge, fitness test scores, attitude and self-efficacy towards physical activity of fifth grade children. Seventy-eight (n = 78) fifth grade students enrolled in four classes and their regular physical education teachers at two local elementary schools in Lowndes County, Georgia participated in this study. The Children's Physical Activity Attitude & Self-efficacy Survey was used to assess the participant's attitude and self-efficacy beliefs towards physical activity participation. A modified version of the Superkids-Superfit Knowledge Test was used to assess student knowledge of the health-related components of physical fitness. FitnessGram, a nationally recognized health-related activity assessment and computerized reporting system was used to conduct the physical fitness tests. An additional instrument, the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) was used to verify the content of instruction, teacher involvement, and student behavior within the physical education setting.; The Intervention and Control schools were given the Children's Physical Activity Attitude & Self-efficacy Survey, a modified version of the Superkids-Superfit Knowledge Test, and the FitnessGram Physical Fitness Tests as pre and post-tests. Students within the Intervention school participated in twenty-four lessons which focused on specific fitness outcomes that were designed to improve student attitude towards physical activity, increase student knowledge of fitness and improve the five components of fitness.; The results of the independent sample t-test on the Children's Physical Activity Attitude & Self-efficacy Survey indicate the contribution of the intervention to the explained variance was minimal and not statistically significant. The results of the one-way ANCOVA on the modified version of the Superkids-Superfit Knowledge Test, and the FitnessGram Physical Fitness Tests indicate the contribution of the intervention to the explained variance was minimal and not statistically significant. Although there was no statistical significance there are some indications of greater improvement in attitude, self-efficacy, and some physical measures in the Intervention group.