Physical activity patterns and characteristics of high school students in a Governor's Honors Program

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that effect the participation of high school students in physical activity. Groups were formed based on gender, major area, and physical activity levels to determine if they differed in fitness status, time spent in activity, attitudes toward and attraction for physical activity, estimation of ability for physical activity, and physical activity group.;Subjects for this study were 434 10th and 11th grade students attending a six week Georgia Governor's Honors Program. A health-related fitness test was administered to determine the subjects' fitness status. Activity group membership was based on data from daily physical activity logs. Data were collected using pre, post, and follow-up measures of time spent in physical activity, estimation of physical capabilities and attraction to physical activity, outcome expectancies and perceived barriers to physical activity. The follow-up data were collected three months after the Governor's Honors Program to determine changes that took place over time.;The results on gender indicate that the males were more fit, more active, and more positive toward physical activity than the females. The genders did not differ on outcome expectancies and barriers to exercise. Dancers accounted for most of the differences among the major areas. They were more active, more positive to physical activity and perceived fewer barriers to exercise than the others. The activity groups differed in attitudes and fitness and activity levels. The active group was more fit, more active, and more positive toward physical activity than the fitness minors or the inactive group. They also perceived less barriers to exercise than the other two groups. The fitness minors changed their physical activity patterns over time by increasing the time they spent in vigorous physical activity.;The major conclusions of the study were: (1) a difference in attitudes toward and reasons for engaging in physical activity exists between genders and among activity groups; (2) students' estimation of their physical abilities and attraction to physical activity can positively change over time; and (3) a lecture/lab type health related fitness course can increase student participation in physical activity over time.