scholarly journals Parental Concerns in Facilitating Children's Physical Activity Participation in Hong Kong

2008 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-46
Author(s):  
Bonnie On Hei PANG ◽  
Amy Sau Ching HA
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Physical Activity Participation ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Coding System ◽  
Parental Concerns ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese. This study examines the parental concerns in facilitating their children's physical activity participation in Hong Kong. By adopting a qualitative approach, 22 parents (10 fathers and 12 mothers), randomly chosen from in a larger study examining 802 (aged 9 to 16) children’s physical activity engagement, were invited for a semi-structured interview. It is believed that these parents could represent the typicality of Hong Kong parents in increasing our understanding of the study's focus. Interview data were analyzed by using an open coding system to identify meaningful pieces of information within the comprehensive text segment (Tesch, 1990). Three themes emerged from the interview data and results in relation to Confucianism showed that parental long working hours, safety issues and over emphasize in children's academic pursuits were found to be their major concerns in facilitating children's further engagement in physical activities. Specifically, fathers and mothers were found to differ in their safety concerns for their children's physical activity involvement. Future interventions aiming at solving the suggested parental concerns could increase children's physical activity participation. 採用質化研究之方法，本研究旨在探討二十二名香港家長於促進學童參與體育活動的考慮因素。研究發現考慮因素包括：家長的工作時間、家長對學童參與體育活動的安全性及家長過份重視學業成績。研究結果建議，為要進一步促進學童參與體育活動，必須透過有效解決家長對學童於參予體育活動的考慮因素。(一)加強家長對帶有危險性的運動的知識 (二)政府及學校團體應增加對家庭運動的支持 (三)透過工作坊，讓家長了解學業與運動並存對學童身心發展的重要性。

Effects of Exergaming Based Exercise on Urban Children’s Physical Activity Participation and Body Composition

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 992-998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zan Gao ◽  
Ping Xiang
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Composition ◽  
Body Fat ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Physical Activity Participation ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Percent Body Fat ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Background:Exergaming has been considered a fun solution to promoting a physically active lifestyle. This study examined the impact of an exergaming-based program on urban children’s physical activity participation, body composition and perceptions of the program.Methods:A sample of 185 children’s physical activity was measured in August 2009 (pretest), and percent body fat was used as index of body composition. Fourth graders were assigned to intervention group engaging in 30 minutes exergaming-based activities 3 times per week, while third and fifth graders were in comparison group. Measurements were repeated 9 months later (posttest). Interviews were conducted among 12 intervention children.Results:ANCOVA with repeated measures revealed a significant main effect for intervention, F(1, 179) = 10.69, P < .01. Specifically, intervention children had significantly greater increased physical activity levels than comparison children. Logistic regression for body composition indicated intervention children did not differ significantly in percent body fat change from comparison children, Chi square = 5.42, P = .14. Children interviewed reported positive attitudes toward the intervention.Conclusions:The implementation of exergaming-based program could have a significantly positive effect on children’s physical activity participation and attitudes. Meanwhile, long-term effect of the program on children’s body composition deserves further investigation.

scholarly journals Effects of Music Stepping Cadence on 3-min Step Test Performance in Hong Kong Females

2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-70
Author(s):  
Robert Siu Kuen NG ◽  
Violette Fu Po LIN
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Perceived Exertion ◽  
Physical Activity Participation ◽  
Step Test ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Participation Level ◽  
Different Ages ◽  
Highly Correlated

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese. This study compared the performance of university females in Hong Kong with different ages and physical activity participation levels on two 3-min step-tests using different cadences. Fifty-six students were classified into three groups. They performed two step-tests randomly on a 30-cm high bench with metronome (MN) and hip-hop music (HH) cadences at 96 beat·min-1 with 60 min rest between. The preference of either cadence was indicated upon completion of both. Rate of perceived exertion was reported at 2-min (RPE2) and 2.5-min (RPE2.5). Heart rates at rest (by monitors, HRr) and 1-min post-exercise (by monitors, HRh; by pulse, HRp) were recorded. Results indicated that more than 80% of them preferred HH. Among all groups, although paired t-tests showed no significant differences (p>0.05) between the performance of MN and HH, the latter elicited a higher HRp, HRh, RPE2 and RPE2.5, and both cadences were highly correlated (r=0.70-0.91, p<0.001). MANOVA showed no significant differences for the responses of HRp, HRh, RPE2 and RPE2.5 under the two stepping cadences (Hotelling’s Trace=0.27, p>0.05). There was no interaction between age and physical activity participation level (Hotelling’s Trace=0.23, p>0.05). HH seemed a reliable cadence for 3-min step-test in females of different ages and physical activity participation levels. 本研究探討採用音樂與節拍器拍子於三分鐘登臺階測試對不同年齡和運動習慣的女生之影響。五十六名女生根據她們的年齡和參與運動習慣分成三組。她們以隨機排序採用節奏強烈的音樂和傳统節拍器拍子完成兩次三分鐘登階測試。每次測試相距不少於六十分鐘。結果顯示超過八成女生較喜用音樂拍子，她們在两種拍子的身體反應並無差異(P>0.05)，年齡和參與運動習慣並無互動效果。結果證實在三分鐘登臺階測試中音樂拍子可以有效地取代單調節拍器拍子。

‘The world is a happier place’: Celebration in a whole-of-school physical activity initiative

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 337-352
Author(s):  
Déirdre Ní Chróinín ◽  
Jaimie McMullen
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Physical Activity Participation ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
School Based ◽  
School Initiatives ◽  
The World ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Children’S Physical Activity

Understanding factors that influence children’s participation in sport and physical activity is critical to designing more appealing youth opportunities and programmes. Whole-of-school initiatives offer one way to promote children’s physical activity, but little is understood about how celebration within these initiatives influences children’s physical activity behaviours. Through this study we aimed to answer the question: what are participants’ experiences of physical activity-related celebration within a whole-of-school physical activity initiative? Answering this question helped us to explore the relationship between celebration and school-based physical activity participation. This study was situated within Irish primary schools ( N = 14) who were working towards the award of an ‘Active School Flag’. Data for analysis included each school’s Active School Flag application ( N = 14), individual interviews with Active School Flag coordinator teachers ( N = 14) and focus groups ( N = 13) with children ( N = 62). An inductive approach to analysis using open, axial and selective coding was employed. Celebration was an important part of the Active School Flag process, and the messages children associated with celebration were influential in shaping their understanding of what was important in relation to their physical activity participation. Acknowledgement of the merits of competitive sport beyond the focus on winning led to more inclusive physical activity approaches. Messages indicating that effort and participation were valued alongside excellence and winning were an important source for children to consider when making judgements about physical activity participation. Findings indicate the merit of including physical activity-related celebration within whole-of-school physical activity initiatives.

Current Perspectives on Health and Physical Activity in Hong Kong: A Review

2004 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanley Sai-chuen Hui
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Chinese Population ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Activity Level ◽  
Physical Activity Participation ◽  
Hong Kong Chinese ◽  
Activity Participation ◽  
Western Countries

Promoting regular physical activity has been considered one of the most important aspects of preventive medicine in recent years. This is due to the fact that tremendous evidence has been found about the positive association between increasing physical activity and desirable health effects. Findings have been summarized in a number of review documents; however, most of these reviews emphasize findings retrieved from research conducted in Western countries. Few papers were found to summarize findings in physical activity and health of the Hong Kong Chinese population. Epidemiological studies revealed that there exists distinct diverse health status among different ethnic groups due to culture, beliefs, genetic makeup, health practices, and behaviors in these highly diverse groups. This chapter reviews what is known about the association between physical activity and health in the Chinese population of Hong Kong. Current health issues including coronary heart disease, obesity, diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, and so on, that are specific to the Hong Kong situation are reviewed. Moreover, findings in physical activity participation levels of Hong Kong adults and children are introduced. Results indicate that the associations between physical activity and health found in the Chinese population of Hong Kong share similar trends as those reported in Western countries. Three quarters of Hong Kong children and adults are not physically active enough to achieve health benefits. The physical activity level for the Hong Kong Chinese population remains low. The need for promotional and intervention programs on physical activity participation is pressing.

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