NCJ Number
205649
Journal
Youth & Society Volume: 35 Issue: 4 Dated: June 2004 Pages: 480-494
Date Published
June 2004
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This study examined the relationship between the perceived strength of motivation and level of physical activity among youth in South Korea during their leisure time.
Abstract
In South Korea the physical inactivity of the youth is being fostered by the advent of an amended education law that results in schools changing their curricula from required physical education programs to an elective course. Physical activity is known to provide important physical, emotional, and social benefits for all age groups, and physical inactivity has been a public health problem since the late 20th century. This study used a multistaged cluster sampling technique to select representative areas of the city of Daejon, South Korea. Researchers randomly selected three classes from each of two secondary schools. Of the 1,350 questionnaires distributed, 1,097 (610 from middle schools and 487 from high schools) were completed. Respondents were asked to provide demographic information on age and gender as well as information on the intensity, duration, and frequency of physical activity during leisure time. The findings show that 83.3 percent of the youth in the sample did not engage in sufficient physical activity to be beneficial for their health. Of these, 62.3 percent were judged to have a sedentary lifestyle. Boys were more likely to participate in vigorous physical activity such as soccer; whereas, girls were much more likely to engage in jogging/brisk walking. Boys were significantly more active than girls of the same age. This study argues that Korean family values and the influence of society have affected the type of physical activities in which girls participate, thus determining the life-time habit of participation in passive physical activity. Physical-education instructors and health-related educators should encourage girls to have a positive attitude toward physical activity and promote physical activity programs for girls in schools and in the community. The strength of motivation for physical-activity participation was significantly and positively related to physical activity participation. These relationships imply that more motivated persons are more likely to have high levels of physical activity or are more likely to participate in physical activities than the less motivated individuals. 4 tables and 26 references