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Health-related physical fitness, knowledge, and administration of the Canadian physical activity, fitness and lifestyle approach

University of British Columbia

Research suggests that individuals who have increased fitness knowledge via health education are more likely to be physically active and fit. In addition, an individual’s health literacy is suggested to play a substantial role towards the acquisition of health knowledge. However, literature delineating the relationship between health knowledge, health literacy, and the components of health-related physical fitness is scarce and inconsistent. The Canadian Physical Activity, Fitness and Lifestyle Approach (CPAFLA) represents a series of standardized fitness testing procedures developed by the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. In addition, the CPAFLA provides important health-related information to individuals intended to promote healthy lifestyle activities. To-date, the influence of the CPAFLA on health-related physical fitness knowledge and the components of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) regarding physical activity has yet to be examined. One large study examining two distinct sub-questions was conducted. The first question examined objectively the relationship between health-related physical fitness knowledge, health literacy, and health-related physical fitness in 34 participants (18 F, 16 M; 19-49 years). Knowledge was examined using the FitSmart, while health literacy and physical fitness were assessed via the Newest Vital Sign and the CPAFLA, respectively. Results indicated that knowledge was a significant correlate (r=O.40, p<O.05) to and the strongest individual predictor (standardized-B=O.59, p<O.05) of musculoskeletal fitness. In addition, health literacy was a significant correlate (r = 0.63, p’<0.05) to and the strongest predictor (standardized-B=0.47, p<0.05) of knowledge. The second question examined objectively the influence of administering the CPAFLA on knowledge and the components of the TPB in relation to physical activity (via a 7-point bipolar adjective survey) in 40 participants (20 F, 20 M; 19-49 years). The results showed that the administration of the CPAFLA functioned to increase health knowledge [Wilks Lambda = 0.82, F(1, 32) = 6.9, p = 0.013], as well as important components of the TPB including: instrumental attitude [Wilks Lambda = 0.984, F(1, 32) = 8.36, p = 0.007], perceived behavioral control [Wilks Lambda = 0.861, F(1, 32) = 5.18, p = 0.030], and intention [Wilks Lambda = 0.667, F (1, 32) = 15.96, p = 0.00]. Taken together, these results demonstrate the important contribution of knowledge and health literacy to level of physical fitness, as well as the significant contribution of the CPAFLA to knowledge development and the promotion of regular physical activity participation in adulthood.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-11-27

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/15891

Human Kinetics

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/