The evaluation of physical activity and physical fitness levels of the adolescents staying in the orphanage

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the physical activity and physical fitness levels of the adolescents who have stayed in the orphanage, to comment on the current situation of the playfields in which adolescents have participated the sport and recreational activities and to support the legislative regulations about the administration of the orphanages. The sample of the study was 83 adolescents (n=32 girls, n=51 boys and age=15.67±1.27) from Konya Orphanage. The physical activity levels of the subjects were evaluated by Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (CFAO) adapted to Turkish from the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) developed by Crocker et al (1997). Fitnessgram Test Battery was also used for the physical fitness levels of the subjects. According to gender, it was seen that there were some statistically significant differences in favor of boys in the anthropometric and physiological features (height, weight, BMI, VO2max). As it was understood that there were no significant differences in the push-up and sit-up test scores between the boys and girls, there were significant differences in the flexibility test scores in favor of girls. According to age and gender, 18,1% (n=15) of the subjects took part in the Needs Improvement-Health Risk (NI-HR), 19,3% (n=16) of them took part in the Needs Improvement (NI), 62,7% (n=52) of them took part in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) in aerobic capacity parameter (VO2max ml/kg/min); besides in Body Mass Index (BMI) parameter 13,3% (n=11) of the subjects took part in the Needs Improvement-Health Risk (NI-HR), 15,7% (n=13) of them took part in the Needs Improvement (NI), 71,1% (n=59) of them took part in the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ). It was also understood that 53% (n=44) of the subjects were inactive, 32,5% (n=27) of them were mid-active, 14,5% (n=12) of them were active. As a conclusion, it was seen that the adolescents who participated in the study were healthy according to the body composition, aerobic capacity and physical fitness standards determined by The Cooper Institute (2010). However, according to the classification which was applied in view of the reference values by Tanır (2013), it was concluded that most of the adolescents were inactive or mid-active in terms of physical activity. Even though the playfields in the orphanages were efficient, it has been thought that the legislative regulations for the reformation and diversification of the current playfields and organizing the recreational activities will not only support the maintenance and improvement of the current physical fitness levels of adolescents and also cause to enhancement in their physical activity levels.