Physical activity profiles and selected muscular fitness variables in English schoolchildren: A north–south divide?

Ingle, Lee; Stephenson, Ashlie; Sandercock, Gavin R.

Abstract

Introduction: The aim of the study was to compare and contrast habitual physical activity profiles and muscular fitness in schoolchildren from northern and southern regions of England. Methods: Data were collected from two secondary schools in the North East (NE) of England. The study procedures followed methods employed by the East of England Healthy Hearts Study in 10-16 year old boys and girls based in the south east (SE) region of England and data were compared. Habitual physical activity (PAQ-A), vertical jump test (VJT), and hand-grip (HG) strength were assessed. We converted raw scores from all assessments to age- and sex-normalised z-scores. Results: We recruited 597 children (58% boys) in the NE and compared findings to 597 age- and sex- matched boys and girls from the SE. Boys in the SE had significantly stronger HG scores, jumped higher, were more powerful (mean peak power: 2131W v 1782W; P< 0.0001), and reported being more physically active (mean PAQ-A: 2.9 v 2.5; P< 0.0001) than their male counterparts in the NE. In girls, the opposite trend was evident. Girls from the NE of England had a higher HG score, jumped higher, and were more powerful (mean peak power: 2114W v 1839W; P

Citation

Ingle, L., Stephenson, A., & Sandercock, G. R. (2016). Physical activity profiles and selected muscular fitness variables in English schoolchildren: A north–south divide?. European journal of sport science : the official journal of the European College of Sport Science, 16(8), 1187-1196. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2016.1183714

• Acceptance Date: Apr 25, 2016
• Online Publication Date: May 24, 2016
• Publication Date: Nov 16, 2016
• Deposit Date: Apr 26, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 12, 2017
• Journal: European journal of sport science
• Print ISSN: 1746-1391
• Electronic ISSN: 1536-7290
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 1187-1196
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2016.1183714
• Keywords: Vertical jump test; Hand-group strength; Habitual physical activity; Boys; Girls; Regional differences and associations
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/437075
• Publisher URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17461391.2016.1183714
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in European journal of sport science on 24/05/2016, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/17461391.2016.1183714