Exercise as it relates to Disease/The correlation between school physical education and physical activity throughout adulthood

This is an analysis of the journal article " 'Physical education makes you fit and healthy'. Physical education's contribution to young peoples physical activity levels" by Fairclough & Stratton (2004)

Where is the research from?
Authors:

Liverpool, UK
 * Fairclough: REACH (Research into Exercise, Activity and Children's Health) Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK & School of Physical Education, Sport and Dance, Liverpool John Moores University,


 * Stratton: REACH (Research into Exercise, Activity and Children's Health) Group, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK & Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK

Each respected author has contributed work to numerous research articles  relating to physical education in schools and its effects on child physical activity and health, published in respected journals such as The International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity and The Journal of Preventable Medicine to name a few. The following study received ethical approval from the Liverpool John Moores Research Degrees Ethics Committee.

Data was collected in the Merseyside area of North-West England.

What kind of research was this?
This research used stage sampling in order to obtain data. This method insured that the sample group used in the study was a random sample of mixed genders, PE classes, ages and fitness ability. This way, the objective of the study (to assess physical activity levels during high school physical education lessons) was explored without bias.

What did the research involve?
122 students (62 male, 60 females) from 5 state high schools in years 7, 8 and 9 were randomly selected to take part. The students attended 2 weekly PE classes in single sex groups over a 12 week period and participated in a variety of group and individual activities.

The study involved monitoring individuals heart rates during PE sessions using short-range telemetry. Short-range telemetry is a system that traces physiological strain on the cardiovascular system and is a means understanding and interpreting frequency, duration and intensity of physical activity. It is a highly valid and reliable way to measure young peoples physical activity and has therefore been utilized extensively in many PE settings. Fairclough and Stratton calculated each subjects resting and maximum heart rate in order to assess what type of intensity each student would be working at during PE sessions. 50% between resting and maximum heart rate was considered moderate intensity and was the foreground for the decision on whether PE sessions proved to provide beneficial health benefits to students.

Limitations
Limitations as understood by the authors highlighted that it was their intention to assess equal numbers of students during lessons in each four PE activity categories. Although this aim was unable to be met, due to school timetable restrictions and student absences. As a result, the number of boys and girls assessed in the different activities were not equal, which as a result could potentially make the findings less reliable.