TITLE:
Survey on the Amount of Physical Activity and Self-Esteem of School Age Students in A Town in Japan
AUTHORS:
Ayako Ohgino, Yumiko Nakamura, Kahara Yukie
KEYWORDS:
Physical Activity, Children, Exercise, Self-Esteem
JOURNAL NAME:
Health,
Vol.14 No.1,
January
14,
2022
ABSTRACT: This study aimed to clarify the amount of physical activity, lifestyle, and self-esteem of elementary school students living in Aomori Prefecture Japan. The subjects were ninety-one elementary school students in the 4th to 6th grades who live in A town. The subjects were asked to fill out a questionnaire about lifestyles and self-esteem and to wear the lifestyle-related recorder Life Coder GS® (Suzuken, Japan) for a total of four days, two weekdays and two holidays. The results showed the amount of exercise such as the number of steps taken was significantly higher on weekdays than on holidays. There was no difference by gender or classification of obesity. In addition, when they go to school on foot, the number of steps and fast walking time was significantly higher than when using the bus. Screen times of holidays were significantly longer than those of weekdays. The number of steps on holidays was negatively correlated with screen time, and positively correlated with the factor of “self-assertion/self-determination” of self-esteem scale. Health promotion is needed so that the entire community, including family and friends, can develop daily physical activities.