Bulletin Number Three 1984

Physical Fitness of Hong Kong Children -Findings of Phase I of Project on Physical Activities and Quality of Life in Densely Populated Areas The research project on 'Physical Activities and Quality of Life in Densely Populated Areas', jointly launched by the University's School of Education and the University of Michigan, has recently completed the first phase of its study and a report on the research findings has been published. Researchers of the project include academic and research staff of this University, the University of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Polytechnic, Baptist College, the Hong Kong Education Department and the University of Michigan. They are from the fields of education, physical education, medicine, sociology, psychology and city planning. The research project is carried out in three phases. The first phase aims to prepare a normative description of the physical fitness profile of the school students in Hong Kong, and to identify variables as essential correlates of the fitness measures as found in their education experience, stress experience, health condition and life style. In the first phase of the study, which was started in 1980, about 6000 students from 204 schools participated and they were then enrolled in P.4, P.6, F.1, F.3, F.5 and F.7. The Asian Committee for Standardization of Physical Fitness Test (ACSPFT) was administered to assess the fitness levels of students and the four main fitness components are power, strength, endurance and flexibility. Student samples had to undergo eight fitness tests, namely 50-meter dash ， standing long jump, endurance run, hand grip, pull-up, 50-meter shuttle, sit-up and trunk flexion. In addition to the performance tests, necessary data on the sampled students' life style and examination scores or grades were collected. Questionnaires were sent to students, P.E. teachers and principals respectively. The questionnaire for students covering five main areas was developed to secure information on activity pattern, physical education attitude, study habit, academic pressure, personality characteristics, living environment, health condition and attitude. As for examination scores or grades, results in public examinations taken in the year of P.6, F.3, F.5 and F.7 were obtained. Results of Physical Fitness Tests Hong Kong youths are taller and heavier than their counterparts in Thailand, but shorter and lighter than those in Canada and Australia. As for physical fitness, Hong Kong children appeared to be stronger in muscular strength of lower body but weaker in the upper body and cardiorespiratory function and thus performed better on standing long jump, 50-meter dash, 50-meter shuttle and sit-up but worse on pull- up, hand grip and endurance run as compared with children from Thailand, Taiwan and Canada. Progression in fitness measures was significantly associated with age for both sexes, with the difference being more distinct for the male group. The effect of school type on physical fitness was more discernible for the secondary than the primary schools. Students tended to perform better in Government and Independent schools than in the Aided and Caput schools. Relation of physical fitness to environment, activities and health Residential density was correlated to a certain extent with the height and weight of students. Those living in the low crowded area grew heavier and taller than those in the medium and high crowded areas. However, the effect of residential density on physical fitness was not significant. In the comparison of physical fitness by sex, males exceeded females on all fitness tests except trunk flexion, on which the females showed their superiority. High level of activity participation enhanced the fitness development and had positive effects on most measures. However, age, school type or level of crowdedness had no effect on the level of involvement in various activities for both sexes at the 18 ACADEMIC/CULTURAL EVENTS