Comparison of Middle School Students Steps Per Minute (SPM) in Five Physical Education Curriculum Units Utilizing Pedometers: An Overall Contribution to Attaining the Recommended Step Counts Per Day in Children

LANGUAGE NOTE | Document text in English; abstract also in Chinese.The purpose of this study was to compare pedometer steps per minute from five different curriculum units (basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, pickle ball, and fitness activities) in middle school physical education classes as they relate to contributing to the recommended 12,000 to 16,000 steps per day for healthy children. Two hundred and thirty-two male and female middle school students participated in this study, 115 males and 117 females, respectively. Steps per minute were measured with pedometers in five curriculum units in middle school physical education classes; over 36 minutes of activity time. Overall, physical education classroom activities such as basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, pickle ball, and fitness activities, measured during a 36 minute class timeframe, accounted for approximately 1% - 6% of the overall minimum 12,000 steps per day reported as appropriate for healthy children. Pedometers are becoming a useful tool for physical educators to compare sport activity levels in achieving the desired 12,000 to 16,000 steps a day for middle school children. With some modifications, physical educators can educate students and parents alike regarding pedometer use in helping to achieve recommended levels of physical activity and prescribed steps per day.目的本研究的目的在比較五種體育活動 (籃球、排球、室內足球、酸菜球、健身活動) 對中學生每日建議步走量(12,000 步至16,000步) 的影響。研究方法本研究以232名中學生為受試對象(115男、117女)以計步器為測量工具、36 分鐘為活動長度測量中學生在五種不同的體育活動(籃球、排球、室內足球、酸菜球、健身活動) 中每分鐘的步走量。研究結果36 分鐘的體育活動(籃球、排球、室內足球、酸菜球、健身活動) 學生大約步走了1%至6%每日最低建議步走量(12000步) 。結論:計步器是一個很好的測量工具中學體育教育者使用它來測量學生在不同程度的體育活動中的步走量並且比較五種體育活 動對中學生每日建議步走量的貢獻。經由適當的修正教育者可教導學生和家長使用計步器為工具用來幫助學生達到建議的體育活動量以及每日建議步走量。