An investigation of the relationship between physical activity level, body composition, physical self-perception and academic achievement on middle school of 7th and 8th grade students

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between physical activity level, body composition, physical self-perception and academic achievement on middle school of 7th and 8th grade students. Besides, in this study the relationships between sub-dimensions of physical self-perception and students' physical activity levels, body composition and academic achievement were examined. Lastly, the relationships among students' physical activity levels, body composition, physical self-perception and academic achievement in terms of gender, school type and grade level were investigated. Survey method was used in the current study. A total number of 1119 students studying at the Bartın İli Cumhuriyet Middle School, Hendekyanı Middle School, Bartın İMKB Middle School, Private Bartın American Culture College and TOKİ Middle School in central district of Bartın during 2014-2015 academic years made up the sample group of the study. Physical Activity Level Questionnaire Form was used for the determination of the students' physical activity levels, Body Mass Index was used for the determination of the students' body compositions, The Children and Youth Physical Self-Perception Profile was used for the determination of the students' physical self-perceptions and Cumulative Grade Point Avarege was used for the determination of the students' academic achievement. SPSS 18.00 package programme was used in analyzing the collected data. In the present study students' mean physical activity levels was found as "above the average score", mean body composition levels was found as "normal", mean physical self-perception levels was found as "above the average score" and mean academic achievement levels was found as "good". In general, when the relationships among students' physical activity levels, body composition, physical self-perception and academic achievement were investigated there were a weak, negative relationship between physical activity level and body composition; a medium, positive relationship between physical activity level and physical self-perception; a weak, positive relationship between physical activity level and academic achievement; a weak, negative relationship between body composition and physical self-perception; a weak, negative relationship between body composition and physical self-perception; and a weak, positive relationship between physical self-perception and academic achievement whereas there was no relationship between body composition and academic achievement. Besides when the relationships between sub-dimensions of physical self-perception and students' physical activity levels, body composition and academic achievement were examined there were positive relationships between physical activity level and all sub-dimensions of physical self-perception at several levels; there were negative relationships between body composition and sport competence, physical condition, body attractiveness, general physical self-worth and general self-worth sub-dimensions, and positive relationship with strenght sub-dimension; and lastly there were positive relationships between academic achievement and sport competence, physical condition, general physical self-worth and general self-worth sub-dimensions, and no relationships with body attractiveness and strenght sub-dimensions. Lastly, the relationships among students' physical activity levels, body composition, physical self-perception and academic achievement were investigated in terms of gender (female/male), school type (public/private) and grade level (7/8) variables and no significant effects of these variables on the levels of the relationships among students' physical activity levels, body composition, physical self-perception and academic achievement was found. In the light of the findings in this study, it can be suggested that students in schools can be educated in terms of both increasing their levels of physical activity and having healty body composition and high physical self-perception through various cirriculum working inter disciplinary as well as parents can be educated in terms of engaging in physical activity, being physically fit and maintaining a healthy body composition through life long learning.