Physical Education and Its Importance to Physical Activity, Vegetable Consumption and Thriving in High School Students in Norway

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 13; no. 12; p. 4432
• Main Author: Wiium, Nora
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 10.12.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: 5Cs of PYD; Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior - psychology; Adolescents; Character; Compulsory education; Core curriculum; Cross-Sectional Studies; Curricula; Education; Empathy; Exercise; Exercise - psychology; Feeding Behavior - psychology; Female; Health Behavior; healthy behaviors; high school students; Humans; Latent Class Analysis; Lifestyles; Logistic Models; Male; Mental Competency - psychology; Multivariate statistical analysis; Norway; Outdoor activities; Physical activity; Physical education; Physical Education and Training; Physical fitness; Psychological factors; Schools; Secondary school students; Secondary schools; Self Concept; Social Behavior; Society; Sports; Students; Students - psychology; Vegetables; Norway; physical education; high school students; Norway; healthy behaviors; 5Cs of PYD
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu13124432

Earlier research indicates that physical education (PE) in school is associated with positive outcomes (e.g., healthy lifestyle, psychological well-being, and academic performance). Research assessing associations with resilience and thriving indicators, such as the 5Cs of Positive Youth Development (PYD; , , , , and ) is limited and more so in the Norwegian context. The aim of the present study was to investigate associations between PE grade (reflecting students' effort in theoretical and practical aspects of the subject) and the 5Cs as well as healthy behaviors (physical activity (PA), fruit and vegetable consumption), using cross-sectional data collected from 220 high school students in Norway ( = 17.30 years old, SD = 1.12; 52% males). Results from structural equation modelling indicated positive associations between PE grade and four of the 5Cs ( , , , and ; standardized coefficient: 0.22-0.60, 0.05) while in logistic regressions, a unit increase in PE grade was associated with higher likelihood of engaging in PA and vegetable consumption (OR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.18-3.18 and OR = 1.68; 95% CI = 1.08-2.63, respectively). These significant findings suggest the need for policies and programs that can support effective planning and implementation of PE curriculum. However, further research is needed to probe into the role of PE on youth health and development with representative samples and longitudinal designs.