The aim of the study was to investigate the relationships of classmate and teacher support during physical education (PE) lessons on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of 14–16 year-old students whom were underweight, normal weight and overweight. The cross-sectional sample for the study concerned data from 1702 girls and 1547 boys, recruited from 12 junior high schools in Poznan, Poland. Based on their body mass index (BMI) values, the participants were assigned to weight categories: underweight, normal weight and overweight. We determined the levels of physical activity, and teacher and classmate support, by means of a questionnaire-based survey. The 3-way interaction effect of gender, weight and support from teachers was statistically significant (p ≤ .05); the 3-way interaction effect of gender, weight status and support from classmates approached significance (p = .0526). This research concluded that supporting students during the PE process may play an important role in determining one’s level of physical activity.
AnderssenNWoldB (1992) Parental and peer influences on leisure-time physical activity in young adolescents. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport63: 341–348.
2.
AntalMPéterSBiróL. (2009) Prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity on the basis of body mass index and body fat percentage in Hungarian schoolchildren: Representative survey in metropolitan elementary schools. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism54: 171–176.
3.
BaranowskiTJagoR (2005) Understanding the mechanisms of change in children's physical activity programs. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews33: 163–168.
4.
Barr-AndersonDJYoungDRSallisJF, et al. (2007) Structured physical activity and psychosocial correlates in middle-school girls. Preventive Medicine44: 404–409.
5.
CattellRB (1965) The Scientific Study of Personality. London: Pelican.
6.
ColeTJBellizziMCFlegalKM. (2000) Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: International survey. British Medical Journal320: 1240–1243.
7.
ColeTJFlegalKMNichollsD. (2007) Body mass index cut-offs to define thinness in children and adolescents: International survey. British Medical Journal335: 194–202.
8.
CurrieCNic GabhainnSGodeauE. (eds) (2008) Inequalities in young people’s health: Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) international report from the 2005/2006 survey. Report. Copenhagen: WHO Regional Office for Europe.
9.
De BourdeaudhuijILefevreJDeforcheB. (2005) Physical activity and psychosocial correlates in normal weight and overweight 11 to 19 year olds. Obesity Research13(6): 1097–1105.
10.
DietzW (1999) How to tackle the problem early? The role of education in the prevention of obesity. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders23(Suppl 4): S7–9.
11.
DuncanSCDuncanTEStryckerLA (2005) Sources and types of social support in youth physical activity. Health Psychology24(1): 3–10.
12.
EcclesJS (1999) The development of children ages 6 to 14. Future Child9(2): 30–40.
13.
EdmundsLWaterEElliottEJ (2001) Evidence based management of childhood obesity. British Medical Journal323: 916–919.
14.
FenczynJSzmigielC (2006) Attitude towards physical activity among boys and girls with simple obesity. Study in Physical Culture and Tourism 13(2): 33–41.
15.
FordESAhluwaliaIBGaluskaDA (2000) Social relationships and cardiovascular disease risk factors: Findings from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Preventive Medicine30: 83–92.
16.
GreenK (2004) Physical education, lifelong participation and “the couch potato society.”Physical Education in Sport Pedagogy9(1): 73–85.
17.
HaggerMChatzisarantisNLHeinV. (2009) Teacher, peer and parent autonomy support in physical education and leisure-time physical activity: A trans-contextual model of motivation in four nations. Psychology and Health24(6): 689–711.
18.
HohepaMScraggRSchofieldG. (2007) Social support for youth physical activity: Importance of siblings, parents, friends, and school support across a segmented school day. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity4(54).
19.
IrwinCCSymonsCWKerrDL (2003) The dilemmas of obesity: How can physical educators help?Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance74: 33–39.
20.
JaroszMRychlikE (2008) Overweight and obesity among adults in Poland, 1983–2005. Advances in Medical Sciences53(2): 158–166.
21.
JohnsDHaSC (1999) Home and recess physical activity behaviours of Hong Kong children. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport70: 319–323.
22.
KingACCastroCWilcoxS. (2000) Personal and environmental factors associated with physical inactivity among different racial-ethnic groups of US middle-aged and older-aged women. Health Psychology19(4): 354–364.
23.
LazzeriGRossiSPammolliA. (2008) Underweight and overweight among children and adolescents in Tuscany (Italy). Prevalence and short-term trends. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene49(1): 13–21.
24.
MalinaRM (2001) Tracking of physical activity across the lifespan. Research Digest President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. 14: 3–10.
25.
MazurJMałkowska-SzkutnikA (2011) Wyniki badań HBSC 2010. Raport techniczny [Results of HBSC study 2010. Technical report]. Warszawa: Instytut Matki i Dziecka.
26.
MikolajczykRTRichterM (2008) Associations of behavioural, psychosocial and socioeconomic factors with over- and underweight among German adolescents. International Journal of Public Health53(4): 214–220.
27.
OblacińskaAJodkowskaM (eds) (2007) Otyłość u polskich nastolatków. Epidemiologia, styl życia, samopoczucie [Obesity among Polish adolescents. Epidemiology, lifestyle, well-being]. Warszawa: Instytut Matki i Dziecka.
28.
ÖnerNVatanseverÜSariA (2004) Prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in Turkish adolescents. Swiss Medical Weekly134: 529–533.
29.
ProchaskaJRodgersMSallisJ (2002) Association of parent and peer support with adolescent physical activity. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport73(2): 206–210.
30.
ProchaskaJJSallisJFLongB (2001) A physical activity screening measure for use with adolescents in primary care. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine155(5): 554–559.
31.
SallisJFProchaskaJTaylorWC, et al. (1999) Correlates of physical activity in a national sample of girls and boys in grades 4 through 12. Health Psychology18: 410–415.
32.
SallisJFProchaskaJJTaylorWC (2000) A review of correlates of physical activity of children and adolescents. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise32: 963–975.
33.
SallisJFTaylorWCDowdaM. (2002) Correlates of vigorous physical activity for children in grades 1 through 12: Comparing parent-reported and objectively measured physical activity. Pediatric Exercise Science14: 30–44.
34.
SmithALBiddleSJH (2008) Youth Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior. Challenges and Solutions. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
35.
SpringerAEKelderSHHoelscherDM (2006) Social support, physical activity and sedentary behavior among 6th-grade girls: A cross-sectional study. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity6: 3–8.
36.
StelzerJ (2005) Promoting healthy lifestyles: Prescriptions for physical educators. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance76(4): 26–31.
37.
TorsheimTWoldBSamdalO (2000) The Teacher and Classmate Support Scale: Factor structure, test-retest reliability and validity in samples of 13- and 15-year-old adolescents. School Psychology International21(2): 195–212.
38.
TremblayMSWillmsJD (2003) Is the Canadian childhood obesity epidemic related to physical inactivity?International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders27: 1100–1105.
39.
Van der HorstKPawMJTwiskJW. (2007) A brief review on correlates of physical activity and sedentariness in youth. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise39(8): 1241–1250.
40.
VihjalmssonRThorlindsonT (1998) Factors related to physical activity: A study of adolescents. Social Science and Medicine47: 665–675.
41.
WechslerHDevereauxR (2001) Using the school environment to promote healthy eating and physical activity. Preventive Medicine31(Suppl): S121–137.
42.
WoynarowskaBTabakIMazurJ (2004) Subiektywna ocena zdrowia i zadowolenie z życia młodzieży szkolnej w Polsce i innych krajach w 2002 roku [Subjective assessment of health and life satisfaction with of school youth in Poland and other countries in 2002]. Medycyna Wieku Rozwojowego3(1): 535–549.
