Motor performance and physical self-perception in non overweight and overweight adolescents

The purpose of this study was to compare MP and physical self-perception of nonoverweight (NOW) or overweight and obese (OW/OB) junior high school students, and to investigate possible differences by sex and age. Methods. Participants were 80 boys and 80 girls (12.5±0.9 yr; range:11-14yr) categorized as NOW (n=82) and OW/OB (n=78), according to BMI cut-off values(3). MP was assessed using the test items of standing long jump (SLJ), 2Kg medicine-ball throw (MBT), 10x5m shuttle run, and 20m sprint from a standing position. Individuals’ perceptions of strength, speed, and agility were assessed by the Perceived Physical Ability Scale (PPAS)(2), while perceived Coordination (CO), Body Fat (BF), and Sports Competence (SP) were measured using an Italian reduced version of the Physical Self-Description Questionnaire.Conclusions. Findings confirm that OW adolescents show poorer performance on weight-bearing tasks and lack confidence in their physical ability, and perceive themselves to have much more BF, poorer CO, and SP( compared to their NOW peers. Additional research on link between physical activity levels and self-perception is needed to find appropriate ways to educate and motivate OW children to adopt regular physical activity patterns.