The purpose of this study was to provide basic data that new sports in physical-education classes are effective in managing the adolescent''s body composition and physical fitness by investigating the effects of new sports in physical education classes on body composition and physical fitness of high school students according to gender obesity. Another purpose of this study is to provide good reference materials for physical education teachers in performing new sports in consideration of different gender and physical characteristics in physical education classes.
To achieve the purpose of the study, 329 students who attend G high school in Jinju, Gyeongsangnam-do were selected to study the effects of new sports on gender and obese level by dividing them into new-sport and common sports, male and female students, overweight and normal weight students. The program was divided into eight groups, including 250 students who exercised new-sport and 79 students who exercised general sports in physical education classes. Before starting the classes, the students'' body composition and physical fitness were pre-measured, and after 17 weeks of physical education class, their physical composition and physical fitness were post-measured. PASW Statistics 18 program was used to analyze the measured data. Comparison of pre and post test to show the effects of exercise treatment was verified by using the paired T-test. The results obtained through this study are as follows.
First, new sports have an effect on body composition and physical fitness of overweight male students. Weight, body fat, body fat percentage, BMI and childhood obesity of over weight male students who performed new-sport show a decline, and cardiopulmonary endurance and quickness show an upward trend. On the other hand, the body composition of the overweight male students who performed common sports did not change significantly, and the physical strength decreased in flexibility and quickness.
Second, new sports have an effect on body composition and physical fitness of healthy weight male students. Body fat and obesity of healthy weight male students who performed new-sport show a decline, and muscle mass, basal metabolism, lean body mass and the flexibility show an upward trend. On the other hand, muscle mass of healthy weight male students who performed common sports show an incline, but body fat, BMI and childhood obesity show an upward trend. And cardiopulmonary endurance, flexibility, strength, and quickness show an downward trend.
Third, new sports have an effect on physical fitness change of overweight female students. The body composition of the overweight female students who performed new sports did not change much, but cardiopulmonary endurance improved. On the other hand, overweight female students who performed common sports did not show any significant changes.
Fourth, new sports have an effect on body composition and physical fitness of healthy weight female students. Body fat, body fat percentage of healthy weight female students who performed new sports show a decline, and muscle mass, basal metabolic rate and lean body mass, cardiopulmonary endurance and flexibility show an upward trend. On the other hand, cardiopulmonary endurance, muscle strength, and quickness of healthy weight female students who performed common sports show a decline.
In conclusion, new sports had a positive effect on the physical composition and physical fitness of male and female students, healthy and overweight students, respectively. New sports can also be a good solution to the problem of obesity and the lack of physical fitness in male and female students. It is notable that there was considerable effects regarding to healthy weigh female students. The amount of physical activity of Korean female students is the lowest level in the world, and if we use new sports well in physical education classes, we can expect to solve these problems.