Search

Background and Study Aim Since its inception in 1988, the EUROFIT database network has expanded significantly. This expansion has facilitated the use of standardized test batteries to evaluate physical fitness across diverse groups. This study therefore aimed to determine possible differences in EUROFIT scores between rural and urban male children in Kosovo aged 7 to 11 years and to suggest the underlying factors besides the differences. Material and Methods The study involved 500 schoolchildren from Kosovo, both rural and urban, aged between 7 and 11 years. They were equally distributed within the total sample. Measurements were conducted using EUROFIT and anthropometric tests. The results were subsequently analyzed and compared using a Student's t-test. Results The data revealed that urban children have a better starting point, benefiting from greater access to organized physical activities. Their diets, while less healthy, may enhance physical power. The rural environment fosters healthier growth and skill development in boys, particularly before and during the onset of puberty. Conclusions Urban children should maintain their regular organized physical activities throughout the school period. This will help them match their rural peers in terms of motor and functional abilities. However, morphological traits are becoming more similar between these groups as they enter the prepubertal stage. Future studies should investigate potential differences in female samples. They should also extend to other countries and regions to provide a broader perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Physical Education Theory & Methodology is the property of OVS LLC and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this paper is to examine the role of physical education (PE) teacher and classmate support in relation to sex and BMI status in adolescents' physical activity (PA) in Kosovo. A Classmate and Teacher Support Scale (with additional questions) was used on a cross-sectional sample of 608 girls and 620 boys aged 15-18, randomly selected from secondary schools of seven major municipalities in Kosovo. PA level was determined with a Physical Activity Screening Measure questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and a three-way ANOVA, along with Tukey's HSD post hoc test, were employed. The findings showed the levels of teacher and classmate support to be important factors in stimulating adolescents' PA. It was found that boys with normal weight, high support from teachers, and medium or high support from classmates were more physically active, compared with girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the research on the physical activity of students in the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, University of Prishtina "Hasan Prishtina" Kosovo. The purpose of this cognitive study was to diagnose certain aspects of the lifestyle of students, with a particular focus on physical activity and, the difference in sex. The practical aim, however, was an indication of such actions, arising from past experience that would aim at improving lifestyle, and could lead to the elimination or prevention of certain causes of not making movement activity by the students in our country. The research was conducted by the use of diagnostic survey in the group of 120 people aged 18-37, among whom there were 56 girls and 64 boys. The research material was collected in 2014. The research that was carried out shows that the level of wealth (not so much of the family, but of the whole country) may have an impact on the choice of activities taken by the students. Undoubtedly socio-cultural factors and the tradition of social life, which impose certain ways of spending leisure time (particularly in the case of the students) as we can see in the results obtained, where we also found that there is no statistically significant differences between girls and boys. The above observations, taking into account local conditions, should be the starting point for all those who plan introducing changes in physical education systems in my country in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the research on the physical activity of the school youth in Kosovo, in different stages of socio-economic development and, therefore, of different possibilities and conditions in terms of leisure and mobility. The purpose of this cognitive study was to diagnose certain aspects of the lifestyle of young people aged 13-16 from Kosovo, with a particular focus on physical activity. The practical aim, however, was an indication of such actions, arising from past experience, that would aim at improving lifestyle, and could lead to the elimination or prevention of certain causes of not making movement activity by the youth of Kosovo. The research was conducted by the use of diagnostic survey in the group of 300 people aged 13-16, among whom there were 152 girls, 148 boys. The research material was collected in 2012. The research that was carried out shows which forms of leisure time activities are taken by the youth. Undoubtedly the socio-cultural factors and the tradition of social life, which impose certain ways of spending leisure time (as can be seen particularly in the case of the Kosovo youth) are also here of great importance. The above observations, taking into account local conditions, should be the starting point for all those who plan introducing changes in physical education systems in Kosovo in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of the research on the physical activity of school youth in three European countries (Poland, Bulgaria, Kosovo) which are at different stages of socio-economic development and, therefore, of different possibilities and conditions in terms of leisure and mobility. The purpose of this cognitive study was to diagnose certain aspects of the lifestyle of young people aged 13-16 from Kosovo, Bulgaria and Poland, with a particular focus on physical activity. The practical aim, however, was an indication of such actions, arising from past experience that would aim at improving lifestyle, and could lead to the elimination or prevention of certain causes of physical inactivity by the youth of the countries surveyed. The research was conducted by the use of a diagnostic survey of a group of 524 people aged 13-16, among whom there were 88 people from Bulgaria, 136 people from Poland and 300 people from Kosovo. The research material was collected in 2012. The research that was carried out shows that the level of wealth (not so much of the family, but of the specific country) may have an impact on the choice of activities chosen by the youth. Undoubtedly socio-cultural factors and the tradition of social life, which impose certain ways of spending leisure time (as can be seen particularly in the case of the Bulgarian and Kosovar youth) are also of great importance. The above observations, taking into account local conditions, should be the starting point for all those who plan to introduce changes in the physical education systems in each of these countries in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to investigate how were the peer and physical education (PE) teacher variables associated with moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) among Kosovar teenagers (13-15 years of age), and the role of age and gender in these associations.Methods: Cross-sectional data was gathered through a study conducted in seven major municipalities of Kosovo. 632 girls (aged 14.3 ± 0.8) and 664 boys (aged 14.2 ± 0.8) were examined using the adjusted Classmate and Teacher Support Scale and the Physical Activity Screening measure. A three-way (support*age*gender) ANOVA was used to compare the individuals' MVPA level with the different levels of support they received, with different age in groups of girls and boys.Results: Boys reported higher levels of MVPA than girls in all age categories. A higher level of MVPA was reported by boys receiving high or medium support from classmates. In case of PE teacher support, high, medium and even low support correlated with high MVPA in all age categories. In girls only 13 year olds reported receiving high levels of both classmate and PE teachers support which correlated with a higher level of MVPA.Conclusions: It appears that engagement in MVPA among young Kosovar adolescents is relatively high in boys, regardless of the level of classmate or PE teacher support, whereas in girls the level of MVPA decreased over their time at school. Support from both classmates and PE teachers turned out to be the most significant factor in 13 years old girls, before they moved from primary to secondary school. This issue requires more detailed insight, considering traditional ethnical and religious barriers to engagement of young female adolescents in physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]