Measuring changes in health-related fitness status and attitude as a result of a one-semester college healthfitness course for women in University of Bahrain

ABSTRACT

The main purpose of the present study was to determine if health-related fitness and attitude could be improved as a result of one semester college health-fitness course. A total of 68 female college students enrolled in 4 health-fitness classes at University of Bahrain for 14 weeks. Fitness was measured by sit-up test, jump on bench test, sit and reach test, standing long jump test, and jump rope as a measure of cardiovascular indurance. Attitude was measured by Kenyon six scales for assessing attitude toward exercise and physical activity. The health-fitness classes met three times per week for a session of 45 minutes each. All the classes used the same tests and followed the same course requirements. The results indicted that all groups significantly improved at 0.05 level of confidence in fitness and attitude, and that fitness and attitude can be improved in female college students in Bahrain as a result of a well-organized health-fitness course to the same degree regardless of the specific methodology employed