URBAN–RURAL DIFFERENCES IN PHYSICAL FITNESS AND ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOLBOYS IN KHANPUR, PAKISTAN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Adeel Maqboola b, Sajid Mehmoodc, Muhammad Zia Ul Haqd, Saba Noreene
- aPhysical Education Teacher, Govt Boys High school Jampur Tehsil khanpur District Rahim yar Khan
- bPakistan
- cAsistant Director Sports , Department of Physical Education, Bahawalnagar Campus, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- dAssociate Professor, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- eMPhil Scholar, Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the anthropometric characteristics and physical fitness of the secondary boys of rural and urban areas of Khanpur, District Rahim Yar Khan with respect to their academic performance. A cross-sectional design was employed and 100 schoolboys aged 7 – 12 years from rural and urban areas served as participants. Stature, body mass, body mass index, 600-meter sprint, grip strength, flexibility, sit-up performance, agility, 30-meter dash and academic % records were measured. Independent t-tests and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used. The body BMI was lower, and other performances were better in rural children, specifically for the 600-meter running, flexibility, sit-ups, agility, standing long jump and 30-meter sprint. There were no differences in handgrip strength between the groups. There was a slight positive difference between the academic performance of rural pupils (83.42%) and the academic performance of urban pupils (81.57%). The relations between fitness metrics were mostly stronger in the rural group, for example, endurance (r=.568), grip strength (r=.432) and standing long jump (r=.413). The results reveal the rural was generally better on many fitness factors; whereas academic achievement generally was comparable.