Effect of Physical Education Classes on the Intention to Be Physically Active

Abstract

This work aimed to determine the importance of the association between Physical Education classes, the intention to be physically active and the level of weekly physical activity in a sample of 75 students of compulsory secondary education. (36 males and 39 females) aged 13.56 ± .663 years. A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed. Student's t-test for independent samples and Pearson's correlation index (significance p <.05) were used. Results showed that the IEF and MIFA instruments and the mean physical activity correlated at the p < .01 level for each factor. It can be concluded that the less importance is given to Physical Education classes, the less interest there is in being physically active and the less time is spent to weekly physical activity; in contrast, when the intention to be physically active increases, the time spent on weekly physical activity outside of school increases.