| Summary: | The purpose of this study was to appraise the fitness levels of grade 10 Northern Saskatchewan students, 15 years of age or older. The appraisal was completed using the 1986, Canadian Standardized Test of Fitness (CSTF). The CSTF included both anthropometric and performance measures. Height, weight, skinfolds and body girths composed the anthropometric measures. Grip strength, trunk forward flexion, sit-ups, push-ups, and the Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test (CAFT) composed the performance measures. The proportional sample, 70 Northern Saskatchewan students, 15 years of age or older, came from a reported population of 100, and were divided by gender into two groups. The sample, all student volunteers recruited from seven schools in the following communities: Buffalo Narrows, La Loche, Pinehouse Lake, Fond Du Lac, Pelican Narrows, Stanley Mission, and Sandy Bay, resided in Northern Saskatchewan, herein defined by provincial boundries to the north, west, and east, and the semi-discontinuous permafrost line to the south. The research area was chosen due to the existence of numerous variables which were thought to affect fitness levels of the sample. Variables considered included: environment, culture, socioeconomics, health, genetics (heredity), nutrition, and education. It was hypothesized that fitness levels were influenced by these variables to such an extent that the sample had only an 'average' level of fitness. The standards from which comparisons were made originated from the 1986 CSTF norms. Each fitness component mean was calculated for each group in the sample. Each mean was compared to the male or female Canadian population mean of the 'average' norms listed in the 1986 CSTF. To compare the male and female means to the male and female Canadian population means, a t-test (two-tailed) was used at a probability level of .05. The findings of this study are tentative; yet, it was found that Northern Saskatchewan students had pushup (upper body endurance) means significantly different (p<.O5) (higher) than the male and female means of the Canadian 'average' norms. Male and female flexibility means ,were not significantly different (p<.O5) than the male and female means of the Canadian 'average' norms. Male and female grip strength means were significantly different fitness levels of the sample. Variables considered included: environment, culture, socioeconomics, health, genetics (heredity), nut r i t ton, and education. It was hypothesized that fitness levels were influenced by these variables to such an extent that the sample had only an 'average' level of fitness. The standards from which comparisons were made originated from the 1986 CSTF norms. Each fitness component mean was calculated for each group in the sample. Each mean was compared to the male or female Canadian population mean of the 'average' norms listed in the 1986 CSTF. To compare the male and female means to the male and female Canadian population means, a t-test (two-tailed) was used at a probability level of .05. The findings of this study are tentative; yet, it was found that Northern Saskatchewan students had pushup (upper body endurance) means significantly different (p<.O5) (higher) than the male and female means of the Canadian 'average' norms. Male and female flexibility means ,were not significantly different (p<.O5) than the male and female means of the Canadian 'average' norms. Male and female grip strength means were significantly different (p<.05) (lower) than the means of the Canadian 'average' norms. The male sit-up (abdominal endurance) mean was not significantly different (p<.O5) than the mean of the Canadian male 'average' norm. The female sit-up mean was significantly different (p<.05) (lower) than the mean of the canadian female 'average' norm. The male predicted V02 Max., (aerobic power) mean result was significantly different (p<.05) (lower) than the mean of the Canadian male 'average' norm while the female predicted V02 Max., mean was not significantly different (p<.05) than the Canadian female 'average' norm. Five of six male anthropometric means including, height, weight, sum of two trunk skinfolds (SOTS), sum of five skinfolds (SOS), and body mass index (BMI) were not significantly different (p<.05) from the means of the Canadian male 'average' norms. Only the male weight to height ratio (WHR) mean was significantly different (p<.05) (lower) than the mean of the Canadian male 'average' norm. The female group means for weight, waist to hip ratio (WHR), sum of two trunk skinfolds (SOTS), and body mass index (BMI) were significantly different (p<.05) (higher) than the means of the Canadian female 'average' norm. Only the female height and sum of five skinfolds (SOS) means were not significantly different (p<.05). than the means of the Canadian female 'average' norms. Results were discussed in relation to a number of variables: environment, culture, socioeconomics, health, genetics (heredity), nutrition, and education, which other fitness research had found to be related to fitness levels (p<.05) (higher) than the means of the Canadian female 'average' norm. Only the female height and sum of five skinfolds (SOS) means were not significantly different (p<.05). than the means of the Canadian female 'average' norms. Results were discussed in relation to a number of variables: environment, culture, socioeconomics, health, genetics (heredity), nutrition, and education, which other fitness research had found to be related to fitness levels.
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