Obese and unfit students dislike physical education in adolescence: myth or truth? The AVENA and UP&DOWN studies.

INTRODUCTION In the physical education context a well- known myth suggest that obese and unfit youth dislike physical education. OBJECTIVE To examine if adolescents who dislike physical education have higher levels of fatness and lower of fitness than their peers. METHODS Participants included 2606 (49.3% girls) adolescents from AVENA and UP&DOWN studies. physical education enjoyment was assessed with a 7-point Likert scale. Fatness was assessed with BMI, skinfolds and waist circumference. Physical fitness was assessed with cardiorespiratory, motor and muscular fitness tests. RESULTS Boys who dislike physical education had similar levels of fatness and fitness than their peers (all P>0.05). Adolescent girls who dislike physical education had higher levels in body fat (P=0.035), and lower levels in muscular (P=0.007) and motor (P=0.007) fitness than their peers. CONCLUSION Since only girls who dislike physical education seem to have, albeit weak, higher levels of fatness and lower of fitness than their peers, it partially confirms the myth in adolescent girls.