Influence of exercise habits and physical fitness level on subjective fatigue symptoms in adolescents

Abstract

This study examines the effects of physical fitness level and exercise habits on subjective fatigue symptoms in adolescents. 746 young male adults (age: 16.5 +/- 1.0 year, 15-20 years) participated in the physical fitness tests (grip strength, sit-up, trunk anteflexion, repeated sideways jump, 20-meter shuttle run, 50-meter dash, standing long jump and handball throw) of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan, and answered a questionnaire on life habits and subjective fatigue symptoms. The relationship between subjective fatigue symptoms and exercise habits and physical fitness level was examined by application of Quantification Method I. Multiple significant correlation (R = 0.295) was found, as well as partial correlations of the physical fitness level (r_xy = 0.10). However, significant partial correlations were also found in the life habits items other than exercise habit (r_xy = 0.07-0.12), and their item ranges (4.54-10.55) were higher than that of physical fitness level (5.87). In conclusion, although physical fitness level is one of the factors that affects subjective fatigue symptoms, many life habits other than exercise habits affect subjective fatigue as well. However, in these cases, the magnitude of their whole influence is not very large.