Physical fitness in schools put to the test

Physical education in Hong Kong schools may never be the same again. Research at The Chinese University of Hong Kong is looking at a shift from competitive performance sport towards life-time oriented exercise for health.
Principal Investigator Dr Roy Chan says he hopes the research, about 80 per cent completed, can form the groundwork for physical education reforms. Objectives of the research are:
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To measure the physical fitness of Hong Kong's youth to provide an accurate and scientific benchmark for any future studies and tests.
> To devise a set of fitness testing items with special emphasis on validity and safety.
> To compare the physical fitness of Hong Kong's youth with their counterparts from inland China, Taiwan, and Singapore.
> To attempt to unify testing standards adopted by various government and private institutions in Hong Kong. The target population for the research is 10,000 students, from Primary 4 upwards. Data, collected by PE teachers, comes from the results of a range of tests for flexibility, abdominal muscle and cardiovascular fitness. Exercises include a one mile run/walk, push-ups, stomach curls, and body fat skinfold measurements. Once data has been analysed, comparisons will be made from similar tests in other Asian countries.

Principal Investigator > Dr Roy Chan > Email > chinmingchan@cuhk.edu.hk