Can negative memories of gym class affect the lives of adults?
| Sep 4, 2018, 17:08 IST
A new study has found that people who had negative experiences during their PE classes in school might also have long-term effects of this during their adult lives. “Memories of enjoyment of PE . . . were the most substantial correlates of present-day attitudes and intentions for physical activity,” the investigators report in the Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine. “The most surprising thing about our research was the vividness of (memories and the) emotional impact. This tells us these were transformative experiences,” senior author Panteleimon Ekkekakis of Iowa State University.
“If improvements in PE experiences could inspire even small increases in (physical activity), millions could derive additional health benefits,” the researchers said. They concluded “that decades-old arguments concerning the focus on sport in PE programs and . . . fitness testing should be revisited. (With further research) it may be possible to transform PE into a professional field that closely adheres to the (evidence and) . . . that welcomes psychological best practices for the benefit of children and public health.” Stay tuned for more updates.
“If improvements in PE experiences could inspire even small increases in (physical activity), millions could derive additional health benefits,” the researchers said. They concluded “that decades-old arguments concerning the focus on sport in PE programs and . . . fitness testing should be revisited. (With further research) it may be possible to transform PE into a professional field that closely adheres to the (evidence and) . . . that welcomes psychological best practices for the benefit of children and public health.” Stay tuned for more updates.