Saleh Nasiri; jalal Dehghanizade
Abstract
Introduction: Obesity adversely affects the mental and physical health of children and adolescents. Obese children participate less in social and sports activities compared to their normal-weight peers, leading to a decline in their physical fitness and sports performance. The present study aimed to ...
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Introduction: Obesity adversely affects the mental and physical health of children and adolescents. Obese children participate less in social and sports activities compared to their normal-weight peers, leading to a decline in their physical fitness and sports performance. The present study aimed to compare the effects of the Teaching Games for Understanding (TGFU) model and traditional pedagogy methods on futsal performance, selected physical fitness factors, and physical activity levels in obese students.
Methods: This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a pre-test/post-test approach. A total of 24 obese students were purposively and conveniently selected as the sample and randomly divided into two groups of 12 individuals: a traditional pedagogy group and a TGFU group. Data were collected using a futsal skill test, the 4×9 meter agility test, the 20-meter shuttle run endurance test, the 10×5 meter shuttle run test, and a physical activity questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) at a significance level of P<0.05.
Results: The results of the ANCOVA indicated significant differences between the traditional and TGFU groups in futsal performance, cardiovascular endurance, agility, speed, and physical activity levels (P≤0.05). Furthermore, the TGFU group showed significantly better results than the traditional pedagogy group (P≤0.05).
Conclusion: The TGFU model enhances participants' adaptive behaviors in competitive settings and improves their capacity to solve various performance-related challenges, thereby helping to promote their overall development. Therefore, TGFU can be utilized in school physical education programs to enhance physical fitness factors and sports performance in obese students, replacing traditional pedagogy methods.
