The enjoyment in physical education class and body fat percentage among adolescents: a correlational study

Overweight and obesity incidences have increased globally, including in Malaysia. Adolescents often become obese due to imbalances in energy intake and expenditure, low physical activity, and unhealthy diets. Schools are crucial in promoting physical activity (PA) to combat obesity. The main reason for overweight and obesity among adolescents is the imbalance between energy intake and expenditure due to low physical activity. As being overweight and obese contributes to chronic diseases, adolescents should combat it through PA. In this regard, schools play a crucial role in enhancing interest in PE due to the subject's potential to enhance the level of PA. Several studies found that enjoyment in PE will motivate adolescents to engage in PA as it promotes activities that incite excitement, enjoyment, and interest. Thus, the present study explored the correlation between the level of enjoyment and body fat percentage among adolescents and involved 152 adolescents aged 15-17 and found a negative relationship between enjoyment and body fat percentage r = -.474, p = .000, with 22.5% of the variance in body fat percentage being attributed to enjoyment in PE. This highlights the importance of incorporating various teaching methods and activities in PE to improve students’ engagement.