LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FITNESS AMONG SCHOOL ADOLESCENT AT SMK TELUK BAHANG, PENANG, MALAYSIA

Abstract

Background: Establishing a solid foundation of health during adolescent is vital for promoting long-term overall well-being. However, technological advancements have revolutionized human behavior and social dynamics across all age groups, but particularly in adolescent, where prolonged exposure to digital platforms has led to sedentary behavior. This shift has been associated with rising rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension. Recognizing the importance of physical fitness is necessary for screening health risks among adolescents, therefore, this study aimed to assess the physical fitness levels of school adolescent at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia. Method: Each participant performed three physical fitness tests; (1) push-up test, (2) beep test, and (3) sit-and-reach test. The push-up test was used to measure upper body strength and endurance, the beep test was used to estimate aerobic fitness, and sit and reach test was used to measure flexibility of hamstring muscles. The results were then analyzed based on normative values of each test using IBM SPSS Statistic version 29.0. Results: 61 school adolescents completed the entire tests. When compared to normative values for push-up test (20.25 ± 13.2 rep in male and 10.49 ± 7.3 rep in female), beep test (27.75 ± 5.5 ml.kg^-1.min^-1 in males and 23.0 ± 3.6 ml.kg^-1.min^-1 in females), and the sit-and-reach test (21.28 ± 9.2 cm in males and 20.4 ± 7.5 cm in females), all of them were under average. Conclusion: The level of physical fitness among school adolescents at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Teluk Bahang, Penang, Malaysia is somewhat below average.