PhD Project - FIT FIRST Physical Activity Intervention and Health-related Fitness Outcomes

The PhD project evolves around a physical activity intervention based on the FIT FIRST concept which was carried out for all classes in a medium size school with approx. 200 pupils in the Faroe Islands. All classes in the school participated in 3x40 min weekly extracurricular physical activity sessions intended to elicit a moderate to vigorous activity response. Students were assessed for physical fitnes and agilty as well a body composition and blood pressure before and after onset of the intervention. Health Related Quality of Life assessments were also conducted pre and post intervention. During the intervention period the physical activty sessions were assed with heart rate monitors and accelerometers and pupils reactions to the sessions were investigated with questionnaires for fun and perceived exertion. The PhD project will lead to 4 publications investigating 1) overall physical response, 2) overall HRQoL response, 3) Acute Session Response and 4) Evaluation og Applied Testing Methods. The project began with the intervention period during winter and spring of 2023, data analysis during the fall of 2023 and spring of 2024, and expected publicatins during the spring of 2024, fall of 2024 and spring of 2025. The final PhD thesis and expected dissertation is during fall 2025.