Vol.3, No.1, 20-25 (2011) Health
doi:10.4236/health.2011.31004
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/
Influence of exercis e habit s and physical fitn ess level on
subjective fatigue symptoms in adolescent students
Shinichi Demura1, Takayoshi Yamada2*, Shigeru Shimada2, Masanobu Uchiyama3
1Kanazawa University , Graduate School of Natural Science & Technology K akuma , Kana zawa, Jap an;
2Fukui National College of Technology , Department of Health & Physical Education Geshi, Sabae, Japan; [e-mail]
3Akita Prefectural University, Research and Education Center for Comprehensive Science, Akita, Japan; [e-mail]
Received 25 September 2010; revised 12 October 2010; accepted 18 October 2010.
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to examine the influence of
exercise habits and physical fitness level on
subjective fatigue s ymptoms (SF S) in adolescent
students. Four hundred and one healthy young
male adults (age: 16.5 +/- 1.2 yr) participated in
the physical fitness test of the Ministry of Educa-
tion, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in
Japan and responded to the questionnaire on
exercise habits and SFS. SFS questionnaire w as
conducted 6 times with a week interval during
the physical fitness test. SFS was compared
among groups with different physical fitness le-
vels and exercise habit. Significant differences
were found in difficulty with concentrated think-
ing, languor and low v igor, with the high physical
fitness group having lower values of the three
fatigue factors than the low physical fitness
group regardless of affiliation with sports club
and gyms, exercise frequency and time. SFS is
largely affected by physical fitness level but ver y
little by exercise habit s.
Keywords: Physical Fitness; Exercise Habit;
Feeling of Fatigue; Adolescence; Correlation
1. INTRODUCTION
Fatigue has been clarified to be useful as one health
index in the daily life of adolescents [1]. The evaluation
of fatigue state is important to understanding phenomena
in various environments and to practicing healthy habits.
The relationship between subjective fatigue symptoms
and the living habits of adolescents has been examined,
and it has been shown that the former is higher in stu-
dents with shorter sleeping times and in those who do
not eat breakfast [1-3]. Moreover, it was also reported
that students with an unpleasant awakening and lower
subjective health have high subjective fatigue symptoms
[2]. Many researchers have examined the relationship
between subjective fatigue symptoms and the daily liv-
ing habits of adolescents. Creating a regular life habit
may reduce these fatigue symptoms.
Meanwhile, the relationships among life habits, health
and physical fitness have been stud ied by many research-
ers, and it was shown that people who actively incorpo-
rate an exercise habit into their daily life have higher
health and physical fitness levels [4,5]. Immobilization
enhances the incidence rate of obesity and further
life-style related diseases due to increasing inactivity [ 4].
Deterioration of health and a decrease in physical fitness
lead to a decrease in activity ability in middle and old age
[6] and als o negatively a ffect daily li ving habit s [7].
Muraki et al. [8] examined the relationship between
physical fitness and mental health and reported that
maximal oxygen consumption significantly related to
tension, anxiety and tiredness. Namely, maintaining
higher physical fitness levels may be required for main-
taining mental health, because it relates to the adju stabil-
ity to environmental changes. Moreover, performing
exercise and sports produces a large psychological effect
such as the elimination of unpleasantness, i.e., hostile
feelings, tension and anxiety, and gaining feelings of
exhilaration in addition to maintaining the wholesome
physical condition stated above. Annesi. [9] examined
the effect of moderate intensity exercise intervention for
10 weeks on mental status, and they reported that ten s ion,
anxiety, vigor and tiredness were improved by consecu-
tive exercise. Steptoe and Cox. [10] reported that vigor
and feelings of exhilaration are improved even by tem-
poral exercise. Hence, it is suggested that performing
exercise and sports is useful for maintaining healthy
mental status by bringing about anxiolysis and antide-
pressant effects in addition to dissolving stress and
building up resistance to it.
From the above, attaining vigorous exercise habits and
maintaining/enhancing physical fitness are judged to be
useful to relieve anxiety and tension due to environmen-

S. Demura et al. / Health 3 (2011) 20-25
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/
21
tal changes in addition to preventing life-style related
diseases. However, although anxiety and tension take
place during temporal environmental changes, subjective
fatigue symptoms are multiple mental symptoms and
cause chronic confusion. Until now, the relationship
amo ng subjective fatigue symptoms, physical fitness and
exercise habits has not been well examined.
This study aimed to examine the influence of exercise
habits and physical fitness levels on subjective fatigue
symptoms in adolescent students.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1. Subjects
Four hundred and one healthy adolescent students aged
15 to 20 years who were enrolled in the National College
of Technology in 2007 (age: 16.5 +/- 1.2 yr, height: 171.3
+/- 5.9 cm, body-mass: 61.2 +/- 9.8 kg) participated in
this study. Subjects’ physical characteristics were almost
the same as the coeval Japanese standard values. In-
formed consent was obtained from each subject after a
full explanation of the experimental project and its pro-
cedure. The experimental protocol in this study was ap-
proved by an inquiry committee of studies intended for
humans, the Kanazawa University Health & Sports
Science Ethics Committee.
2.2. Method of Physical Fitness Test of
Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology
in Japan and Subjective
Fatigue Symptoms
Questionnaire
Measurement items of physique and physical fitness
were height, body-mass and the eight items in the phys-
ical fitness test of the Ministry of Education, Culture,
Sports, Science and Technology in Japan (grip strength,
sit-up, trunk anteflexion, repeated sideways jump,
20-meter shuttle run, 50-meter dash, standing long jump
and handball throw). A subjective fatigue symptoms
questionnaire proposed by Kobayashi et al. [ 11] was
used. This questionnaire was developed to evaluate the
fatigue of adolescent students and consists of the fol-
lowing six sub-scales (total 24 items): difficulties with
concentrated thinking, languor, loss of vigor, loss of wil-
lingness, drowsiness and uncomfortable physical feeling.
The contents of each fatigue sub-scale are as follows:
concentration, thinking faculty and patience for “diffi-
culties with concentrated thinking”; languor of whole
and parts of the body for “languor”; perturbation of
conversation and loss of vigor for “loss of vigor”; irrita-
tion over moving and hating of everything for “loss of
willingness”; drowsiness and hoping for attitude adjus t-
ment for “drowsiness”; and asthenopia and feeling stiff
in the shoulders for “uncomfortable physical feeling”
[11-15]. Subjects responded the degree of feeling on the
each content of questionnaire items dating back to one
week from the time when the questionnaire was con-
ducted by using the following five rating scales: no (1
point), not very (2 point), no preference (3 point),
somewhat yes (4 point) and yes (5 point). In addition,
they were assumed as an interval scale and used for
analysis in this study.
2.3. Procedures
Prior to the physical fitness test and subjective f atigue
symptoms questionnaire, subjects were given a substan-
tial explanation of their contents. They were conducted
in reference to the enduring rule of the Ministry of Edu-
cation, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan
and a survey method of Kobayashi et al. [11], respec-
tively. They were conducted once a week using curricu-
lar class from the middle of April to the end of May by
faculty in health and physical education with expert
knowledge and experience. A subjective fatigue symp-
toms questionnaire was conducted six times in each cur-
ricular class, considering their variation during the
physical fitness test period.
Exercise habits of the subjects was evaluated using a
questionnaire attached to a record sheet of the above
physical fitness test. Their contents were affiliation sta-
tus to sports clubs and gyms (with or without affiliation)
frequency of conducting exercise and sports [approx-
imately every day (over 3 days/week), sometimes (1-2
days/week), occasionally (1-3 days/month) or fail] and
duration of exercise and sports (under 30 min, no fewer
than 30 min, no more than 1 hour, no less than 1 hour, no
more than 2 hours or over 2 hours). Subjects selected the
most suitable content from each category. Exercise and
sports were after-school activities, walking and gym
lesson for maintaining/enhancing health and physical
fitness, except for curricular class.
2.4. Parameters
Measured values of physical fitness test were trans-
formed into scores based on the point table shown in its
enduring rule. Moreover, total scores of each subject
were calculated, and subjects were ranked from A to E
based on the total point table. The number of students
classified into ranks A through E were 35, 144, 172, 48
and 2 subjects, respectively. Subjects were divided into
high (A and B) and low (D and E) physical fitness
groups to examine the influence of physical fitness
level and exercise habits on subjective fatigue symp-

S. Demura et al. / Health 3 (2011) 20-25
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/
22
toms. Moreover, in each physical fitness group, sub-
jects were divided into those with or without affiliation
to sports clubs and gyms, frequency of conducting ex-
ercise and sports (high frequency: over 1-2 days/week,
low frequency: under 1-3 days/month) and duration of
exercise and sports (long time: over 1 hour, short time:
under 1 hour). Each score of the items of the subjective
fatigue symptoms questionnaire conducted six times
was averaged, and the total scores in each sub-scale
were calculated.
2.5. Statistical Analysis
The φ coefficient was calculated to examine the rela-
tionship between exercise habits and physical fitness
levels. Mean differences among each sub-scale of sub-
jective fatigue symptoms were examined using two way
analysis of variance. Tukey’s HSD was used for post-hoc
analysis. In addition, partial η2 was calculated in each
test to examine the effect size. A probability level of 0.05
was used as indicative of statistical significance and ad-
justed in reference to Bonferroni’s method. Namely, α’ =
0.05/6 wa s used.
3. RESULTS
Tables 1, 2 and 3 show the frequency distribution of
subjects with or without affiliation to sports clubs and
gyms, the frequency of conducting exercise and sports
and the duration of exercise and sports in the high and
low physical fitness groups and their φcoefficients. All
correlations between physical fitness and exercise habits
were significant (φ = 0.334-0.377). Tables 4, 5 and 6
show two way analysis of variance, post-hoc and partial
η2 for subjective fatigue symptoms of subjects with or
without affiliation to sports clubs and gyms, the fre-
quency of conducting exercise and sports and the dura-
tion of exercise and sports in the high and low physical
fitness groups. Significant differences were found in
difficulties with concentrated thinking, languor and loss
of vigor, and the high physical fitness group was lower
than the low physical fitness group regardless of affilia-
tion to sports clubs and gyms, frequency of conducting
exercise and sports and duration of exercise and sports.
Moreover, all differences were small (partial η2 =
0.03-0.05).
4. DISCUSSIO N
Students with high physical fitness were assumed to
have lower subjective fatigue symptoms, becaus e fitness
Table 1. Correlation between physical fitness level and with or
without affiliation to sports department and gym.
gy
affiliated not affiliatedφp
High physical fitness group133460.334 0.000
Low physi cal fitness group18 32
relates to adjustability to various environments. The
present results showed that the high physical fitness
group has lower subjective fatigue in difficulties with
concentrated thinking, languor and loss of vigor. Muraki
et al. [8] examined the relationship of maximal oxygen
uptake during incremental graded cycle ergometer exer-
cise with mood (tension, blues, anger, vigor, tiredness
and confusion) and anxiety (state and attribute anxiety)
measured by the Profile of Mood States (POMS) and
State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) to clarify the rela-
tionship between physical fitness and mental health in
adolescent males and females. The results showed that
maximal oxygen uptake of adolescent males significant-
ly and moderately related to tension, blues, tiredness,
and state and attribute anxiety (r = -0.59 to -0.76). The
evaluation method of physical fitness differs between the
present study and Muraki et al.’s study (total physical
fitness and w hole body endurance). However, subjective
fatigue symptoms of the high physical fitness group in
the present study showed a similar trend to the psycho-
logical characteristics of Muraki et al. Namely, it was
suggested that students with higher physical fitness have
low fatigue feelings because physical fitness affects
them greatly.
Meanwhile, adequate exercise habits are useful for
maintaining/enhancing health and physical fitness levels
[4,5]. Also the present results showed a significant rela-
tionship between the physical fitness level and exercise
habits as stated above (see Tables 1, 2 and 3). Moreover,
because psychological effects such as attitude adjust-
ments, sense of fulfillment in daily living and stress
busters are expected with exercise and sports [9], stu-
dents with vigorous exercise habits were inferred to have
low subjective fatigue symptoms. However, subjective
fatigue symptoms did not significantly differ between
groups based on affiliation to sports clubs and gyms re-
gardless of physical fitness level. More than half of the
present students with affiliation to sports clubs and gyms
belonged to the sports club of the National College of
Technology (233/401: 57.1%). Daley and Huffen. [16]
examined the influence of exercise with low and moder-
Table 2. Correlation between physical fitness level and fre-
quency of conducting exercise and sports.
p
high frequency :
over 1-2
days /week
low frequency:
under 1-3
days /month
φp
High physical fitness group140 39
Low physi cal fitness group18 32
0.377
0.000
Table 3. Correlation between physical fitness level and con-
ducting time of exercise and sports.
long time:
over 1 hour
shor t time:
under 1 hour
φp
High physical fitness group53 126
Low physi cal fitness group37 13
-0.375
0.000

S. Demura et al. / Health 3 (2011) 20-25
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/
23
Table 4. Two way analysis of variance, post-hoc and partial
2
η
for subjective fatigue symptoms of with or without affiliation to
sports department and gym in high and low.
Table 5. Two way analysis of variance, post-hoc and partial 2 η for subjective fatigue symptoms of frequency of conducting exer-
cise and sports in high and low physical fitness.
Table 6. Two way analysis of variance, post-hoc and partial 2 η for subjective fatigue symptoms of conducting time of exercise and
sports in high and low physical fitness.
ate intensity on perceived psychological changes and
reported that, although contentment and tiredness in-
creased significantly in the latter intensity group, no
change was found in the former. Blanchard et al. [17]
examined the influence of temporal exercise with 50 and
80% of maximal heart rate reserved (HRR) on perceived
mood state and reported that, although no significant
mood change was found in the former, soreness in-
creased in the latter. High intensity training was likely
conducted in sports clubs for enhancing performance.
Moreover, psychological characteristics that subjects
perceived may have large individual differences from
conducting the above stated exercise. Namely, in re-
sponse to exercise intensity, some subjects feel a favora-
ble impression, such as contentment as reported by Da-
ley and Fuffen, and other subjects feel pain as reported
by Blanchard et al. The present results may support the
latter. However, as stated above, subjective fatigue
symptoms did not differ between groups based on affili-
ation to sports clubs and gyms, and the influence of the

S. Demura et al. / Health 3 (2011) 20-25
Copyright © 2011 SciRes. Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/
24
physical fitness level it is judged to be greater than that
of exercise habit.
Moreover, subjective fatigue symptoms did not differ
in different frequencies of conducting exercise and sports
(high frequency: over 1-2 days/week, low frequency:
under 1-3 days/month) and duration of exercise and
sports (long time: over 1 hour, short time: under 1 hour)
as well as with and without aff iliation to sport s c lubs and
gyms regardless of physical fitness level. Although en-
hancing mental health is expected from consecutive ex-
ercise habits, 10 w eeks have been repor ted to be required
at the least [18-21]. Meanwhile, Pertruzzello et al. [18]
examined exercise time using meta-analysis and reported
that 21 minutes of exercise is required to reduce anxiety.
Moreover, some researchers insist on the necessity to
assure exercise for 20 minutes based on the above stated
findings [19,22]. However, Petruzzello and Landers. [23]
compared the psychological state after 15 and 30 minutes
of running with moderate exercise intensity (75% max-
imal oxygen uptake) and reported that a significant dif-
ference was not found between both conditions. In
another similar research project, it was reported that an
increase of feelings of exhilaration, and a decrease of
anxiety was found by conducting five minutes of exercise
[24]. More subjects in this study customarily conducted
exercise more than 3days/week (150/401: 37.4%).
Moreover, 73.0% of them exceeded the exercise time
needed to obtain the effect of mental health improvement
proposed by the above previous studies (over 30 minutes).
In addition, many of them conducted training with high
intensity for enhancing performance and skills. Therefore,
the present results may differ from those in the previous
studies which aimed to improve mental health and ex-
amined the effect of fitness conditioning using intensity
and exercise time. However, from the present results, it is
inferred that the influence of physical fitness on subjec-
tive fatigue sy mptoms is larger than that of the frequency
of conducting exercise and sports and the duration of
exercise and sports.
5. CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion, subjective fatigue symptoms are lower
in students with a higher physical fitness level than that
of students with a lower physical fitness level. They are
largely affected by physical fitness level but little by
exercise habit.
6. ACKNOWLEDGMENT S
The authors have n o financial disclosures to make on this paper. We
contributed to all aspects of this paper and there is no sponsor to this
study.
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