Childhood obesity can lead to adulthood obesity with adverse effects. Since body composition and physical fitness differ depending on the obesity degree, a systemic analysis could help classify that degree. We used three study designs based on the obesity degree (body mass index [BMI] as a reference) for our objectives. First, we identified the relationship between body composition and physical fitness. Second, we determined the effects of exercise on body composition and physical fitness. Third, we performed a path analysis of the impact of exercise on body composition and physical fitness, and verified those effects among the groups. In study 1, 164 10-year-old subjects were divided into four groups: 33 in the normal weight (NO), 34 in overweight (OV), 54 in obesity (OB), and 43 in the severe obesity (SOB) group. In study 2, 101 participants from study 1 who wished to participate in the exercise program were divided into four groups (same criteria). The exercise program (three times a week for 60 min, for 16 weeks) consisted of sports and reinforcement exercises of increasing intensity. Body composition was measured by body weight, percentage of body fat (%BF), muscle mass, skeletal muscle mass (SMM), and body mass index (BMI). In contrast, physical fitness was measured by muscular strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, agility, and balance. As a result, all body composition variables were higher in the SOB group than in the other groups. Physical fitness, muscular strength and balance, and agility were highest in the SOB, NO, and OV groups, respectively. Pearson’s correlation revealed that muscular strength was associated with height and body weight across all groups. Agility showed a negative correlation with %BF in the NO, OB, and SOB groups. SMM was positively correlated in the OB and SOB groups. After the exercise intervention, BMI and the %BF of the SOB group were significantly reduced (p < 0.01, and p < 0.001, respectively), while SMM presented a significant increase (p < 0.001). Height also showed a significant increase in all groups (p < 0.001). Among physical fitness variables, muscular strength, flexibility, muscular endurance, and balance showed a significant increase in all groups, while a significant increase in power was observed in only the OB and SOB groups. As for the effects of the body composition on physical fitness after exercise intervention, the greatest impact was observed for balance, muscular strength and agility, and muscular endurance in NO, OV, and OB groups, respectively. In conclusion, the body composition, physical fitness relationship, and the effects of exercise intervention on them differed depending on the obesity degree. Furthermore, the results varied according to the obesity degree. Thus, our study highlights the importance of creating particular exercise programs for the effective prevention and treatment of childhood obesity considering the obesity degree.

The aim of present study was to examine the mediating effect of presenteeism on the relationship between emotional labor and work engagement of coaches for disability sports. A total of 198 coaches in Korea participated in this study. Participants responded a survey measuring emotional labor, presenteeism, and work engagement. After analyzing the correlation between each variable, the mediation model was verified through structural equation model analysis. The results reveal that emotional labor of coaches for disability sports positively predicted their work engagement, but negatively predicted presenteeism. In addition, the participants’ presenteeism can have a negative effect on their work engagement. Moreover, completing work in presenteeism was found to mediate the relationship between the deep acting and surface acting in emotional labor and work engagement of disability sports coaches.

Coaching is a stressful occupation, with expectations that are physically and psychologically demanding. Coaches are highly susceptible to occupational burnout and presenteeism, which ultimately affects the entire sporting community. In this study, coaching stress was evaluated by surveying taekwondo coaches to analyze the contributions of unique cultural predispositions and workplace conditions (environmental) to coach stress, burnout, and presenteeism. We verified the positive correlation between workplace conditions, burnout, and presenteeism for 210 taekwondo coaches; performed frequency, correlation, and confirmatory analysis using the compiled data; and the discussed the results within the framework of a formulated structural equation model. The research results are as follows. First, the workplace conditions of taekwondo coaches had a negative effect on burnout syndrome. Second, the workplace conditions of taekwondo coaches had a negative effect on presenteeism. Lastly, burnout of taekwondo coaches had a significant effect on presenteeism. Therefore, coaches’ burnout decreases as their workplace conditions improve, and presenteeism decreases as their burnout increases in controlled workplace conditions.

The population of older adults is increasing more rapidly in Korea than in any other country, making successful aging a salient need in Korean society. For successful aging, older adults must engage in sports activities regularly. This study determined the relationships among health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, health promotion behavior, and successful aging among older adults who engage in sports activities regularly. The participants were 287 adults aged 65 years or older who live in Korea and exercise regularly. Data were collected through a survey and analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling. The integrated model lacked explanatory power in terms of goodness of fit, but the alternative model had sufficient explanatory power. The alternative model showed that health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, and health promotion behavior are significantly related and that health promotion behavior positively predicts successful aging. It also showed that health beliefs affect successful aging through the mediation of exercise adherence intention and health promotion behavior. This study is meaningful because it verifies the structural and theoretical relationships among health beliefs, exercise adherence intention, health promotion behavior, and successful aging. As a result, it provides information that can improve the welfare of older adults in Korean society.

Maintenance of positive psychological conditioning can be a key factor in eliciting high human performance. In particular, perception of error forms a causal relationship with challenges regarding task performance. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mediation effect of expectancy value in the relationship between the perception of error and challenge using the Phantom Model through quantitative research. This study analyzed the causal relationship between perception of error, expectancy value, and challenge in 423 young Taekwondo athletes. Frequency analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling were performed on the collected data using Jamovi 1.0.1 and AMOS 23.0 statistical programs to verify the hypothesis. The challenge demonstrated a significant difference in relation to the perception of error. These results demonstrated that the perception of error not only directly affected one’s challenge but also explained the increased challenge by mediating expectations for success and subjective values. Hence, the positive perception of error increased the athletes’ expectancy value and challenge.

Continual exercise has become an important concept for mental as well as physical health, with sporting industries and communities interested in promoting exercise adherence. This study examined the causal relationship among sports ability-beliefs, achievement goal orientation, and exercise adherence among Korean recreational golfers. Data from 806 golfers were collected after Institutional Review Board deliberation and approval. To reflect the characteristics of frequent participation, golfers were limited to those who had been registered members of a golf practice facility for more than three months. The measurements included the sports ability-belief scale, the achievement goal orientation scale, and the exercise adherence scale, with evidence of construct validity based on confirmatory factor analysis. The research questions were verified through a measurement model and structural model validation. The results showed that the learning factor under incremental beliefs explained task orientation (β = 0.417, p < 0.001). Conversely, the gift factor under entity beliefs explained ego orientation (β = 0.169, p < 0.001). Thus, the significant relationship between learning and task orientation implied that consistent practice and effort in golf could enhance the positive meaning of golf participation and the perception of achievement in golfers. Conversely, the static explanation of ego orientation of gift suggested that individuals with strong beliefs in their innate golf abilities or the influence of their motor skills on golf performance experienced a sense of achievement by comparing themselves with others. Secondly, when the sub factors of sports ability-beliefs were controlled, both task orientation (β = 0.420, p < 0.001) and ego orientation (β = 0.159, p < 0.001) were statistically significant in terms of exercise adherence. Thirdly, in the relationship between sports ability-beliefs and exercise adherence, both task orientation (indirect effect: 0.074, p < 0.001) and ego orientation (indirect effect: 0.012, p < 0.05) had complete mediation effects. Ultimately, the study confirmed that the relevance of sports ability-beliefs and achievement goal orientation for exercise adherence in elite sports could also be applicable in the realm of recreational sports.