Abstract
Purpose. The first purpose of this study was to determine if principals who exercise regularly and follow USDA recommended nutritional guidelines are more satisfied with their jobs than those who do not exercise regularly and do not follow the USDA nutritional guidelines. The second purpose of this study was to determine whether those principals who exercise regularly and follow USDA nutritional guidelines are more likely to remain in a principalship than principals that did not exercise regularly and did less likely to consider leaving the principalship profession than those who do not exercise regularly and do not follow the USDA guidelines, not follow USDA nutritional guidelines. Methodology. This researcher replicated a previous study and used correlational research methods to analyze the relationship between the independent variables of regular exercise and nutrition and the dependent variables of job satisfaction and job retention. The subjects in the present study were seventy public school principals. The principals responded to a thirty-question survey self reporting frequency of exercise, nutritional practices, levels of energy, job satisfaction, and job longevity. Findings. Examination of the quantitative data from the seventy public school principals indicated that exercise and proper nutrition did not effect principals' job satisfaction, or dissatisfaction. Secondly, the researcher found through examination of the same data that a principals' job longevity was not influenced by frequency of exercise or following proper nutritional practices. Conclusions. The researcher concludes that principals who viewed themselves as physically fit were those who exercised on a regular basis and reported a positive attitude toward exercise. This study group of principals had a higher percentage of obesity than the national average yet there was little evidence that regular aerobic exercise or following USDA-recommended nutritional habits was a priority. Recommendations. The recommendation for further study to compare differences in responses between principals in districts that have staff wellness programs and those that do not could be worthy. Also, the researcher recommends that the study be replicated with a larger sample of principals throughout the state. Finally, further research is suggested to determine possible results when focusing on gender, age groups and type and size of site served.