Physical Activity Behavior, Aerobic Fitness and Quality of Life in School-Age Children

Abstract

The aim of this article is to assess the differences in sedentary and physical activity behavior, physical fitness and quality of life in school-age children according to their adiposity state (BMI-SD= Body Mass Index Standard deviation) and gender. 352 children participated in the study (11.99 ± 1.5 years). Children were assigned to a normal weight group (NW= Normal Weight) (n=175) or to an overweight/obese group (OW/OB= Overweight and Obese) (n=177). The percentage of OW/OB was significantly superior (p<0.05) in boys (55.4%) than in girls. Boys reported spending 2:19h/week (sd= 2:33; p<0.01) watching TV and 3:21h/week (4:28; p<0.001) more than girls practicing moderate-high intensity physical activity. In contrast, in weight groups differences appeared only at high intensity activities to which NW children devoted 52minuts/week (2:33; p<0.01) longer than OW/OB children. NW and OW/OB groups presented significant (p<0.05) differences in all the physical fitness tests, except for the medicine ball toss one. Children´s involvement in at least three hours a week of physical activity were associated to a lower prevalence of overweight or obesity, and to higher physical fitness in children.

Barriers to physical activity in adolescents: A systematic review

“…These are just the reasons they find in order to justify not being involved in sports activities, and it follows that the only reason and the biggest subjectively perceived barrier is laziness and mental unwillingness of the child to start engaging in physical activity. According to Serra-Paya, (2015), watching television in free time is statistically significantly negatively associated with engaging in physical activity, which means that children who watch more television, they do exercises less and vice versa. More than 50% (score greater than 2.50) of girls gave a high score on barriers to physical activity (Robbins et al, 2003).…”