THE RELATIONSHIP OF BODY COMPOSITION AND THE INTENSITY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF PREPUSCENT CHILDREN

Abstract

Identify the relationship of school period with the body composition and the intensity of physical activity of prepubescent male and female children. Methods: For the study, were randomly selected 55 boys and 48 girls, age 7 to 8 years old. Anthropometrics measurements: BMI and sum of 7 skin folds. For the intensity of physical activity the children were divided in three groups according to Bouchard (1983). The physical inactivity corresponding to the values of 1 and 2 (1 to 1,5 METs); light activity 3  4 - 5 (1,6 to 3,4 METs), moderate/high activities 6 to 9 (above 3,5 METs). For data analyses, ANOVA´s two-way and Pearson moment correlations were used, with p<0,05. Results: Analyzes of variance showed significant sex differences in light activity, F= 5,89 (1,97), p=0,017 (Boys: 186,18  71,12; girls: 215,10  63,42), and for moderate/high activity F= 5,87 (1,97), p=0,017 (Boys: 100,90  51,22; girls: 80,31  39,36). For boys (r= 0,30) and children attending the afternoon school period (r= - 0,29) the correlation showed significance with the sum of skin folds. Conclusion: the results showed that girls tend to do more light activity and boys to be engaged in moderate/high activity, what might be related to less percentage o body fat. To do activities with moderate/high intensity may be a way to prevent children development of overweight and obesity.