Abstract

MEZA HERNANDEZ, María Teresa de Jesús; DORANTES PINEDA, Claudia Marcela; RAMOS IBANEZ, Norma  and  ORTIZ-HERNANDEZ, Luis. Physical activity in a group of school children in Mexico City: associated factors and cutoff points measured by accelerometry. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2013, vol.70, n.5, pp.372-379. ISSN 1665-1146.

Background. At any age, physical activity (PA) is critical to maintaining health. Different PA guidelines have been formulated to improve the health of children and adolescents. We undertook this study to analyze the difference in physical activity levels in school children during the day and week and to determine whether two recommendations of physical activity (frequency and duration vs. accumulated duration) in school children identify difference in physical fitness and fatness. Methods. Seventy-one school children participated. A tri-axis accelerometer (ActiGraph) was used for 7 consecutive days. Minutes spent on moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were estimated. Two criteria were used to define whether a child is active: ≥60 min of MVPA/day and 300 min of MVPA/week. Nutritional status was assessed using the body mass index (BMI) and physical fitness with the FITNESSGRAM® protocol. Results. It was shown that 12.5% of school children were active according to 60 min MVPF/day criterion and 55.5% with 300 min MVPF/week criteria. School children were more active during school recess and afternoons on weekdays and afternoons and nights on weekends. Boys were more actives than girls. The time spent on vigorous and moderate activities was positively correlated with aerobic fitness (r =0.23, p =0.057 and r =0.32, p =0.007, respectively). There was a positive correlation between the time spent on sedentary activities and body fat (r =0.343, p =0.003) and negative with light and moderate activities (r =-0.249, p =0.003; r =-0.249, p =0.013, respectively). School children classified as active according to 300 min of MVPA/week criteria showed better aerobic capacity. Conclusions. The proportion of active school children differs according to the physical activity criterion. It was shown that physical activity varied according to gender and time of day. The time spent on high intensity activities appears to have an influence on aerobic fitness of school children.

Keywords : school children; nutritional status; physical activity; accelerometer.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )