Physical Fitness, Nutritional Habits and Daily Locomotive Action of 12-Years Children with Different Body Mass Index

Spiridon Kamtsios & Nikolaos Digelidis

Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Hellas

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the differences among pupils of the 5th and 6th grades of the primary school, with different body mass index (BMI) as to a) their performance in specific physical fitness tests, b) their daily nutritional and locomotive behaviors. In the sample of the survey participated 141 pupils (67 boys and 74 girls), which took participation in the specific Eurofit tests, completed specially adjusted questionnaire, and they were divided, according to their BMI, to those with: a) normal BMI, b) overweight children and c) obese children. The 17% and 11.3% of those pupils were placed in the category of the over-weight and that of the obesity accordingly. From the data analysis (one-way anova), with BMI as independent variable, it was found out that the obese and overweight pupils had lower performance in long jump, in 30 m speed and in 20 m shuttle run. Also they adopt sedentary daily habits, such as many hours of TV watching and unhealthily nutrition habits. The results of this study showed the need of a necessary school intervention through physical education lessons, in order to inform for health risk, which is due to the limited amount of physical activity and the unhealthily nutrition habits, but also for the creation of such behaviors as those which should motivate all the pupils in the daily physical activity and exercise.

Key words: obesity, Eurofit test, body mass index.