Effects Of Physical Activity And Body Mass Index On Body Composition And Aerobic Fitness In Children

Abstract

PURPOSE Obesity is the result of an excessive increase in the fat mass in the organism and the physical activity is one of the means to fight against obesity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of an Additional Physical Activity (APA) on body composition and aerobic fitness in children aged 6 to 10 years according to Body Mass Index (BMI). METHODS Four hundred twenty one children were classified according to their BMI profile taken into account the references of the IOTF (2003): “Obese”=BMI>97th centile, “Risk”=97th<BMI<90th centile and/or early adiposity rebound, “Normal”=3rd<BMI<90th centile. All children participated to the usual school physical education. Two hundred eleven children participated 3 times one hour of APA per week. Other children were used as control group (n=210).Body composition was estimated from the skinfold thickness method. The 20m shuttle run test (Léger et al., 1988) allowed estimating VO2max. These parameters were measured 2 times in all children: February (T0=steady state) and after 11 weeks of APA in June (T1). RESULTS Whatever the measured parameter of body composition and aerobic fitness ANOVA for repeated measurements don't show any significant differences.Table: Anthropometric and aerobic fitness characteristics in February and June.CONCLUSIONS Eleven weeks of an APA have permit to stabilize the BMI and %Fat, to raise the level of aerobic fitness and to produce a same effort less constraining in obese and risk children. Thus, physical activity must be integrated in the preventive program and the tracking of pediatric obesity.