LONGITUDINAL MULTIPLE RELATIONS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION PARTICIPATION, SCHOOL GRADE, AGE, AND SEX WITH CARDIORESPIRATORY FITNESS CHANGES IN CHILDREN: A MEDIATOR ROLE OF CHANGES IN BODY COMPOSITION

Abstract

To verify the multiple relations of physical education participation, school grade, age, and sex with longitudinal cardiorespiratory fitness changes in children and to identify if there is a mediator role of longitudinal body composition changes in these relations. Methodology: This is a longitudinal study, carried out from March to November of 2019, with children from 6 to 12 years old, 150 boys and 80 girls. Children were classified according to a cut point of 70% of participation in physical education classes (>70%= High PE x <70%=Low PE). Outcomes were Body Composition (BC): body mass index, skinfolds, waist to height ratio, and Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Individual delta variation (D%), Cohens D, Bonferroni test, generalized estimative equations (GEE), and structural equations model (SEM) were estimated. Results: The results show a general boy’s and girl’s increasing in BC variables and a decrease in CRF at follow-up which more strength in the Low PE group compared to the High PE group. The SEM model showed that Children in the High PE group have the most decrease in BC variables and it is a role to relations between the High PE group with increasing in CRF. Conclusions: High PE group was associated with a D%CRF increase, it is an indirect association mediated by D% BC reduction. The SEM presents children that reduce BC also increasing CRF and vice-versa. The present study appoints that High PE participation is important to minimize the negative longitudinal effects of fatness on CRF.