Obesity and suppleness in school children

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Introduction. Obesity is a common phenomenon and more frequently it is concerning the younger generations. Its distant consequences are alarming, especially in the area of health and the level of physical fitness. One of its components is suppleness; retaining its proper level seems essential as it delays experiencing various health conditions. The aim of this study was to compare the level of suppleness in school children with correct body mass and those overweight or obese. It was assumed that the suppleness level of boys and girls would be similar and that the groups of both younger children and those with correct body mass would be characterized by a higher level of the tested feature. Material and methods. The study included 120 students of year 2 and 5 in state primary schools from medium sized cities in the central area of the country. Body height and mass were measured and BMI was calculated. Suppleness was evaluated based on depth of sitting forward bend and sitting side bends. Data was differentiated according to age and BMI value. Results. A large percentage of overweight and obesity occurring in the studied groups of children was established, both in the beginning and at the end of young school development period, which to a greater extent concerns boys than girls. A similar level of suppleness in younger and older children was observed, with the exception of girls with correct body mass. Moreover, groups of overweight and obese children were characterized by worse suppleness results and greater dimorphic differences of this motoric feature. Conclusions. The increasing phenomenon of obesity among school children and its negative influence on the level of suppleness proves that hitherto prophylactic and educational process concerning health promoting has not been efficient enough, both in school environment and among adult members of the society. It justifies the necessity to introduce systemic changes in those areas based on holistic physical education of the whole society.