PHYSICAL ACTIVITY OF SOCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPS / RESEARCH PAPER
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AMONG PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN AGED 6-10 IN POLAND
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1
Department of Descriptive and Topographic Anatomy, Faculty of Medical Sciences in
Zabrze, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
2
Department of Medical and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences in Zabrze,
Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
Submission date: 2021-11-27
Final revision date: 2022-02-03
Acceptance date: 2022-02-07
Publication date: 2022-03-01
Health Prob Civil. 2022;16(1):82-92
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Physical activity (PA) is a primary stimulator of human psychosomatic development.
Material and methods:
The research analysis was based on data for children 6-10 years of age (n=908) attending primary schools in Poland, which were collected through indirect interviews from their parents. The research tool included an anonymous survey questionnaire for which the response rate was 20.8%. A value of p≤0.05 was taken to indicate statistical significance. Body Mass Index (BMI) was used for the assessment of the weight and height proportions.
Results:
Moderate PA of 3-5 hours per week had the highest percentage among girls and boys for type of PA. Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MPVA), which equates to 5-10 hours, was selected by 17.1-28.1% of girls, depending on body weight, and was most frequent among the group of obese girls. In the group of boys, MPVA=5-10 was 17.2-27.6% respectively, depending on body weight. This answer was most frequently selected by boys with normal body weight (27.6%). In both the groups of girls and boys, no statistically significant differences between nutritional status and time spent on PA were noted (girls: χ²=24.00; p=0.065; boys: χ²=19.33; p=0.199). The majority of children surveyed used sports facilities 2-4 times a week. This answer was most frequently chosen by the group of obese boys (51.7%) and girls (54.8%).
Conclusions:
Levels of PA among the children in this study was found to be insufficient, and the amount of PA did not have a statistically significant correlation with body weight.