Aerobic fitness and biological and sociodemographic indicators in female school children

• Published in: Revista brasileira de cineantropometria & desempenho humano Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 448 - 457
• Main Authors: Ribeiro, Roberto Regis, Santos, Keila Donassolo, Carvalho, Wellington Roberto Gomes, Goncalves, Ezequiel Moreira, Roman, Everton Paulo, Minatto, Giseli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Portuguese
• Published: 01.01.2013
• ISSN: 1415-8426; 1980-0037
• DOI: 10.5007/1980-0037.2013v15n4p448

Aerobic fitness is an important health-related fitness component. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of age, growth, body composition, sexual maturation and socioeconomic status on the aerobic fitness of female school children attending public schools in Cascavel, Parana, Brazil. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 2006 on 1,317 school children aged 8 to 17 years. Body mass, height and triceps and medial calf skinfold thickness were measured and relative body fat (%BF) was calculated. Sexual maturation was self-assessed using a breast development scale (M1 to M5). The questionnaire proposed by the Brazilian Association of Research Companies was used to assess socioeconomic status. Aerobic fitness was estimated by the 20-m shuttle run test. The results were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, Tukey post hoc test, Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression with 95% confidence intervals. Three variables (age, %BF and socioeconomic status) showed an interaction (p<0.05) in the prediction of VO sub(2peak)rel (R super(2)=0.73). All independent variables (body mass, height, age, %BF, socioeconomic status, and sexual maturation) were significant predictors (p<0.05) of VO sub(2abs) (R super(2)=0.88). In conclusion, chronological age and sexual maturation were the best predictors of VO sub(2peak)abs (positive) and VO sub(2peak)rel (negative).Original Abstract: A aptidao aerobia e considerada um dos mais importantes componentes da aptidao fisica relacionada a saude. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a influencia da idade, das variaveis de crescimento, composicao corporal, maturacao sexual e do nivel economico (NE) sobre aptidao aerobia em escolares do sexo feminino de escolas publicas da cidade de Cascavel, PR, Brasil. Estudo epidemiologico transversal realizado com 1.317 escolares de oito a 17 anos de idade no ano de 2006. Foram coletadas as variaveis de massa corporal, estatura, dobras cutaneas do triceps e panturrilha medial e calculado o percentual de gordura corporal (%GC). A maturacao sexual foi autoavaliada por meio da prancha de desenvolvimento de mamas (M1 a M5). O NE foi obtido por um questionario proposto pela Associacao Brasileira das Empresas de Pesquisa. O teste de vai-vem de 20 metros foi utilizado para mensurar a aptidao aerobia. Foram aplicados a Anova two-way, teste post hoc de Tukey, as correlacoes de Pearson e Spearman e a analise de regressao linear multipla, com nivel de confianca de 95%. Tres variaveis (idade, %GC e NE) apresentaram interacao (p<0,05) na predicao do VO sub(2pico)rel (R super(2)=0,73) e todas as variaveis independentes (massa corporal, idade, estatura, %G, NE e maturacao sexual) foram significativas para predizer o VO sub(2pico)abs (R super(2)=0,88). Concluise que a idade cronologica e a maturacao sexual foram as variaveis que melhor predizem positivamente os valores de VO sub(2pico)abs e negativamente os de VO sub(2pico)rel.