Differences in nutritional status, risk factors for metabolic syndrome, physical fitness and physical activity according to hours of weekly physical education practice

Problem Statement: Schools have been called upon to promote healthy lifestyles. Physical education (PE) classes are the ideal instance to increase Physical Activity (PA). Purpose: To compare the nutritional status, the presence of risk factors for developing metabolic syndrome, insulin sensitivity, physical fitness and PA according to the number of PE scheduled hours (PESH). Method: The sample included 67 children aged 11±0.47 years, from schools with 2 PESH (n=28) and 4 PESH (n=39). A) Anthropometric evaluation was measured: body weight (kg), height (cm), body mass index, nutritional status, waist circumference, waist/height ratio and percentage of body fat. b) Diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome: 7 ml of peripheral venous blood was drawn after 8 hours of fasting to measure plasma glucose, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and insulin, and blood pressure. c) Insulin sensitivity by HOMA-IR. d) Physical fitness: cardiorespiratory fitness estimation by VO2max and muscular fitness evaluated by hand strength, maximum lower extremity strength and abdominal strength resistance. e) PA and sedentarism. Statistical analysis: According to the normal distribution, the student's t test or Wilcoxon test was used. To compare the nutritional status, a test of proportions was used. The differences were considered statistically significant when p