CARDIOPULMONARY CAPACITY AND BODY COMPOSITION OF STUDENTS PARTICIPATING AND NON OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES

SALES, W. F.; MOREIRA, O. C. Cardiopulmonary capacity and body composition of students participating and non of physical education classes. Brazilian Journal of Biomotricity. v. 6, n. 3, p. 153-158, 2012. Low levels of cardiorespiratory fitness are associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease and mortality from all causes. Thus, this study aimed to compare the cardiorespiratory and anthropometric characteristics of students participating and not participating in the classes of Physical Education. We evaluated 20 participants in physical education classes (age: 12.25 ± 1.12 years) and 20 non-participants (age: 13.15 ± 1.31 years), measuring up to body mass, height and estimating cardiorespiratory fitness by the 20 meters Shuttle-run test. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive exploration and comparison of independent variables (test t), adopting p <0.05. As a result it was found that participants in the Physical Education classes had lower body mass (41.33 ± 7.68 kg vs. 49.01 ± 8.35 kg; p=0.004), BMI (17.23 ± 2.46 kg/m2 vs 19.74 ± 2.75 kg/m2; p=0.004) and higher cardiorespiratory fitness (42.69 ± 3.49 ml.Kg-1.min-1vs37.36 ± 3.88 ml.Kg-1.min-1; p<0.001) when compared to the group of nonparticipants. In addition, children participating in the Physical Education classes showed statistically significant for non-participants in different body mass (38.38 ± 4.68 kg vs. 50.43 ± 10.8 kg), BMI (16.42 ± 1 7 kg/m2 vs 20.17 ± 3.7 kg/m2) and cardiorespiratory fitness (45.21 ± 2.1 ml.Kg-1.min-1vs 38.02 ± 2.5 ml.Kg-1.min-1). The results suggest that teachers of Physical Education should encourage the participation of students in classes as a way of promoting and encouraging the practice of regular physical activity.