Psychosocial, physical and anthropometric variables in chilean schoolchildren. A comparative study according to physical activity levels

Introduction: Physical activity (PA) has multiple benefits for physical and mental health in different types of populations; however, there are no comprehensive evaluations in school population. On the other hand, levels of physical inactivity have generated an increase in childhood obesity worldwide and cardiovascular risk factors, affecting the overall development of children and their quality of life, in addition to a large number of psychosocial components. The purpose of the research was to compare according to levels of PA, psychosocial, anthropometric and physical variables in Chilean schoolchildren. Method: 605 schoolchildren (272 women and 333 men) between 11 and 14 years of age participated. Self-esteem, body image, cardiorespiratory fitness, blood pressure and anthropometric parameters were evaluated. Results: The girls presented higher body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat (BF), in addition they presented higher risk score of dissatisfaction with the corporal image (p = 0.03), in the self-esteem there were no differences (p> 0.05). PA was higher in children (p <0.001), as were values in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p <0.05). Children had a higher proportion of school children categorized with high PA (p <0.001). School children with lower levels of PA have higher anthropometric parameters (p <0.001), as well as a higher risk of body dissatisfaction (p = 0.009) and lower self-esteem (p <0.001) and cardiorespiratory fitness (p <0.001). Conclusion: Schoolchildren with lower PA levels presented negative results in psychosocial variables such as body image and self-esteem, as well as a lower cardiorespiratory fitness and high anthropometric parameters.