[Physical activity habits in schoolchildren: influential factors and relationships with physical fitness].
BACKGROUND
Current lifestyles have led to an increase in sedentary activities and a decrease in physical activity, which can lead to a worsening of the present and future health of children.


OBJECTIVE
This study sought to describe the lifestyle and physical activity habits of schoolchildren in a city in northern Spain and to analyse the relationships between these habits and body composition, physical fitness and certain socio-demographic factors.


METHODS
The study was conducted on a representative sample of 329 sixth grade elementary school students (aged 11-12) from 31 schools in Logroño (La Rioja). Socio- demographic data, anthropometric data, blood pressure, development level, physical fitness and lifestyle habits and physical activity were recorded.


RESULTS
The male students who performed extracurricular sports activities and those at earlier stages of development reported higher levels of physical activity. Direct correlations between physical exercise and fitness were detected, especially with respect to aerobic capacity (r = 0.38), and inverse correlations with hours in front of a screen (r = -0.18), but not with body composition.


CONCLUSIONS
Given the relationships between levels of physical activity and fitness, strategies to promote physical exercise should be encouraged in order to improve the health of young people. Interventions should focus on promoting access to extracurricular sports activities, reducing sedentary habits and increasing the level of physical exercise in girls.
Dpto. de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de La Rioja. Logroño.. danielarriscado@hotmail.com.
Daniel
D
Arriscado
Dpto. de Nutrición y Bromatología, Universidad de Granada. Granada.. jjmuros@ugr.es.
José Joaquín
JJ
Muros
Dpto. de Educación Física y Deportiva, Universidad de Granada. Granada. España.. mikelz@ugr.es.
Mikel
M
Zabala
Dpto. de Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad de La Rioja. Logroño.. jose-maria.dalmau@unirioja.es.
Josep María
JM
Dalmau
D001794:Blood Pressure; D001823:Body Composition; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006184:Habits; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness; D011627:Puberty; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D013177:Sports; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires