title: Differences in body posture, strength and flexibility in schoolchildren with overweight and obesity: A quasi-experimental study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Body posture and its components have been widely discussed, given the high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in children and adolescents. Among children and adolescents with overweight and obesity issues, these changes can be pronounced.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to investigate whether a global exercise routine could result in positive changes in the angles and distances measured in postural assessments and in the number of abdominal and flexibility exercise repetitions performed by children and adolescents with overweight or obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A quasi-experimental design including an experimental group (EG) and a control group (CG) was used. The primary outcome variables included ratings of body posture (using SAPO software) and measures of abdominal muscle strength (number of sit-ups) and flexibility. The EG received an interdisciplinary intervention the included 48 sessions of global postural exercises performed three times a week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 46 schoolchildren evaluated (EG, n = 23 and CG, n = 23), significant changes were observed in the EG from pre-to post-test in the thoracic angle (p = 0.001) and abdominal muscle strength (p = 0.016) for boys and in the thoracic angle (p = 0.010), abdominal muscle strength (p = 0.003) and flexibility (p = 0.010) for girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the exercise program led to changes in the angle and distance measurements obtained in postural evaluations and contributed to increases in the number of repetitions of abdominal and flexibility exercises, indicating improvements in the EG group's body posture and health indicators.
authors.affiliation: Biology and Pharmacy Department, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natalí Lippert
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Schwanke
authors.affiliation: Physical Education and Health Department, Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Hildegard Hedwig
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Pohl
authors.affiliation: Physical Education and Health Department, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, RS, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Child and Adolescent Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cézane Priscila
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Reuter
authors.affiliation: Postgraduate Program in Dentistry, Lutheran University of Brazil - ULBRA, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tássia Silvana
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.affiliation: Graduation in Physical Education, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sonimar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.affiliation: Physical Education and Health Department, Postgraduate Program in Health Promotion, University of Santa Cruz do Sul - UNISC, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: mburgos@unisc.br.
authors.forename: Miria Suzana
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Burgos
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011187:Posture / Q000502:physiology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Body posture; Exercise; Obesity; Schoolchildren