Abstract
Background: The prevalence of and level of obesity in children is increasing quickly worldwide. The conjecture that today’s children are less active than they were in the past decades is mostly based on indirect evidences. Whether obese children are less physically active or less physically fit than their non-obese children still remains controversial.
Objectives: To evaluate physical performance and its associated factors in school going children using YMCA 3-minute step test and Physical Activity Questionnaire in 7-12 years old children.
Methods: Comparative study was carried out on 180 school going children. A 12” step was used according to the norms of the step test. The subjects were asked to perform the step test and VO2max was calculated and compared. Later the parents were asked to fill a physical activity questionnaire according to which they were graded.
Results: The comparison of aerobic capacity of these children showed that the mean of the values of VO2max of obese and overweight children is 66.315±12.85ml/min/kg while that of healthy and underweight children is 71.482±12.43 ml/min/kg. Results showed that the aerobic capacity in obese and overweight children is reduced when compared with the non-obese children. The p-value was 0.0001 which is statistically significant. The physical performance was using PAQ-C showed that 49 children under moderate where as 65 children are under low physical activity.
Conclusion: Aerobic capacity, obesity and physical activity level affects the physical performance in school going children.
Keywords: Childhood Obesity, aerobic capacity, exercise intolerance, YMCA 3-minute step test, Physical Activity Questionnaire (PAQ-C).
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Corresponding Author
Dr Darshana Dhakate
Assistant Professor, MPT, Department of Physiotherapy, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth, Pune- 411037
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Contact no: 9970012801
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.18535/jmscr/v7i3.172
