Preference for behaviors favorable to the practice of physical activity and relationship with children's excess weight

Abstract

Objective: was to find out preference for behaviors favorable to the practice of physical activity among schoolchildren and to estimate association with body weight. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 578 children in a municipality in southern Brazil was carried out. Children were classified according to their BMI z score. Mothers responded a validated questionnaire to assess children's preferences for behaviors favorable to the practice of physical activity. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed between each instrument question and the BMI z scores. Results: The prevalence of overweight was 36.1%. There was a higher prevalence of behaviors associated with the practice of physical activity. A positive, statistically significant and independent regression coefficient was observed between the lack of interest in playing sports and being overweight; and a negative, statistically significant and independent regression coefficient between the question related to the lack of interest in painting, drawing or reading magazines and lower overweight values. Conclusion: It can be concluded that children showed many behaviors favorable to the practice of physical activity. In addition, children’s lack of interest in playing sports and children’s interest in painting, drawing or reading magazines, both behaviors that imply lower caloric expenditure, were shown to be associated with excess weight.

Keywords

• physical activity
• behavior
• obesity
• children