Physical condition and quality of life in schoolchildren aged between 8 and 12

Abstract

Introduction: Physical condition (PC) is an important physiological indicator of the health status of the general population, and particularly of schoolchildren. Objective: To analyze the relationship between PC and quality of life (QL) in a sample of elementary school children. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study, involving 298 schoolchildren (159 women and 139 men) from Murcia, Spain, aged between 8 and 12, was conducted during the 2013-2014 period. PC was assessed using the ALPHA-fitness battery and its level (low, medium and high) were categorized based on previous studies; QL was assessed using the KIDSCREEN-10 Index questionnaire. To establish the relationship between both variables, a simple variance analysis was performed. Results: The overall PC value was positively associated with ql (F=3.997, p=0.019). Conclusions: The results suggest that students with a better PC have a higher QL. Intervention studies aimed at PC development are necessary to evaluate possible improvements of QL levels in young people.

Keywords

• Bienestar del niño
• Aptitud física
• Ejercicio
• Niño