Aptidão física de escolares do ensino fundamental de Parintins/AM

Abstract

Good levels of physical fitness in elementary school students play an extremely important role in physical, motor, socio-emotional and cognitive development. With regular physical activity, there is a significant increase in cardiovascular health and other components that make up physical fitness. Establishing healthy habits from an early age becomes crucial for a good quality of life. The objective of this research project was to evaluate the physical fitness of 6th grade elementary school students at a state school in Parintins/AM. This research project adopted a basic quantitative approach, descriptive objectives and field collection procedures. The sample consisted of 60 students, 30 males and 30 females, in the final years of the 6th grade classes, ranging in age from 11 to 13 years. The research was conducted at a public school that provides elementary education in the city of Parintins/AM. The tests and instruments were applied by the researchers in charge and a team trained for this purpose, namely: 1) Battery of physical and motor fitness tests (BTAF) - Projeto Esporte Brasil (PROESP-BRASIL). This battery is composed of three evaluation categories. The first comprises measures of body growth and nutritional status (body mass, weight and height); the second is composed of the evaluation of the components related to physical fitness and health (Body Mass Index - BMI; Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Flexibility; Localized Muscular Resistance and, finally, the third category consists of the evaluations related to Physical performance (Explosive Strength of the Upper Limbs; Explosive Strength of the Lower Limbs; Agility; Speed; Cardiorespiratory Fitness). The design of this research project consisted of three stages. In the first stage, a meeting was held with the school's Physical Education teacher to explain the project and for him to mediate the communication and authorization of its implementation with the school's management and with the students. In the second stage, already authorized by the school's management, a meeting was held with the advisor and the Physical Education teacher and the researchers to organize the collection schedule. In the third and final stage, the students were submitted to the physical fitness assessment tests. The tests were applied over the course of two weeks. On the first day, we applied measurements of body mass (weight), height, and running/walking; on the second day, we applied tests of strength, flexibility, upper limb power, and speed; on the third day, we applied tests of lower limb power and agility. In the physical components of body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, upper limb strength, and flexibility, the students obtained “normal, good, very good, good, and reasonable” performance, with the exception of the components of muscular strength/endurance, lower limb strength, speed, and agility, which obtained “poor” performance. Regarding the performance compared between genders, female students presented low levels of physical fitness in the components of muscular strength/endurance, lower limb strength, agility, and speed, when compared to male students. The results indicate that the students have low levels of physical fitness related to performance and are in line with other studies related to the physical fitness of students carried out in different regions of Brazil. Therefore, given the results, interventions in the area of Physical Education and related areas seem essential to improve the levels of physical fitness in this population.