Efectos de un programa de actividad física polimotor, sobre el consumo máximo de oxígeno, índice de masa corporal, porcentaje de grasa y variables de condición física en escolares bogotanos de 14 a 17 años

Abstract

Colombia is not stranger to global concern about the alarming emergence of chronic non-communicable diseases (ECNT) in children and teenagers. This factor is derived thanks to various situations, such as the inadequate practice of life habits, physical inactivity, among others, whose results leave as a consequence, high levels of overweight and obesity in these specific populations. Nowadays, the society has left this responsibility mandated to educational system, which, in spite of tending towards the integral development of the students, does not favor enough the practice of physical activity, being that, in the educational curriculum, the space for the execution of Physical Education courses is limited to 2 pedagogic hours per week; axis by which it is difficult to create healthy habits of life. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to contrast the effects of a 12-week polimotor physical activity program on the variables of physical condition, body mass index and maximum oxygen consumption, applied to 42 adolescent students between the ages of 14 and 17, at Rodrigo Lara Bonilla IED school in Bogotá, Colombia. The work was developed through a pre and post design with a control group and an intervention group (control group X̅= 15,5 DE= 0,802; intervention group X̅ = 16,14 DE= 0,89). In addition, the EUROFIT battery and the electrical impedance were used as instruments. Observing the change behavior of the anthropometric variables (BMI) and percentage of total fat of both groups, no significant differences were found. However, there was an increase in the values of these variables in the intervention group relative to the control group; this may be due to the fact that some variables were not controlled. Furthermore, in the analysis of the maximum oxygen consumption variable (VO2max), which was assessed pre and post intervention in the students, a significant statistic of (p < 0.05=0.000*) was found, which indicates an improvement in the intervention group. Finally, when the behavior of the change in physical condition variables was observed, in terms of abdominal strength and balance, no significant statistical value was found; whereas, in the variables of power, flexibility and speed, a significant statistic was observed that confirms improvements in the intervention group. Therefore, it is concluded that the results of this study show that increased physical activity improves physical abilities in schoolchildren and is an alternative to combat the appearance of ECNT in our children and young people.