Health-related physical fitness in students - Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the health-related physical fitness (HRPF) in students from Jequié, BA, Brazil. Therefore, the HRPF of 182 boys and 160 girls aged 7-12 years, students from public schools, was assessed by the application of 9-minute-run/walk (indicator of cardiorespiratory capacity), modified in one minute abdominal (indicator of abdominal strength and endurance), sit-and-reach (indicator of flexibility) motor tests. The sum of the triciptal and subscapular skinfolds thickness was used as indicator of body fat. The results found indicated higher prevalence of boys and girls below (19% and 49%, respectively) than above (3% and 1%, respectively) the criteria established by the AAHPERD (1988) for indicators of body fat. Conversely, only 51% of the boys and 58% of the girls in the sit-and-reach; 11% and 7%, respectively, in the modified in one minute abdominal; and 15% and 14%, respectively, in the 9-minute-run/walk reached the established criteria. Thus, the results suggest that effective intervention programs seem necessary for the promotion of alterations in the nutritional status as well as habitual physical activity of students from Jequié.