PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES AND HEALTH OUTCOMES IN BRAZILIAN STUDENTS

681 Brazilian students (50.5% female) aged 10 to 17 years participated in this cross-sectional study. Independent variables analyzed were participation and physical activity during Physical Education classes, both assessed using a self-report questionnaire. The outcomes were: cardiorespiratory fitness (20-meter Shuttle Run test), muscle strength (Push-up test), overweight and obesity (body mass index) and high blood pressure. Statistical analysis was conducted by Poisson regression to estimate the prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) adjusted for confounding variables (age, sex, parental education, physical activity and sedentary behavior), considering the complex sample design.

Results:

Participation in Physical Education classes was not associated with any of the studied variables. Being active during Physical Education classes was associated with achieving health related criteria for cardiorespiratory fitness (PR=1.34, 95%CI 1.16-1.55) and muscle strength (PR=1.36, 95%CI 1.09-1.71). The same did not occur for overweight (PR=1.04, 95%CI 0.95-1.14), obesity (PR=1.02, 95%CI 0.91-1.05), or high blood pressure (PR=0.98, 95%CI 0.90-1.06).

Conclusions:

Students who reported being active during classes presented a higher likelihood to achieve the health criteria for cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength. However, classes traditionally offered in Brazil do not protect students from overweight, obesity, or high blood pressure.

Keywords:
Physical fitness; Hypertension; Overweight; Obesity; Muscle strength; Adolescents

	n (%)	p-value
Sex
Male	337 (49.5)	0.789
Female	344 (50.5)	0.789
Age (years)
10-12	248 (36.4)	0.117
13-15	229 (33.6)
16-18	204 (30.0)
Parental education
Elementary	147 (21.7)	<0.001
High	422 (62.0)
College	112 (16.4)
Participation in classes
Yes	577 (84.7)	<0.001
No	104 (15.3)	<0.001
Active during classes
Yes	333 (48.9)	0.565
No	348 (51.1)	0.565

	n (%)	PR (95%CI) Crude	PR (95%CI) Adjusted	p-value for adjusted PR
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Participation in classes
Yes	284 (49.2)	1.70 (1.24-2.33)	1.29 (0.98-1.69)	0.069^c
No	30 (28.8)	1.00	1.00	0.069^c
Active during classes
Yes	196 (58.9)	1.73 (1.46-2.06)	1.34 (1.16-1.55)	0.001
No	118 (33.3)	1.00	1.00	0.001
Muscle strength
Participation in classes
Yes	206 (35.7)	1.54 (1.07-2.23)	1.22 (0.83-1.77)	0.296
No	24 (23.1)	1.00	1.00	0.296
Active during classes
Yes	133 (39.9)	1.43 (1.15-1.77)	1.36 (1.09-1.71)	0.009
No	97 (27.9)	1.00	1.00	0.009

	n (%)	PR (CI95%) Crude	PR (95%CI) Adjusted	p-value for adjusted PR
Overweight
Participation in classes
Yes	461 (79.9)	0.94 (0.86-1.03)	0.93 (0.84-1.03)	0.162
No	88 (84.6)	1.00	1.00	0.162
Active during classes
Yes	282 (81.0)	0.98 (0.91-1.06)	1.04 (0.95-1.14)	0.282
No	267 (80.2)	1.00	1.00	0.282
Obesity
Participation in classes
Yes	545 (94.5)	0.98 (0.92-1.05)	0.98 (0.91-1.05)	0.556
No	99 (95.2)	1.00	1.00	0.556
Active during classes
Yes	316 (94.9)	1.01 (0.96-1.05)	1.02 (0.91-1.05)	0.283
No	328 (94.3)	1.00	1.00	0.283
High blood pressure
Participation in classes
Yes	495 (85.9)	0.96 (0.88-1.04)	0.97 (0.88-1.08)	0.652
No	93 (89.4)	1.00	1.00	0.652
Active during classes
Yes	285 (85.6)	0.98 (0.90-1.05)	0.98 (0.90-1.06)	0.605
No	303 (87.3)	1.00	1.00	0.605

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E-mail: rpp@spsp.org.br

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[1] *Corresponding author. E-mail: diogohcc@yahoo.com.br (D.H.C. Coledam)