Physical activity and nutrition: Effects on physical development in childhood

Physical activity and nutrition are relevant indicators for children's health, having effects on physical and morphofunctional development that must be controlled. Therefore, the research objective is to determine whether schoolchildren who systematically perform physical exercises or sports (resistance and strength exercises) have good body composition and functional capacity, assessing the differences in nutritional status, functional capacity and physical development, by gender and level of physical activity. A stratified intentional sample of schoolchildren (n=480) was used, where 50 % systematically practiced different sports, and the rest only practiced physical activity in their schools, assessing anthropometric dimensions (height, body weight, subscapular skin fold and tricipital skin fold). A smaller height and a higher body weight are evident in the female gender from the age of 12, with the differences between genders in active body mass being equally significant. It is evident that male schoolchildren subjected to systematic physical exercises present a percentage of body fat between 11-13 % between 14-15 years old, and a higher functional capacity than subjects who do not carry out systematic physical activity (P<0.001), presenting better cardiovascular development. From the age of 10, women have a higher work capacity than men until the age of 14, with work capacity increasing significantly in men from the age of 15 (P < 0.001). The increase in the functional capacity of women over men is manifested at puberty, due to the early biological maturation of the female gender.