ASSOCIATION OF BMI AND PHYSICAL FITNESS LEVEL AMONG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS

The aim of this study was to analyze the association among weight status based on body mass index (BMI) and the physical fitness level in Primary Education students. A sample of 71 students (boys, n = 36, girls, n = 35) volunteers aged 10-12 years participated in this study. The fitness tests were conducted during physical education classes (two sessions). In the first session was conducted body composition measures (weight, height and skinfolds-triceps and leg-medial-) and in the second session were administered tests of sit-and-reach, handgrip strength, standing long jump and Course Navette. They applied the Student t test for independent samples to analyze the differences between students with non-overweight and overweight / obesity. Non-overweight children had lower values of BMI, skinfolds, body fat percentage and higher values in the long jump, Course Navette, and maximum oxygen consumption than the overweight / obesity group. The lower performance in the Course Navette test and standing long jump test among children with overweight/ obesity might be explaind, apart from a real lack of fitness, by excess of fat mass. In contrast, overweight/ obesity children showed a tendency toward greater grip strength. These results could be explained because children with overweight / obesity also had a higher amount of fat-free mass. On the other hand, the flexibility measured by the sit-andreach appears not to be associated with BMI. Physical education teachers should choose those tests in which there was no influence of body mass during its execution.