COMPARISON OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BY GENDER AND BODY FAT IN MEXICAN SCHOOLCHILDREN

Our aim was to compare the intensity of physical activity using accelerometers and heart rate monitor during physical education class and recess in students of third and fourth grade of primary education according to gender and body fat percentage. Method: To determine the intensity of physical activity accelerometers ActiGraph-GT9X and heart rate monitors Polar-bluetooth were used, in 28 boys and 26 girls during 8 physical education classes and 8 recess, to determine the percentage of body fat as normal or high bioelectrical impedance analysis was performed using the Inbody-720 equipment. The equality of variance was calculated using the Student t test for independent samples resulting a P-value less than alpha <= 0.005 with significant differences in physical education classes between the averages of moderate to vigorous physical activity ( men: 0.003; women: 0.001) and heart rate beats/min (men: 0.001; women: 0.000) in participants with normal body fat compared to high. The intensity of physical activity during recess was higher in relation to physical education classes and with a moderate to vigorous physical activity less than 50% of time class, due, is important a feedback for teachers in strategies for involving students with increased risk of obesity in moderate to vigorous physical activity.