The relationship between the number of weekly physical education classes with morphological, physical, motor and executive functions profiles: a cross-sectional study: Physical Education class morphological, physical, motor and executive functions

• Published in: Cuadernos de psicología del deporte 2022-04, Vol.22 (2), p.171-185
• Main Authors: Mazzoccante, Rafaello, De Luca Corrêa, Hugo, Castro de Sousa, Ioranny Raquel, Almeida Ramos, Isabela, Ferreira Melo, Gislane
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1989-5879; 1989-5879
• DOI: 10.6018/cpd.399071

Introduction: School Physical Education presents itself as an interesting instrument in the improvement of physical, motor, and executive functions domains in children. Recent studies indicate the positive relationship of increased motor behavior and physical fitness with gains in executive function capacities, all these capacities can be developed in School Physical Education. It is known about the benefit of School Physical Education in child development, but it is still necessary to investigate whether the number of School Physical Education classes can influence these aspects. Objective: To verify the effect of the number of physical education classes in school on anthropometric, physical, motor and cognitive indicators. Methods: this is a descriptive cross-sectional study. Three random visits were carried out on the school premises to apply the research instruments, divided into three blocks. 1) Attention cancellation test and Test of lanes A and B (collectively applied); 2) Intermittent recovery test - level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1); 3) Anamnesis, body composition and Körperkoordination für Kinder (KTK) test. Results: children who participated in two weekly Physical Education classes at school achieved lower values ​​of body composition and greater motor domains and cognitive flexibility compared to children who attended only one weekly class. Conclusion: the number of physical education classes in which the child is inserted showed to influence body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, motor coordination and cognitive flexibility. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, which did not allow extrapolating the results in a situation of cause and effect, but it demonstrated that the number of school physical education classes offered to children can interfere with the capacity of cardiorespiratory fitness, motor coordination and cognitive flexibility and lower anthropometric indices. Introducción: La Educación Física Escolar se presenta como un interesante instrumento en la mejora de los dominios de las funciones físicas, motoras y ejecutivas en los niños. Estudios recientes indican la relación positiva de un mayor comportamiento motor y aptitud física con ganancias en las capacidades de la función ejecutiva, todas estas capacidades se pueden desarrollar en Educación Física Escolar. Se conoce el beneficio de la Educación Física Escolar en el desarrollo infantil, pero aún es necesario investigar si el número de clases de Educación Física Escolar puede influ