Efetividade de uma intervenção escolar para promoção de atividade física e saúde

Abstract

Introduction and objectives: Low levels of physical activity were observed in children and adolescents. In this sense, interventions for the promotion of physical activity and health at school are intended to change this framework. Thus, the objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a physical health and health promotion intervention among the elementary school students in the city of Pelotas, RS - "Physical Education +: practicing health at school". Methods: An experimental school-based study was developed. We randomly allocated 19 schools to intervening groups and 19 schools to the control group. The outcomes analyzed were the level of physical activity of the students and knowledge about physical activity and health. To assess the level of physical activity of the students (active ≥300 minutes per week, minimally active ≥0 minutes per week). A data collection was performed in two moments. The intervention time was seven months. Results: The groups were similar at the baseline in relation to sociodemographic aspects and also in the levels of physical activity and knowledge. After the intervention period, there is no difference between the level of activity between groups and the level of activity between groups. Thus, a seven-month school intervention was effective to increase students' level of knowledge about physical activity and health, but not to modify their behavior.