Self-reported level of physical activity in schoolchildren who participate in physical education: a systematic review

Abstract

Introduction: The lack of physical activity, together with inadequate food consumption, has been one of the most present topics in research on mortality and chronic non-communicable diseases. Therefore, knowing the level of physical activity in schoolchildren is of great importance, since actions could be deployed to reduce the alarming levels of sedentary life, especially from the subject of Physical Education. Objective: To systematically examine the level of self-reported physical activity in schoolchildren not exempt from participation in Physical Education sessions. Method: A systematic review of cross-sectional studies that determined the level of self-reported PAQ-C questionnaire. Results: Twenty-three articles were identified by searching five different databases between 2014 and 2019. For the selection of the articles, it was necessary to consider the type of study and location, the age phase analyzed, as well as the non-participation in the Physical Education sessions. Conclusion: Most of the studies analyzed indicate insufficient levels of physical activity; however, it is necessary to carry out more research related to the level of self-reported physical activity, enabling to diagnose with greater precision the reality of school-age children.