Measuring body composition among junior section schoolchildren in Slovakia

Abstract

The importance of physical activity is one of the distinguished challenges of the 21st century. Even in kindergarten age, it is very important to get the children to become fond of movement in a playful way. Numerous surveys show obesity among children. Sport, movement is not only a problem for public health but also for education. It contributes to the change in character, which can be positive, and at the same time it can have an effect on the learning skills (Vári, Balázs, Gyori 2016). To do so, well qualified Physical Education teachers are needed who promote children to develop habits and healthy self-image and motivate the weak, overweight children (Németh, Költo 2010). In junior section, in Hungary, one of the most important aims is to achieve the proper performance of the movement to be acquired in a playful way. An important element is the pleasurable activity and forming a positive attitude towards movement (http://keretttanterv.ofi.hu). By the end of the junior section the schoolchildren have to be aware of their fitness state and the assessment of their development. In Hungary, this is assured by the introduction of everyday Physical Education lessons and the accompanying testing methods which are aimed at the children's health- and skill centred fitness (Kaj et al. 2014). The Slovakian State Education Program sets out the principles within the Sport and Physical Education subject in the following way - divided into three main parts: health and healthy lifestyle, physical capability and the development of movement skills, sport activity in the lifestyle (state education program - ŠVP). Within the themed units the aim is the acquisition of basic motor skills which include natural movements and fine motor skills. In Slovakia schoolchildren have two Physical Education lessons a week and besides the choice of choosing a sport activity is provided by the school clubs. Nonetheless, the number of obese children has grown significantly for the past few decades. According to Slovakian data the 6-9-year-old children's is 28% (2015/2016, WHO 2017). In Hungary this data is 26, 5% (2015/2016, WHO 2017). In the background of the problem you can find inactivity, low sport activity and besides bad eating habits. Surely, the problem is much more complex there are other determiners to obesity such as environment and genetic makeup. This is why Physical Education in schools has a very important role in prevention meanwhile this is only one among the many possibilities which can help solve the problem in the long term. In the junior section familiarization to motor tests in a playful way is very important (Kaj et al. 2014). It should establish motivating curiosity for tests. They should see the interpretation of the results and the simplified interpretation of the results. In our work out of health centred fitness state we focus on measuring the body composition. By body composition we mean the proportion of fat, water, protein and minerals in the body (Dishman, Heath, Lee 2013). In case of body composition mostly fat mass and lean fat mass is measured (Kenney, Wilmore, Costill 2012). In our case we show the result in body fat percent (%). The unfavourable changes in the results of body composition measuring correlate closely with lower physical activity and malnutrition (Tremblay et al. 2011). Numerous researches point out the fact that high body fat increases the development of heart- and cardiovascular diseases, cancer, type 2 diabetes and can contribute to the development of certain psychological diseases (Katzmazyk, Church, Craig, Bouchard 2009). Obesity can result in numerous cardiovascular problems even in childhood. Body composition has an effect on our state of health the same way as physical fitness. This is the reason why it is important that body composition tests be included in school Physical Education. The NETFIT® test introduced in Hungary show a good example where there are body composition tests as every school is provided with the proper measuring instrument children can be measured with. On this basis we started using a simpler measuring instrument which can be used by any Physical Education teacher. There are several methods to be used for measuring body composition. Out of these Ultra Sound, CT and MRI scanners can give the most accurate results but you need special qualification to use them. You can measure body density under water (densitometry) to define the water content of the body (hydrometrics). To make anthropometrical estimation they use measuring skin fold thickness, the proportion of waist and hip and the determination on the basis of bio impedance theory (Kaj et al. 2014). Naturally, the application of these methods is impracticable on Physical Education lessons this is why we turned to an instrument which is handy. This apparatus is OMRON BF 511. With BMI results we used IOTF limits (Cole, Lobstein 2011) on the basis of which they define age and gender categories in NETFIT® (Joubert 2006). BMI and body fat percentage categories were divided into lean, healthy, development needed and increased development needed zones. The body fat is measured with bio impedance analyser which works on the principle of determining electrical resistance. The electrodes of the device deliver small so physiologically safe currents into the body. The water content of the body conducts electricity impedance can be measured with OMRON BF511 apparatus so you can estimate what percentage of the body weight is made up of fat (Kyle et al.2004). The first year schoolchildren (aged 6-7) of two Komárno primary schools attended the measuring, the number of schoolchildren was n=108, 83,3% of the parents approved of their children's measurement. Out of this number, this way we managed to measure n=90 (boy n=33, girl n=57). During the measurement we weren't able to measure the body fat percentage or body muscle percentage of n=8,8% unfortunately, the device couldn't defy the data in most cases because of the schoolchildren's low weight but there were cases when the schoolchild couldn't keep the proper static position. Methods: height measurement (stadiometer), weight, BMI, body fat and body muscle (OMRON BF511). The obtained results are as follows (n=90): height: 123cm±13cm, weight: 37.55kg± 19.65kg, BMI: 21.8kg/m2±8.2kg/m2. The measuring apparatus was not able to measure 8 children (boy n=3, girl n=5) so n=82, the body fat percentage is 25.7%±17.5%, the body muscle percentage is 25.6%±10.3%. On the basis of BMI 70% (n=63) of the schoolchildren belongs to healthy zone. 21% (n=19) needs improvement and 8.8% (n=8) needs increased improvement. In the case of body fat 45.1% (n=37) of the schoolchildren belongs to the healthy zone, 36.6% (n=30) needs improvement and 18.3% (n=15) needs increased improvement. In BMI and body fat percentage we found the biggest difference in healthy zone where in body fat percentage we got 24.9% (n=26) lower result than that of improvement needed where it is 15.5% (n=11), in increased improvement needed zone it is 9.5% (n=7). Even the obtained results show that regular body composition tests should be included even among junior section schoolchildren. The analysis of the information can help parents and teachers to detect the development of risk factors in children on time. The results obtained during measuring can be the basis of personalized counsel. Our recommendation is that every school have such a simple and handy apparatus we can serve the health of rising generation with the analysis of specific data with.