Videogames, physical activity practice, obesity, and sedentary habits in schoolchildren aged 10 to 12 years old in the province of Granada

Abstract

Physical activity constitutes one of the fundamental pillars for the correct physical and psychological development of human beings, especially in young people, since it represents an essential means for the prevention of pathologies and improvement of health. This cross-sectional and descriptive research was carried out in a sample of 261 children aged between 10 and 12 years old enrolled in schools in the province of Granada and the surrounding areas. The objectives presented are greatly significant in school age because they are the basis for the development of young people at an early age, with a focus on health and digital leisure habits associated with sedentary lifestyle. The results determined that cases of overweight in schoolchildren were scarce and that a significant number of young people practice physical exercise out of the school hours. As for video games, almost all children play them, although they have obtained minimum rates in terms of severe digital addiction problems. After assessing the association of these variables, it was possible to verify how these factors, generally recognized to have a huge impact on childhood obesity, are considered as the elements needing to be modified due to shift in leisure time in favor of physical activity and the innovations brought on active digital platforms oriented towards the combination of the «gamer» phenomenon and mobility.