Abstract:

The reality of schoolchildren in the present day is worrying; the increase of a sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity has become a public health problem. This situation has contributed to the development of early metabolic diseases. The objective of this study was to compare the physical aptitude for health between schoolchildren of a public and a private school from the city of Porto Alegre-RS. The sample consisted of 75 students, 37 of a public school and 38 of a private school, on a voluntary and non-random basis. The variables of the study were evaluated according to the guidelines of the Manual of Tests and Evaluations of the Brazilian Sport Project (PROESP, 2016), which include: weight and height to obtain body mass index (BMI), cardiorespiratory aptitude, flexibility, and abdominal resistance. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data, presenting values on average, standard deviation, and percentages. For comparisons between the distinct groups, the t test was used for independent samples. The significance level for all tests was 5%. Results: The private school obtained higher averages for all variables analyzed. Girls from both schools present a higher average than boys on the flexibility test, and boys stand out in abdominal resistance and cardiorespiratory aptitude. Conclusion: The private school has higher averages. However, both schools presented a higher percentage of risk zone than healthy zone for cardiorespiratory aptitude, which emphasizes the importance of the physical education teacher and also of the schools in encouraging the practice of physical activity.

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