Estudio de la actividad física habitual realizada por escolares finlandeses de enseñanza básica

Abstract

The objective of this job was to determine the level of physical activity in Finnish schoolchildren between 9 and 13 years of age that corresponds to the basic education of this country (Primary Education in Spain), subsequently analysing the data in relation to the studies of this subject with Spanish basic education schoolchildren. 169 schoolchildren participated in this research (91 boys and 78 girls), with an average age of 10.91 (Mage= 10.91) from the public schools of the Österbotnia region (Finland). For data collection, the questionnaire of Inventory of Habitual Physical Activity for schoolchildren (IHPAS) validated by García-Cantó, Rodríguez-García, López-Miñarro and López-Villalba (2013) was used. The results show us a moderate-high rates of physical activity and sports among Finnish schoolchildren and, in a comparison with Spanish schoolchildren, register sligthtly higher rates. Even so, and taking into account the WHO recommendations for this age range, the practice rates are insufficient, especially in the case of girls, in whom a lower level of practice is appreciated and, consequently, they do not reach to the minimum levels established by the WHO.