Level of Physical Activity Carried out in Students from Subsidized Private Establishments in the Community of Talcahuano in Time of Confinement

Abstract

Introduction: due to the worldwide pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), authorities have chosen to confine their citizens as an epidemiological containment measure, considerably reducing physical activity levels in the adolescent population. Objective: The evidence indicates the importance of physical activity in mental health, development of motor skills, improvements in cardiovascular risk profile, cognitive functions, increased self-esteem, and quality of life in adolescence. Considering the importance of physical activity and, specifically, the insufficient levels of physical activity in the adolescent population, the question of the levels of physical activity performed by high school students in subsidized private schools in the district of Talcahuano during the period of confinement was raised. Method: 152 males and 177 females between 14 and 17 years of age from three subsidized private schools in the municipality of Talcahuano were evaluated. A digital questionnaire was administered on the day of distance learning. Results: The mean questionnaire score was 2.37 ± 0.68. The obtained score classified the students as inactive since they had values lower than 2.75 on the PAQ-A questionnaire. Mann-Whitney U test was performed to determine the differences in median questionnaire scores for male and female groups. The median was statistically significant between the groups p= 0.001. A Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare the age groups. As a result, the median was not significantly different between age groups, P = 0.224. Conclusion: men are, on average, more physically active than women, and there is no difference in the median age between 14 and 17 years in the confinement periods.