[Parental support for physical activity in schoolchildren and its influence on nutritional status and fitness]

Parents are key models for transmitting and teaching healthy lifestyle habits to their children. Our objective was to determine the influence of the economic and motivational support, and parental involvement in their children physical activity (PA) and its relationship with nutritio nal status and cardiorespiratory fitness.

Cross-sectional study which included 70 six-year-old schoolchildren. Parents completed the "The Parental Influence on Physical Activity Scale" questionnaire. Anthropometric variables were measured according to the Chilean Ministerial Technical Standard for the supervision of children from 0 to 9 years old; PA intensity was measured with triaxial accelerometers GT3X and the VO2max estimation was performed using the Navette Course test.

The average body mass index was 17.9 ± 2.9 kg/m2, the obesity prevalence and VO2max were 57.1%, and 38.05 ± 16.9 ml/kg/min, respectively. Moderate PA during the physical education (PE) class was significantly higher in boys compared to girls (p < 0.006). The economic and motivational support of the parents did not significantly influence the body weight of the children, BMI, waist circumference, PA intensity, and VO2max. Children supported by their parent showed significant differences with moderate PA performed in PE compared to those who were not suppor ted by parents (p = 0.023).

Parental support of their children in performing physical activity influences the levels of moderate PA that they do during PE classes. This type of study should be continued and the PA should be measured daily.