AN INVESTIGATION STUDY ON THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SCHOOL DAILY STEPS COUNT AND HEALTH RELATED INDICATORS IN CHILDREN

Abstract

The aims of this study were: (1) To assess step counts during school day hours (2) to assess and compare by gender Body Mass Index, waist circumference, body fat percent in children aged 10 yrs in Tirana, and (3) to investigate the association between pedometer steps count with Body Mass Index, waist circumference and body fat percent. One hundred and twenty seven Albanian primary school children aged 10 years (9.9 yrs, SD 0.4) wore a pedometer for 
two consecutive school days in 2012, had their body height, body weight and waist circumference measured, and body fat percent by skin fold measurement calculated. Independent t test revealed that boys and girls did not have any significant differences in all health related variables assessed in this study. Boys were more active (p= 0.00) than girls 
during school day hours. The mean number of steps for boys was 1341.5 (SD 545.7) and for girls 772.2 (SD 452.4) steps. There was a significant negative relationship between steps with waist circumference in boys (r= -0.33, p= 0.01) and between steps and body fat percent in boys (r= -0.32, p= 0.02). This study demonstrates a negative relationship between school daily steps counts and body fat percent and waist circumference in boys 10 years of age.