Physical and Leisure Activities in Various Groups of Children in Catania (Italy)
Marina Marranzano, Agata Ursino, Antonio Mistretta, Grazia M. Villari, and Luisa Mauro
Dipartimento “G. F. Ingrassia” di Igiene e Sanità Pubblica, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
Corresponding author: Marina Marranzano
Dipartimento “G. F. Ingrassia” di Igiene e Sanità Pubblica
University of Catania
Via S. Sofia 87
I-95123 Catania, Italy
Fax number: +390953782177
E-mail: marranz@unict.it
CEJOEM 2005, Vol.11. No.1.: 27–32
Key words:
Children, physical activity, life style, social environment, health promotion
Abstract:
The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency of some habits that are today considered to substantially
influence the physical development, in a sample of 505 8 to 10-years-old children of either sex of three different schools in
Catania (Italy), located in a residential area, in a suburban area of modest existence, and in a small town of the province.
The study was carried out by means of close-question questionnaires. The Body Mass Index (BMI) was determined in all children
and the socio-economical conditions of the family were evaluated. The answers showed that only 30.6% of all children walked to
and from school; among them, the children of the suburban area displayed a higher extent. Of the 505 children, 60.4% participated
in extra-school physical activities. The children of suburban area proved less active and the higher percentage of obese children
(14.3%) was found in this group. The percentage of children watching TV for longer than two hours per day amounted to 88.4% and
95.3% regularly played in the open air. Among the children of the three different schools, no significant differences were found
in open air activities, time spent watching TV, and playing with videogames.
Received: 27 July 2004
Accepted: 7 July 2005
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