Gallotta Maria Chiara, Zimatore Giovanna, Cardinali Ludovica, Falcioni Lavinia, Bonavolontà Valerio, Curzi Davide, Guidetti Laura, Baldari Carlo
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "Vittorio Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy.
Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, eCampus University, 22060 Novedrate, Italy.
Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 19;19(6):3680. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19063680.
The COVID-19 restrictions could preclude children from participating in physical education (PE) interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a PE intervention conducted on the beach on children's skill- and health-related outcomes, as a possible alternative PE intervention that could be also applied during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved 106 primary school children, randomly assigned to the traditional indoor (TI) intervention or to the experimental outdoor (EO) intervention. The intervention period lasted 4 months and consisted of two 1-h sessions per week. Intervention was conducted just before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children's anthropometric parameters (height, weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and abdominal circumference), fitness parameter (VO), health parameters (resting heart rate, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure), gross motor coordination, and physical activity level were assessed before and after intervention. Both groups significantly improved fitness and motor coordination but worsened some anthropometric parameters (weight, abdominal circumference) after the intervention period. The EO group showed a higher increase of gross motor coordination than the TI group. Results of this study demonstrated that children benefited from a well-structured PE intervention conducted in the natural environment of the beach improving physical fitness and gross motor coordination. Therefore, planning outdoor PE interventions could be an alternative and safe way to encourage and implement physical activity at school during the particular period of COVID-19 pandemic.
新冠疫情防控措施可能会使儿童无法参与体育教育（PE）干预活动。本研究旨在评估在海滩上进行的体育教育干预对儿童技能和健康相关成果的有效性，作为一种在新冠疫情期间也可采用的替代体育教育干预方式。该研究涉及106名小学生，他们被随机分配到传统室内（TI）干预组或实验性室外（EO）干预组。干预期持续4个月，每周进行两次，每次1小时。干预在新冠疫情开始前进行。在干预前后对儿童的人体测量参数（身高、体重、体重指数、体脂百分比和腹围）、体能参数（VO）、健康参数（静息心率、收缩压和舒张压）、大肌肉群协调性和身体活动水平进行了评估。两组在干预期后体能和运动协调性均有显著改善，但一些人体测量参数（体重、腹围）变差。EO组的大肌肉群协调性增幅高于TI组。本研究结果表明，儿童受益于在海滩自然环境中开展的结构合理的体育教育干预，体能和大肌肉群协调性得到改善。因此，规划户外体育教育干预可能是在新冠疫情特殊时期鼓励和实施学校体育活动的一种安全替代方式。
