Aerobic Physical Exercise and BMI Values in Students With Overweight

Abstract

The modern lifestyle and insufficient physical activity are an increasing problem among the younger generation. The question arises as to how the educational system can influence the resolution of this issue. One way is to introduce additional physical exercise classes within the regular curriculum or to improve the program of organized physical exercise with students. This study analyzed three individual studies that dealt with the impact of organized aerobic physical exercise on BMI values and body fat percentage in adolescent students. In this meta-analysis, standardized mean differences and relative risk with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using random effects. The combined value of the standardized mean difference calculated from the random effects model is 0.32 (95% CI; -2.74; 3.38). The combined RR value from the random effects model is 0.34 (-1.15; 1.83). The RR is not statistically significantly different from one (p=0.6527). No statistically significant difference was observed between students who, in addition to the regular classes, participated in organized aerobic physical exercise aimed at regulating excess weight. Due to the small number of participants, it is not possible to generalize the conclusion in this study.