Autoeficacia hacia la actividad física en escolares colombianos (Self-efficacy towards physical activity in Colombian schoolchildren)

Objetivo: El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la autoeficacia para la practica de actividad fisica en escolares colombianos y establecer su relacion con los niveles de actividad fisica identificados de acuerdo al sexo. Metodo: Estudio de corte transversal analitico en 2102 ninas y 2054 ninos entre los 10 a 14 anos estudiantes de 27 escuelas publicas. Se aplico la Escala de Autoeficacia hacia la Actividad Fisica y el Cuestionario de Actividad Fisica para Escolares (PAQ-C) para medir el comportamiento activo. Se determino la frecuencia de las variables categoricas y se realizo una Regresion Logistica Multivariante, en la cual la variable dependiente fue la actividad fisica general realizada durante la ultima semana, considerando en el modelo como variables independientes los componentes de la autoeficacia hacia la actividad fisica. Se determinaron los Odds Ratio (OR) en poblacion general y su intervalo de confianza (IC) del 95 % asumiendo un valor de significancia estadistica menor de 0,05. Resultados: 64,3% de los escolares se categorizaron como inactivos fisicamente, donde 66,9% de ninas resultaron inactivas y 38,4% de ninos activos. Es mayor la probabilidad de ser inactivos fisicamente en los escolares que consideran no poder correr al menos 8 minutos seguidos [OR 1,7 (IC95% 1,4-1,9)], realizar actividad fisica despues de la escuela [OR 1,5 (IC95% 1,2-1,7)] o cuando hace mucho frio o calor [OR 1,4 (IC95% 1,2-1,6)]. Conclusiones: Los escolares con baja autoeficacia para la practica de actividad fisica tienen mayor probabilidad de ser inactivos fisicamente.  Abstract . Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the self-efficacy for the practice of physical activity in Colombian schoolchildren, and to establish their relationship with the levels of physical activity identified according to gender. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study with 2102 girls and 2054 boys between 10 to 14 years old, students from 27 public schools. The Self-Efficacy Scale was applied to Physical Activity and the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Schoolchildren (PAQ-C) to measure active behavior. Frequency of the categorical variables was determined, and a Multivariate Logistic Regression was carried out, in which the dependent variable was general physical activity carried out during the last week, whilst independent variables were the components of self-efficacy towards physical activity. The Odds Ratio (OR) in the general population and its 95% confidence interval (CI) were determined assuming a value of statistical significance of less than 0.05. Results: 64.3% of the students were categorized as physically inactive, where 66.9% of the girls were inactive and 38.4% of the boys were active. The probability of being physically inactive is greater in schoolchildren who consider that they cannot run at least 8 minutes in a row [OR 1.7 (95% CI 1.4-1.9)], perform physical activity after school [OR 1, 5 (IC95% 1.2-1.7)] or when it is very cold or hot [OR 1.4 (IC95% 1.2-1.6)]. Conclusions: Students with low self-efficacy for physical activity are more likely to be physically inactive.