Descripción de la práctica de actividad física, habilidades motrices básicas y composición corporal en niños y jóvenes de espectro autista. Diferencias por sexo Description of physical activity, motor skills and body composition in children and young with autistic spectrum. Gender differences

The purpose of this study was to describe the physical activity levels, motor skills and body composition in children and young with Autistic Spectrum Disorders and analyze gender differences. Fifty-three students from special education schools and their families from Madrid (11.9 + 3.4 years) took part in this descriptive study. Triaxial accelerometers were used to assess their physical activity (PA) levels, motor tests were used to measure their motor skills and bioimpedance was used to calculate body composition. Boys have higher rates of moderate PA than girls, both on weekdays (62.8±33.5 vs. 36.1±34.1 min, respectively; p=.02) and on weekends, when these differences are increased (75.4±56.0 vs 31.5±36.7; p=.02). On weekends, time they spend watching television are increased (40.9±45.0 vs. 87.7±102.8 min for girls; 59.7±80.2 vs. 88.8±144.0 for boys; p=.01), without gender differences (p>.05). For the total sample, has been identified 27.3% the overweight's incidence, that is higher in girls (55.6% girls vs. 20.0% boys; p=.03). Likewise, girls had lower motor skills levels. It is necessary to introduce PA programs to this group, with special focus on girls.