Effects of an Educational Glass Recycling Program against Environmental Pollution in Spain.

In this article, we analyzed the effects of an educational glass recycling program on primary schools and their students in Castilla-La Mancha (Spain). A sample of 89 schools, with 20,710 elementary students, was selected by simple random sampling. For the statistical analysis, descriptive techniques (frequencies and statistics), parametric (One Way ANOVA test), and non-parametric (Chi-Square test) inferential techniques were used, with a 5% significance level (p < 0.05). The program's results showed that 153,576.3 kg of glass (with a value of 17,064.03 €) were recycled. Significant determinants of glass recycling were: School category (p = 0.043), previous environmental/recycling education (p = 0.046), geographic location of school (p = 0.030), gender (p = 0.007), and academic year (p < 0.05). With the program, students learned the importance of glass recycling, obtained a greater knowledge of and habits related to the same, acquired favorable attitudes towards the environment, and promoted glass recycling in their social circles. We conclude that environmental education about glass recycling has positive effects on glass recycling attitudes and behaviors in elementary school students and may be used as a measure to combat the problem of environmental pollution.

[Improvement of students' physical condition and health after a physical activity breaks program]. / Mejora de la condición física y la salud en estudiantes tras un programa de descansos activos.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is one of the main pandemics of the 21st century and the 5th risk factor for death in the world. Every year more than 2.8 million people die due to this disease. This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of physical activity breaks programs to improve health in elementary school students, reducing their body fat percentage and BMI and increasing their physical condition. METHODS: The physical activity breaks program called Móvete 15 was developed in Curros Enríquez School from Celanova (Galicia-Spain), during 2016-17 school year. This consisted in interrupting the daily school day for 15 minutes to perform physical activity of moderate and vigorous intensity. A pretest-posttest study design was proposed, using descriptive statistical techniques (frequencies and statistics) and inferential techniques (t-Student, ANOVA, Marginal Homogeneity) on anthropometric variables (Fat, BMI) and physical condition (Eurofit test) as health indicators. RESULTS: The programme Móvete 15 achieved significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the participants' health, manifested in the reduction of the average percentage of fat, -1.33% (0.49 kg); and in the increase of physical condition, with improvements in speed-coordination (-1.45 seconds/circuit) and aerobic resistance (+1.46 phases). CONCLUSIONS: Móvete 15 is an appropriate program to improve physical condition and health in elementary school students.

OBJETIVO: La obesidad es una de las principales pandemias del siglo XXI y el 5º factor de riesgo de muerte en el mundo. Cada año mueren más de 2,8 millones de personas a causa de esta enfermedad. Este estudio pretendió demostrar la eficacia de los programas de descansos activos para mejorar la salud en estudiantes de Educación Primaria, reduciendo su porcentaje de grasa e IMC; así como, incrementando su condición física. METODOS: Se implantó el programa de descansos activos Móvete 15 en el Colegio Curros Enríquez de Celanova (Galicia-España), durante el periodo 2016-17. Este consistió en interrumpir la jornada escolar diaria por 15 minutos para realizar actividad física de intensidad media-alta. Se planteó un diseño de estudio pretest-posttest; empleándose técnicas estadísticas descriptivas (frecuencias y estadísticos) e inferenciales (t-Student, ANOVA, Homogeneidad Marginal) sobre variables antropométricas (Grasa, IMC) y de condición física (test Eurofit) como indicadores de salud. RESULTADOS: Móvete 15 logró mejoras significativas (p < 0,05) en la salud de los participantes, manifestadas en la reducción del porcentaje medio de grasa, -1,33% (0,49 kg); y en el aumento de la condición física, con mejoras en velocidad-coordinación (-1,45 segundos/circuito) y resistencia aeróbica (+1,46 fases). CONCLUSIONES: Móvete 15 resulta un programa adecuado para mejorar la condición física y la salud en estudiantes de Educación Primaria.

Mejora de la condición física y la salud en estudiantes tras un programa de descansos activos / Improvement of students' physical condition and health after a physical activity breaks program

Fundamentos: La obesidad es una de las principales pandemias del siglo XXI y el 5º factor de riesgo de muerte en el mundo. Cada año mueren más de 2,8 millones de personas a causa de esta enfermedad. Este estudio pretendió demostrar la eficacia de los programas de descansos activos para mejorar la salud en estudiantes de Educación Primaria, reduciendo su porcentaje de grasa e IMC; así como, incrementando su condición física. Métodos: Se implantó el programa de descansos activos Móvete 15 en el Colegio Curros Enríquez de Celanova (Galicia-España), durante el periodo 2016-17. Este consistió en interrumpir la jornada escolar diaria por 15 minutos para realizar actividad física de intensidad media-alta. Se planteó un diseño de estudio pretest-posttest; empleándose técnicas estadísticas descriptivas (frecuencias y estadísticos) e inferenciales (t-Student, ANOVA, Homogeneidad Marginal) sobre variables antropométricas (Grasa, IMC) y de condición física (test Eurofit) como indicadores de salud. Resultados: Móvete 15 logró mejoras significativas (p < 0,05) en la salud de los participantes, manifestadas en la reducción del porcentaje medio de grasa, -1,33% (0,49 kg); y en el aumento de la condición física, con mejoras en velocidad-coordinación (-1,45 segundos/circuito) y resistencia aeróbica (+1,46 fases)

Background: Obesity is one of the main pandemics of the 21st century and the 5th risk factor for death in the world. Every year more than 2.8 million people die due to this disease. This study aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of physical activity breaks programs to improve health in elementary school students, reducing their body fat percentage and BMI and increasing their physical condition. Methods: The physical activity breaks program called Móvete 15 was developed in Curros Enríquez School from Celanova (Galicia-Spain), during 2016-17 school year. This consisted in interrupting the daily school day for 15 minutes to perform physical activity of moderate and vigorous intensity. A pretest-posttest study design was proposed, using descriptive statistical techniques (frequencies and statistics) and inferential techniques (t-Student, ANOVA, Marginal Homogeneity) on anthropometric variables (Fat, BMI) and physical condition (Eurofit test) as health indicators. Results: The programme Móvete 15 achieved significant improvements (p < 0.05) in the participants' health, manifested in the reduction of the average percentage of fat, -1.33% (0.49 kg); and in the increase of physical condition, with improvements in speed-coordination (-1.45 seconds/circuit) and aerobic resistance (+1.46 phases)