Alimentación saludable y actividad física en escolares colombianos.

Introduction and objective: Eating habits and physical activity are essential for preventing obesity and overweight in developing schoolchildren. A balanced diet provides vital nutrients and strengthens the immune system, while physical exercise contributes to both physical and emotional well-being. The objective of this article is to determine the level of knowledge schoolchildren have about healthy eating and physical activity, as these are fundamental factors that contribute to improved health in their daily lives. Materials y methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted with a sample of 260 schoolchildren aged 8 to 11 years in Barranquilla, Colombia. The CASHPAF questionnaire was used to assess knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were performed using R and RStudio. Results: 83.5% of the schoolchildren demonstrated a high level of knowledge about the evaluated topics. No significant differences were found by gender, although boys had slightly higher knowledge levels. The multivariate analysis revealed a significant relationship between high knowledge in healthy eating and physical activity, while age and sex were not relevant predictors. Discussion: In this study, the level of knowledge about physical activity and healthy eating among schoolchildren at an institution in the city of Barranquilla was evaluated. It was analyzed that there is a high level of knowledge among children in both variables, which allows determining the magnitude that exists between both, taking into account that, in this study, boys showed slightly higher educational knowledge than girls. Conclusion: The high level of knowledge about healthy eating and physical activity among the studied schoolchildren represents an opportunity to implement integrated educational strategies that promote healthy lifestyles.