Factores psicosociales asociados con la alimentación saludable y la práctica de actividad física en escolares

Food security and physical activity (PA) provide benefits to the well-being of developing individuals that are reflected in physical, social and psychological aspects. The objective was to identify the association of psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy with healthy habits and PA practice in schoolchildren. Methodology: non-experimental research with a quantitative approach, the sample consisted of 110 schoolchildren in fourth, fifth and sixth grade of primary school in three public schools, with a mean age of 9.95 (SD = 0.95), who answered three instruments: PA self-efficacy questionnaire, questionnaire on eating habits and PA, and the pictorial questionnaire of children’s PA. Results: positive and moderate correlations were found between the PA variables and self-efficacy towards PA, healthy eating habits and PA, and negative and weak correlations between the PA variables and sedentary practices and inadequate eating habits. The regression analysis of the PA variable with the variables of self-efficacy, healthy habits, inadequate eating habits and sedentary practices presented an adjusted R2 of .23 indicating that 23% of physical activity is explained by the variables of self-efficacy and healthy habits whose regression coefficients were significant. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this research, it is convenient to point out the importance of generating and applying comprehensive intervention designs that promote food security in terms of adequate nutrition and the practice of PA from basic educational spaces.