Relationship and comparison of cognitive task, body composition and physical fitness according to the peak height velocity in young futsal players

Abstract

To verify the relationship and to compare a cognitive task, body composition and physical fitness of children practicing futsal according to the peak growth velocity (PGV). A sample consisted of 39 male futsal athletes: 18 in the sub-15 category (age = 13.7 ± 0.5 years), 12 in the sub-13 category (age = 12, 0 ± 0.6 years) and nine in the sub-11 category (age = 10.5 ± 0.6 years). To determine the PGV was used a model adopted by Mirwald et al., (2002), with: distant-PGV (-4 and -3 years from PGV); Pre-PGV (-2 and -1 years from PGV) and Post-PVC (≥0 to 3 years from PGV). The fat-free mass, fat mass, handgrip, flexibility, lower limb power, aerobic power, abdominal test, agility and speed were assessed. A cognitive task was assessed using the Stroop color test. There were a moderate and significant relationship between PGV, cognitive task, body composition and physical fitness. Only when the cognitive task was analyzed according to the age of PGV, there was significant difference in time to speak color between Post-PGV in relation to distant-PGV (p=0.027) and Pre-PGV (p=0.045). There were a significant difference for handgrip, agility and aerobic power only when analyzed according to the age of PGV. Therefore, the age of PGV correlated with body composition, physical fitness and cognitive task, as well as, it seems to be more sensitive to identify greater differences between categories in relation to chronological age in children playing futsal.