Design of Physical Exercises Adapted to Improve the Nursing Students Physical Activity in Cienfuegos

Background: physical activity reduces the risk of obesity and is associated with mental health, emotional well-being and greater longevity. Nursing students at the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences have negative results regarding the physical activity level. Objective: to design a set of adapted physical exercises that allows improving the nursing student’s physical activity levels at the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences. Methods: a descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was carried out in nursing students from the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences from January to December 2019. The universe consisted of 133 nursing students from 3rd to 5th year and the sample by sex; 15 females and 15 males, which represents the 25 % of the chosen population. Among the applied techniques were: the nominal group, the survey and the participant observation. Descriptive statistics were used to obtain data on means and percentages. Results: a proposal of physical exercises for different muscular planes was designed in an affordable way for the practitioners, consisting of practicing them three times a week with the required methodology. Conclusions: the design of physical exercises, turned out to be a methodological tool that responds to the need to develop the organic motor capacities in its dimensions: strength, speed, flexibility and resistance, using with creativity methods, techniques and strategies of physical activity to achieve a change in attitude to the growing sedentary lifestyle that affects the university population so much

Benefits of Dance Therapy in Overweight and Obese Women

Background: therapeutic physical culture programs accompanied by adequate nutritional advice in groups of obese people, is a common practice to reduce excess weight in people. Objective: to evaluate the benefits of the dance therapy program in its Zumba modality combined with Tae Bo, in overweight and obese women between 20 and 60 years old, in an area of the Pueblo Griffo Cienfuegos municipality. Method: a community intervention study of the before and after type was carried out, 47 women from a universe of 56 were studied, anthropometric variables were measured at the beginning, at one month and at two months of the exercise program. The results are presented in tables and graphs and statistical inference tests (difference between means) were applied to determine the differences between each stage with a requirement of 95 %. Results: the values of the body mass index, weight in Kg, skin folds and the measurements of the abdomen and waist diameter decreased, which reflects the weight loss and body fat. In addition, there was a decrease in heart rate and in the results of the Ruffier-Dickson functional test, which indicates an improvement in the functions of the cardiovascular system. All the results were highly significant. Conclusions: these results show that the therapeutic program developed in Cienfuegos with nutritional advice, is effective to reduce weight and body fat and also to improve the functioning of the cardiovascular system

Levels of Physical Activity in Nursing Students

Background: the benefits of physical exercise are well known and include a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, insulin resistance and certain types of cancer such as colon and breast cancer. Physical activity reduces the risk of obesity and is associated with mental health, emotional well-being, and increased longevity. Objective: to determine the level of physical activity developed by nursing students from the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences. Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative research was carried out. The instrument used to determine physical activity was the International Physical Activity Questionnaire the long version, this instrument measures the level of physical activity in low level, moderate level and vigorous level. Results: regarding the level of physical activity, it was found that the 22.38 % of the nursing students presented a moderate level, the 8.95 % vigorous level physical activity and the 68.65 % low-level physical activity, but males are more active than females. Conclusions: an evaluation of the level of physical activity established by the international questionnaire was determined for the first time, these results being negative since the students lead a sedentary life which is detrimental to health and may affect the appearance of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and arterial hypertension</p