In this study, we have investigated the multiple effects of the environmental condition, physical characteristics, and swimwear condition on children's thermal sensation (TS) during elementary school swimming class, and evaluated the standard condition for wearing thermal swimsuit. Sixth-grade elementary school children (n=68) participated in a swimming class 8 times. Multiple regression analysis was performed to make estimation equation of TS. The following two regression equations were developed. The equations contain 3 predictors of water temperature (Tw), swimwear condition (Suit), and physical characteristics (surface area per body weight: SA/BW or BMI). (TS = 0.58Tw + 1.21Suit -126.2SA/BW -11.3, TS = 0.58Tw + 1.21Suit +0.139BMI -17.8). The thermally comfortable area was indicated by the estimated equations. Based on these equations, we suggested functional equations expressed by Tw and physical characteristics for wearing thermal swimsuit (Tw = 217.3SA/BW + 18.6, Tw = -0.24BMI + 29.9).

DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.29/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE