Secular Trends in Anthropometric Characteristics and Health-Related Physical Fitness in Macedonian Children: the Makfit Studies

Background: The results of sedentary time (ST) and health-related physical fitness (HPF) are not completely consistent and the studies concentrated on pre-schoolers are very limited.Methods: We measured ST and ST patterns (ST Bouts time, ST Breaks times) by accelerometer. The health-related physical fitness T-score (HPFT) was calculated by five indexes: height-weight standard score, 20 m shuttle-run test, grip strength, standing long jump and 2 × 10 m shuttle-run test.Results: We included 375 pre-schoolers (211 boys, 164 girls) in the final analysis. The total ST and ST Bouts times negatively correlated with HPFT in pre-schoolers. HPFT reduced by 1.69 and 0.70 points per 10 min increased in total ST and ST Bouts times, respectively. HPFT of the highest quartile group reduced by 9.85 points in total ST, and 10.54 points in ST Bouts time compared with the lowest quartile group. However, the HPFT increased by 0.09 points per 10 times increased in ST Breaks times; the HPFT increased by 16.21 and 15.59 points when moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) replaced total ST and ST Bouts time.Conclusions: HPF negatively correlated with the Total ST and ST Bouts times, but positively correlated with ST Breaks times; and HPF significantly improved when MVPA replaced ST in pre-schoolers.

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An Assessment of Provisions of Noncommunicable Disease Services on Health Promotion, Prevention and Control at Primary Health Care: A Case Study from Two Divisions of Bangladesh

10.21203/rs.3.rs-122532/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sadia Sobhan Pinki ◽

Irfan Nowroze Noor ◽

Bayzid Amin ◽

Md. Ziaul Islam ◽

Baizid Khoorshid Riaz

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Body Mass ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Fitness Components ◽

Test Measure ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Long Jump ◽

Run Test ◽

Shuttle Run

Abstract BackgroundAlthough evidence suggests that cardiorespiratory fitness is the most important component associated with future health, little is known of how it is associated with multiple other physical fitness components. Since various physical fitness aspects do not change the same as cardiorespiratory fitness during childhood, it is necessary to establish possible associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and other physical fitness components in children. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to test the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness with motor performance and body size in 7-14-year-old children.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we recruited 1612 children (52.5% girls). Health-related physical fitness components included: 1) body-mass index (kg/m2) calculated from height and weight (measure of body size), 2) sit-and-reach test (measure of flexibility), 3) standing long jump (measure of explosive strength), 4) sit-ups in 30 sec (measure of repetitive strength), 5) 10x5 shuttle run test (measure of agility) and 6) 20-m shuttle run test (measure of aerobic capacity). The associations were performed using generalized estimating equations with β coefficients.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with sit-and-reach test (β=0.13, p<0.001), standing long jump (β=0.59, p<0.001), sit-ups in 30 sec (β=0.53, p<0.001) and 10x5 shuttle run test (β=-0.56, p<0.001) in boys. In girls, cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with body-mass index (β=-0.12, p<0.001), sit-and-reach test (β=0.21, p<0.001), standing long jump (β=0.25, p<0.001), sit-ups in 30 sec (β=0.36, p<0.001) and 10x5 shuttle run test (β=-0.40, p<0.001). No significant associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and body-mass index in boys were observed.ConclusionsAlthough significant, cardiorespiratory fitness is weakly to moderately associated with other physical fitness components, pointing out that such measure should be tested separately from other aspects of physical fitness in school-aged children.

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DIFFERENT LEVELS OF MOTOR ABILITIES IN BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 10 AND 9

Facta Universitatis Series Physical Education and Sport ◽

10.22190/fupes161102017l ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 189 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Predrag Lazarević ◽

Srdjan Milosavljević ◽

Snežana Lazarević ◽

Vladan Marković ◽

Ana Savić

Keyword(s):

Body Mass ◽

Fitness Testing ◽

Motor Abilities ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Anthropometric Characteristics ◽

Hand Tapping ◽

Long Jump ◽

Run Test ◽

Shuttle Run

The aim of this research is to confirm differences in the anthropometric characteristics and motor abilities of schoolchildren aged 9 and 10 compared by sex and age. The sample comprised 341 schoolchildren, divided into two subgroups of third (172) and fourth (169) graders. The research is of a transversal character and includes the measurement of anthropometric characteristics and motor abilities by applying the Eurofit fitness testing battery. The results show a significant difference based on sex in terms of body mass (t = 2.148), and as for motor abilities, there is a difference in the Shuttle run test (t = -3.709). A statistically significant difference considering the age of the tested population was observed in height (t = -10.327) and body mass (Z = -5,991), while in terms of motor abilities there was a statistically significant difference in the values of all the tests: Hand tapping (t = 4.735), the Standing long jump (Z = -3,575), Shuttle run (t = 12,248), the Flexed arm hang (Z = -2,167), Sit and reach (Z = -2,406), Sit-ups in 30 seconds (t = -9069). The research shows a higher statistically significant difference observed in body composition, but also in the motor area of the studied group in terms of age, and in relation to the statistically significant difference that was revealed by gender.

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Locomotive and Non-Locomotive Activity as Determined by Triaxial Accelerometry and Physical Fitness in Japanese Preschool Children

Pediatric Exercise Science ◽

10.1123/pes.24.3.420 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 420-434 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Chiaki Tanaka ◽

Yuki Hikihara ◽

Kazunori Ohkawara ◽

Shigeho Tanaka

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Preschool Children ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Activity Level ◽

Fitness Testing ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Locomotive Activity ◽

Health Related ◽

Long Jump ◽

Run Test

This study examined the potential relationship between participation in physical activity (PA) assessed by triaxial accelerometry and physical fitness testing, including health-related and skill-related parameters of fitness, in 136 Japanese preschoolers (65 girls and 71 boys, 5.5 ± 0.6 years). In partial correlation analyses, grip strength and 20m shuttle run test were positively correlated with time spent in physical activity ratio (PAR) ≥ 4. Better scores on standing long jump distance and jump over and crawl under tests were associated with lower sedentary time and greater moderate-to-vigorous PA time and PAR ≥ 4 time, and increased physical activity level. Moreover, 25m run speed was positively correlated with time spent in PAR ≥ 4 and locomotive activity. These findings suggest that development of both health-related (muscle strength and aerobic fitness) and skill-related fitness (power, agility and speed) may make engagement in PA easier for preschool children, although further research on the cause-effect relationship is needed.

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Physical fitness percentiles of Polish children aged 4–7 years

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86903-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Karolina H. Przednowek ◽

Marta Niewczas ◽

Łukasz Wójcik ◽

Wojciech Paśko ◽

Janusz Iskra ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Fitness ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Fitness Level ◽

Motor Activation ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Long Jump ◽

Lms Method ◽

Males And Females ◽

Shuttle Run ◽

Age And Sex

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to report sex- and age-specific physical fitness level in Polish children aged 4 to 7. 11.709 children participated in the study, including 5.684 girls and 6.025 boys aged 4 to 7 who attended kindergarten institutions throughout Poland. Physical fitness was assessed using four tests developed by Sekita including shuttle run 4 × 5 m with moving the block, standing long jump, throwing 1 kg medicine ball with two hands above the head and 20 m run. Percentile charts were developed separately for males and females using the LMS method. Boys showed higher physical fitness values than girls. In addition, an increase in the level of physical fitness was observed along with the age of the subjects. The developed reference values by age and sex in the field of physical fitness can be used for diagnostic purposes and assessing the level of physical fitness of preschool children. In addition, they can be helpful for healthcare professionals, parents and teachers to develop children’s motor activation programs and monitor their physical fitness.

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Integrative Neuromuscular Training and Sex-Specific Fitness Performance in 7-Year-Old Children: An Exploratory Investigation

Journal of Athletic Training ◽

10.4085/1062-6050-49.1.08 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 145-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Avery D. Faigenbaum ◽

Gregory D. Myer ◽

Anne Farrell ◽

Tracy Radler ◽

Marc Fabiano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Fitness ◽

Female Athletes ◽

Neuromuscular Training ◽

Future Research ◽

Control Group ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Long Jump ◽

Shuttle Run ◽

Push Up

Context: Integrative neuromuscular training (INT) has successfully enhanced physical fitness and reduced abnormal biomechanics, which appear to decrease injury rates in adolescent female athletes. If not addressed at the proper time, low levels of physical fitness and abnormal mechanics may predispose female athletes to an increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries. Objectives To evaluate sex-specific effects of INT on selected measures of health- and skill-related fitness in children during physical education (PE). Design: Cohort study. Setting: Public primary school. Patients or Other Participants: Forty children (16 boys, 24 girls; age = 7.6 ± 0.3 years, height = 124.5 ± 6.4 cm, mass = 29.5 ± 7.6 kg) from 2 second-grade PE classes. Intervention(s): The classes were randomized into the PE-plus-INT group (10 boys, 11 girls) or the control group (6 boys, 13 girls) that participated in traditional PE. The INT was performed 2 times per week during the first approximately 15 minutes of each PE class and consisted of body weight exercises. Main Outcome Measure(s): Push-up, curl-up, standing long jump, single-legged hop, single-legged balance, sit-and-reach flexibility test, shuttle run, and 0.8-km run. Results: At baseline, the boys demonstrated higher levels of performance in most of the fitness measurements as evidenced by greater performance on the push-up, standing long jump, single-legged hop, shuttle run, and 0.8-km run (P < .05). In the evaluation of the training effects, we found intervention effects in the girls for enhanced INT-induced gains in performance relative to the control group on the curl-up, long jump, single-legged hop, and 0.8-km run (P < .05) after controlling for baseline. Boys did not demonstrate similar adaptations from the INT program (P ≥ .05). Conclusions: These data indicate that INT is an effective and time-efficient addition to PE for enhancing motor skills and promoting physical activity in children. Seven-year-old girls appeared to be more sensitive to the effects of INT than 7-year-old boys. Future research is warranted to confirm these effects in larger cohorts of children.

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Nine Months of a Structured Multisport Program Improve Physical Fitness in Preschool Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17144935 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (14) ◽

pp. 4935 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Boris Popović ◽

Milan Cvetković ◽

Draženka Mačak ◽

Tijana Šćepanović ◽

Nebojša Čokorilo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Preschool Children ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Grip Strength ◽

Control Group ◽

Significant Group ◽

Time Interaction ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Long Jump ◽

The Impact ◽

Shuttle Run

Research in preschool children that investigates the impact of different exercise interventions on physical fitness is limited. This pre–post study was aimed at determining if participation in a nine-month structured multisport program (MSG; n = 38) could enhance physical fitness components compared to a formal exercise program (control group (CG); n = 36) among preschool children. Physical fitness was assessed using standardized tests (the standing long jump, sit and reach, 20 m sprint, sit-ups for 30 s, bent-arm hang, medicine ball throw (MBT), grip strength, 4 × 10 m shuttle run, and 20 m shuttle run tests). The structured multisport program involved fundamental/gross and fine motor skills and ball game-based exercises twice a week. The control group was free of any programmed exercise except for the obligatory program in kindergartens. A mixed ANOVA demonstrated significant group-by-time interaction effects for the 4 × 10 m shuttle run, standing long jump, sit-ups, bent-arm hang, grip strength, and sit and reach tests (p < 0.05). There was no significant group-by-time interaction effect for the 20 m sprint test (p = 0.794) or for the 20 m shuttle run test (p = 0.549). Moreover, the MSG and CG performance in the MBT and 20 m shuttle run tests improved to a similar extent from pre- to post-test. Our results indicate that compared to the formal plan, the structured multisport program led to a sustained improvement in physical fitness in healthy 5-to-6-year old children.

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Is children’s health-related quality of life associated with physical fitness and mode of commuting? PREVIENE Project

Perspectives in Public Health ◽

10.1177/1757913921992405 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 141 (2) ◽

pp. 102-110

Author(s):

RG Saucedo-Araujo ◽

FJ Huertas-Delgado ◽

E Villa-González ◽

M Ávila-García ◽

P Gálvez-Fernández ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Fitness ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Muscular Strength ◽

Health Related Quality ◽

Emotional Wellbeing ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Related Quality ◽

Health Related ◽

Long Jump

Aim: The aims of this study were (1) to examine the associations between self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQoL), health-related physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and speed-agility), and mode of commuting to and from school in Spanish children, and separately by gender and (2) to analyse the difference in cardiorespiratory fitness by mode of commuting to and from school by gender. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis that included 415 children aged 8.47 ± 0.36 years from 14 schools in Granada, Spain. The HRQoL outcome was assessed using the valid and reliable KINDL-R questionnaire, which covers six life dimensions, children’s physical fitness was assessed using the ALPHA fitness test battery, and while commuting to and from school was assessed using the valid, reliable, and feasible ‘Mode and Frequency of Commuting To and From School Questionnaire’. Results: Cardiorespiratory fitness was positively correlated with all dimensions of HRQoL in boys, whereas higher muscular strength (standing long jump) was positively correlated with the emotional wellbeing dimension in girls. In addition, boys who actively commute to school (walking) presented better cardiorespiratory fitness. Moreover, children who actively commuted to school (walking) presented better scores for the emotional wellbeing, family, and school dimensions, as well as total scores (both, p < .05) of HRQoL. Conclusion: In our study, HRQoL was positively correlated with cardiorespiratory fitness in boys (all dimensions), whereas muscular strength (standing long jump) was positively correlated with the emotional wellbeing dimension only in girls. Active commuting to and from school was associated with higher levels of cardiorespiratory fitness, school dimension, and KINDL-R total score. Improving cardiorespiratory fitness might be especially useful to improve HRQoL in children, and vice versa.

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Micronutrient and anthropometric status indicators are associated with physical fitness in Colombian schoolchildren

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114510005647 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 105 (12) ◽

pp. 1832-1842 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Joanne E. Arsenault ◽

Mercedes Mora-Plazas ◽

Yibby Forero ◽

Sandra Lopez-Arana ◽

Germán Jáuregui ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nutritional Status ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Micronutrient Status ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Health Related ◽

Long Jump ◽

Erythrocyte Folate

Poor physical fitness is associated with increased health-related risks in children. The association of nutritional status indicators and physical fitness in children residing in developing countries is not well characterised. We conducted a cross-sectional study among 1945 children of age 5–12 years in Bogotá, Colombia, to assess whether anthropometric and micronutrient status indicators were associated with performance in the shuttle run and standing long jump tests. Stunted children scored significantly lower in the run (0·4 s; P = 0·0002) and jump (6 cm; boys only; P = 0·003) tests than non-stunted children, after adjustment for age and other factors. Children who were thin, overweight or obese ran slower than normal-weight children (P < 0·01). Lower jump scores were associated with overweight or obesity and greater arm fat area in boys only (P < 0·0001). Girls with low ferritin concentrations ran 0·6 s slower than girls with normal ferritin concentrations (P = 0·02). Erythrocyte folate concentrations were linearly related to higher run (P < 0·0001) and long jump scores (P = 0·0001). Boys with marginal or low vitamin B12 status had 4 cm lower long jump scores than children with normal status (P = 0·01). Suboptimal anthropometric and micronutrient status are related to poorer performance in fitness tests. The effects of improving nutritional status on physical fitness of children warrant investigation.

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Cardiorespiratory Fitness is Associated with Multiple other Physical Fitness Components in 7-14-year-olds: A Cross-Sectional Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-122531/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Mario Kasović ◽

Lovro Štefan ◽

Vilko Petrić ◽

Vesna Štemberger ◽

Iva Blažević

Keyword(s):

Body Mass Index ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Body Mass ◽

Cardiorespiratory Fitness ◽

Fitness Components ◽

Test Measure ◽

Standing Long Jump ◽

Long Jump ◽

Run Test ◽

Shuttle Run

Abstract BackgroundAlthough evidence suggests that cardiorespiratory fitness is the most important component associated with future health, little is known of how it is associated with multiple other physical fitness components. Since various physical fitness aspects do not change the same as cardiorespiratory fitness during childhood, it is necessary to establish possible associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and other physical fitness components in children. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to test the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness with motor performance and body size in 7-14-year-old children.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we recruited 1612 children (52.5% girls). Health-related physical fitness components included: 1) body-mass index (kg/m2) calculated from height and weight (measure of body size), 2) sit-and-reach test (measure of flexibility), 3) standing long jump (measure of explosive strength), 4) sit-ups in 30 sec (measure of repetitive strength), 5) 10x5 shuttle run test (measure of agility) and 6) 20-m shuttle run test (measure of aerobic capacity). The associations were performed using generalized estimating equations with β coefficients.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with sit-and-reach test (β=0.13, p<0.001), standing long jump (β=0.59, p<0.001), sit-ups in 30 sec (β=0.53, p<0.001) and 10x5 shuttle run test (β=-0.56, p<0.001) in boys. In girls, cardiorespiratory fitness was associated with body-mass index (β=-0.12, p<0.001), sit-and-reach test (β=0.21, p<0.001), standing long jump (β=0.25, p<0.001), sit-ups in 30 sec (β=0.36, p<0.001) and 10x5 shuttle run test (β=-0.40, p<0.001). No significant associations between cardiorespiratory fitness and body-mass index in boys were observed.ConclusionsAlthough significant, cardiorespiratory fitness is weakly to moderately associated with other physical fitness components, pointing out that such measure should be tested separately from other aspects of physical fitness in school-aged children.

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