ANTHROPOMETRIC AND PHYSICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT AMONG STUDENTS AGED 10-12 YEARS IN ALBANIA

Abstract

One of the major problems of Albania in this day and age is sedentary life characterizing children, a phenomenon which is observed in this age group in most parts of the world. However, the factors leading to this phenomenon in Albania seem to be of a different nature, as compared to those responsible in most developed countries. In general, a number of factors, such as lack of sports facilities, low economic development of the country and other social factors hinder the participation in physical activity and sport of young children living in rural and urban areas in Albania. While in urban areas technological advance also amounts to some extent to fewer and fewer children engaging in physical activities and sports in urban areas. The study aimed to assess anthropometric and physical skills development of students aged 10-12 years living in rural and urban areas of Albania, and further examine the indicators obtained in order to study how these two groups of children compare to each other. The data gathered through this study are indispensable in revealing the level of obesity, physical preparation and identifying talented athletes. 641 students coming from the primary and secondary school systems were subjected to standard anthropometric measurements (weight/height/BMI) and standard physical fitness tests (push-up, high jump, long jump, horizontal stretch, 30m dash, shuttle run 112 m). Based on BMI standards for children of this age group, it can be observed that children living in rural areas demonstrate a growth in body mass which is within the optimal range level for both boys and girls. Even the physical fitness indicators tested speak for a bigger development of children coming from rural areas as compared to their peers living in the city.