Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide percentile values for a cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) field test for Latin-American adolescents (34,461 girls and 38,044 boys) aged 13 to 15 years. The role of fatness parameters on the CRF level across age groups was also examined, with a focus on non-obese (healthy) and obese groups. CRF was assessed using the 20-meter shuttle run test protocol. Anthropometric parameters were measured using body mass index z-score (body mass index (BMI) z-score), BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Participants were categorized according to the BMI z-score, WC, and WHtR international cut-off points as healthy and obese. Age- and sex-specific reference tables for the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th centile scores were calculated using Cole’s lambda, mu, and sigma method. The prevalence of obesity according to the BMI z-score, WC, and WHtR was 9.6%, 11.2%, and 15.0%, respectively. Across all age and sex groups, a negative association was found between relative peak oxygen uptake (O2peak) and BMI, WC, and WHtR. In boys and girls there were higher levels of performance across all age groups, with most apparent gains between the ages of 13 and 14 years old. Overall, participants categorized in the healthy group had shown to have significantly higher O2peak than their obese counterparts (p < 0.001; Cohen’s d > 1.0). In conclusion, our study provides age- and sex-specific reference values for CRF (O2peak, mL·kg−1·min−1). The anthropometric parameters were inversely associated with CRF in all ages in both sexes. The obese group had worse CRF than their healthy counterparts independent of anthropometric parameters used to determine obesity.
Highlights
Increasing attention is being given to the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels, for decreasing chronic diseases, promoting overall cardiovascular and general health, and improving quality of life [1]
To help address these limitations, field tests might be an alternative for estimation/prediction CRF described as VO2 peak in children and youth
The prevalence of obesity according to the BMI z-score was 9.6%, and the prevalence of central obesity according to the >75th percentile for age and sex was
Summary
Increasing attention is being given to the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels, for decreasing chronic diseases, promoting overall cardiovascular and general health, and improving quality of life [1]. There is a gap on CRF data for low-income and middle-income countries, underscoring the need to improve the monitoring of CRF across populations because temporal declines are indicative of declines in population health [11]. CRF can be objectively assessed by lab-based, but the need of expensive equipment limits its use in epidemiological levels, such as in school settings. To help address these limitations, field tests might be an alternative for estimation/prediction CRF described as VO2 peak in children and youth
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More From: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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