CENTRAL AND PERIPHERAL TRACKING IN GIRLS FROM LOW SOCIOECONOMICAL REGION 608

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to test the hipothesys that tracking might be best at the extremities of the population curves. Forty one girls were followed longitudinally for about 10 years, every six months. At the beginning of the study the mean age was 10.68 (±2.02) year-old and at the end 19.76 (±2.56) year-old. The physical fitness variables measured were: body weight, body height, adiposity (mean of 7 skinfolds), vertical jump, long jump, agility, velocity and handgrip. Data were analyzed considering: A- the total sample, and B- the initial Z-score in each variable, that divided the sample into three sub-groups: a) < -1SD; b) -1 SD ≤ × ≤ +1 SD and c) > + 1 SD. The self-correlation coefficients were as follows:Table Anthropometric and speed indices presented a significant 10 year-tracking(from puberty to young adulthood). Within the limitations of the study (i.e.: sample size) it was observed a trend to a higher stability coefficients at the extremities of the curves for most of the variables. It brings a positive perspective to the hypothesis that, at least for some of the physical fitness variables, tracking might be best at the extremities.