Abstract
BackgroundAlthough evidence suggests that functional endurance capacity 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 functional endurance capacity during childhood, it is necessary to establish possible associations between functional endurance capacity and other physical fitness components in children. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to test the associations between functional endurance capacity with other physical fitness components in 7–14-year-old children, stratified by gender.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we recruited 1612 children [mean age ± standard deviation (SD) = 9.72 ± 2.37 years; 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 broad jump (measure of explosive strength of lower extremities), 4) sit-ups in 30 s (measure of repetitive strength of the trunk), 5) 10 × 5 shuttle run test (measure of agility) and 6) 20-m shuttle run test (measure of functional endurance capacity). The associations were performed using generalized estimating equations with beta (β) coefficients.ResultsAfter adjusting for age, functional endurance capacity was associated with sit-and-reach test (β = 0.13, p < 0.001), standing broad jump (β = 0.59, p < 0.001), sit-ups in 30 s (β = 0.53, p < 0.001) and 10 × 5 shuttle run test (β = − 0.56, p < 0.001) in boys. In girls, functional endurance capacity was associated with body-mass index (β = − 0.12, p < 0.001), sit-and-reach test (β = 0.21, p < 0.001), standing broad jump (β = 0.25, p < 0.001), sit-ups in 30 s (β = 0.36, p < 0.001) and 10 × 5 shuttle run test (β = − 0.40, p < 0.001). No significant associations between functional endurance capacity and body-mass index in boys were observed.ConclusionsAlthough significant, functional endurance capacity 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.
Highlights
Evidence suggests that functional endurance capacity is the most important component associated with future health, little is known of how it is associated with multiple other physical fitness components
Variance of performance in standing broad jump (40.0%), 10 × 5 shuttle run (36.0%) and sit-ups in 30 s (32.5%) were each explained by functional endurance capacity the strongest, followed by weaker but still significant association by functional endurance capacity with sit-andreach test (1.2%)
When models were adjusted for age, variance of performance in standing broad jump (34.8%), 10 × 5 shuttle run (31.4%) and sit-ups in 30 s (28.1%) remained the strongest predictors of functional endurance capacity, followed by sit-and-reach test (1.7%)
Summary
Evidence suggests that functional endurance capacity is the most important component associated with future health, little is known of how it is associated with multiple other physical fitness components. The main purpose of the study was to test the associations between functional endurance capacity with other physical fitness components in 7–14-year-old children, stratified by gender. Physical fitness has become an important noncommunicable factor associated with well-being and health in the past two decades [1, 2] It is often defined as ‘an integrated measure of most, if not all, the body functions (skeletomuscular, cardiorespiratory, hematocirculatory, psychoneurological and endocrine–metabolic) involved in the performance of daily physical activity and/or physical exercise’ [2]. Studies have recognized that most risk factors attributed to chronic diseases in adulthood begin during childhood [2, 9, 10], pointing out that interventions aiming to enhance physical fitness at younger age for future health benefits are warranted [11]. The ‘EUROFIT’, the’ ALPHA-FIT’ and the ‘FITNESS GRAM’ test batteries are the most widely applied in primary and secondary school students to assess the level of physical fitness
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