Physical fitness and its regional distribution of Chinese students aged 13 to 18 in 2014

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the physical fitness and its regional distribution of students aged 13-18 years in China, using the National Standards for Students' Physical Fitness (revised in 2014). Methods: We recruited 105 834 students aged 13 to 18 years from the Chinese National Survey on Students Constitution and Health project in 2014. Related total scores, rates for qualified and for excellence (the proportions of individuals whose total score greater than or equal to 60.0 or 90.0) of these students were gathered. T test was applied to compare means of total score in different groups. χ(2) test was used to compare the differences of qualified or excellence rates between different groups while Pearson correlation method was applied to test the relation of each index with per capita GDP. Results: The average score was (70.1±10.7) among students aged 13 to 18 years in China. 88 805 (83.9%) students whose score exceeded 60.0 while 1 734 (1.6%) exceeded 90.0. Average score, rates of both qualified or excellence of students aged 13 to 15 appeared higher than those aged 16 to 18 but lower in males than in females. However, the rate of excellence was much higher in male students. Students living in urban areas showed both lower average score and qualified rate but higher rate of excellence than those living in rural areas. Both qualified and Excellent rates decreased with the increase of age in both sexes. We also noticed that both higher physical fitness and health status appeared in students from the east coast. Pearson correlation coefficient of each index (average score, qualified or Excellent rate) on per capital GDP appeared as 0.56, 0.43 and 0.65, respectively. Conclusion: In 2014, the physical fitness of Chinese students aged 13 to 18 was not satisfactory, with older students and those living in underdeveloped areas, in particular.