Abstract
Background: A double burden of both under- and over-nutrition exists among South African children.Aim: To describe associations between nutritional statuses and health-related fitness test performances.Subjects and methods: Height and weight of 10 285 children (6–13 years; n = 5604 boys and 4681 girls) were measured and used to calculate body mass index (BMI) and prevalence of overweight and obesity, stunting, wasting and underweight. Physical fitness scores for standing long jump, shuttle run, sit-and-reach, sit-up (EUROFIT) and cricket ball throw were assessed. Age- and gender-specific z-scores were calculated for these variables. Physical fitness for each nutritional status group was compared to children of normal weight.Results: Compared to normal weight children, overweight and obese children scored lower on all fitness tests (p < .001), except cricket ball throw (p = .235) and sit-and-reach (p = .015). Stunted and underweight children performed poorer than normal weight children on most fitness tests (p < .001), except sit-and-reach (stunted: p = .829; underweight: p = .538) and shuttle run (underweight: p = .017). Performance of wasted children was not as highly compromised as other under-nourished groups, but they performed poorer on the cricket ball throw (p < .001).Conclusions: When compared to normal weight children, both under- and over-nourished children performed poorer on some, but not all, health-related fitness tests.
Highlights
Physical fitness during childhood and adolescence is a strong predictor of future health; with cardio-respiratory fitness associated with adiposity and cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors (Ortega et al, 2008)
We found that normal weight South African children generally performed better on tests of health-related fitness their over- or under-nourished counterparts, wasted children performed to normal weight children
Studies have indicated that overnutrition may affect the physical fitness of children, with overweight and obese children performing more poorly on physical fitness tests normal weight children, when required to move their bodyweight through space (Brunet et al, 2007; Ceschia et al, 2016; Dumith et al, 2010; Prista et al, 2003; Raudsepp & Ju€rim€ae, 1996; Sacchetti et al, 2012; Shang et al, 2010; Tokmakidis et al, 2006; Truter et al, 2010)
Summary
Physical fitness during childhood and adolescence is a strong predictor of future health; with cardio-respiratory fitness associated with adiposity and cardio-respiratory and muscular fitness associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors (Ortega et al, 2008). We previously showed that over the 10 year period from 1994–2004 there was a secular decline in the levels of stunting but a concurrent increase in overweight and obesity among South African children (Armstrong et al, 2011b). Despite these decreases, stunting is still a problem among young black South African children (Said-Mohamed et al, 2015), and information is scarce on how under-nutrition is associated with health-related fitness. Results: Compared to normal weight children, overweight and obese children scored lower on all fitness tests (p < .001), except cricket ball throw (p 1⁄4 .235) and sit-and-reach (p 1⁄4 .015). Conclusions: When compared to normal weight children, both under- and over-nourished children performed poorer on some, but not all, health-related fitness tests
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