The Influence of Body Size and Composition on FITNESSGRAM(r) Test Performance and the Adjustment of FITNESSGRAM(r) Test Scores for Skinfold Thickness in Youth

Abstract

This study was designed to (a) determine the influence of body composition on the performance of FITNESSGRAM(r) test items and (b) evaluate the impact of adjusting FITNESSGRAM(r) scores for the effect of body composition on percentile ranks and the achievement of criterion-referenced standards (CRS). Male and female children (N = 200; ages 10-12 years) were administered a battery of FITNESSGRAM(r) tests. Body composition measurements had significant moderate negative correlations with PACER, curl-up, and push-up scores (r = -.30 to -.49). After the performance scores were adjusted for sum of skinfolds (SSF) by regression analysis for each of these tests, CRS classifications were altered in 4.5-22.7% of the participants. Adjusting the performance scores for SSF also resulted in differences of greater than 10 percentile ranks in 41-45% of the participants. The relationship between SSF and PACER, curlup, and push-up scores appears to be sufficient to justify the use of adjusted scores for evaluating cardiorespiratory endurance and upper-body muscular strength and endurance independent of SSF. The use of adjusted scores may permit a more unbiased assessment of health-related fitness independent of body size and composition.