FITNESSGRAM Standards Research Articles

Development of a Fitness Surveillance System to Track and Evaluate Obesity in North Idaho.

Internationally 18% of youth are obese. Fitness testing can be used to establish fitness surveillance, which can inform policy and targeted interventions aimed at addressing obesity. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and low fitness in Idaho school-aged youth through a pilot study. A convenience sample of 13 teachers from 11 north Idaho rural schools collected FitnessGram fitness data: body composition (body mass index [BMI]), aerobic capacity (Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run [PACER] test), muscular endurance (curl up), strength (pushup), and flexibility (sit and reach). A total of 761 students (aged 9-18 years) from grades 3&5, 7, and 9 to 12 participated in the study. Approximately 24% of 3&5 and 22% of 7th, and 12% of 9 to 12th-grade students were categorized as Needs Improvement/Health Risk by FitnessGram standards for BMI. Similarly, approximately 25% of 3&5, and 22% of 7 and 9 to 12th-grade students were considered Needs Improvement/Health Risk for PACER. Results from fitness testing can provide school and public health representatives with a "needs assessment" of student health that can be used to help develop policies and practices to improve student health and wellbeing. This study provides a model for statewide annual fitness testing surveillance and reporting within K-12 public school physical education classrooms.

Flexibilidade em crianças e adolescentes brasileiros: uma revisão sistemática

Flexibility is a health-related physical fitness component that has its importance related to the maintenance of functional independence and achievement of activities of the daily living. This systematic review aims to analyze the existing evidence in the literature regarding physical capacity flexibility in Brazilian children and adolescents. Searches were conducted in the Virtual Health Library, Scientific Electronic Library Online, Sportdiscus databases through the EBSCOhost and Pubmed platform. There were 89,553 articles, of which 69,197 were excluded for duplicity, 20,124 for the title, 160 for the abstract, 56 after a full analysis of the article, remaining 16 articles for the qualitative analysis. Of these, from the reading of references, 57 titles partially eligible for the review were identified, and after the application of the eligibility criteria, there were only 18 for the qualitative analysis. Of the 34 studies included for the qualitative analysis, 25 studies were excluded and nine were included in the review. All articles presented the cross-sectional design and used the sit-and-reach test to assess flexibility. It was evidenced that: a) flexibility has been treated as co-adjuvant in studies with children and adolescents; b) although females have absolute flexibility values greater than the opposite sex, males have higher frequency of subjects that meet the health classification criteria in this variable; c) there is greater prevalence of the use of FITNESSGRAM and PROESP-BR reference standards.

The Impact of Grant Funding on Physical Fitness Levels of School Children

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a three year Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP) Grant on fitness levels of students in grades K-12. METHODS: A total of 1251 students (616 female and 635 male), 5-18 years of age (mean 11.07) participated in the FitnessGram series of health related physical fitness assessments (aerobic capacity, muscular strength, and muscular endurance) in each of the 3 years of the grant project. Basic anthropometric measures of height and weight were recorded for each student and used in the calculation of body mass index (BMI). Along with BMI, the assessment scores utilized in this investigation included: the 20 meter PACER test (PACER), Push Up Test (PT), and Curl Up Test (CT). Students performed these assessments as directed by a licensed physical education teacher during the spring semester of each of the 3 years of the grant project. Upon completion of the assessments, students were classified into Fitness Zones based on FitnessGram standards. The classifications for BMI were as follows: Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ), Needs Improvement (NI), Needs Improvement – Health Risk (NI-HR), or Very Lean (VL). The PACER, PT, and CT only classify students into 2 Fitness Zones: HFZ and NI. RESULTS: The data show an increase in number of students in the HFZ for each of the assessments from year 1 to year 2, with an average increase of 8.75%. The PT garnered the greatest percentage of increase at 12%, while the percentage of students in the HFZ for BMI only increased 6%. Conversely, the data from year 2 to year 3 show decreased percentages of student in the HFZ for all assessments, except for the PACER test which remained unchanged (63%). The percent of student in the HFZ decreased 2%, 11%, and 10% for BMI, CT, and PT respectively. Even with the decrease in percent of students in the HFZ for these assessments, the year 3 percentages remained higher than the initial assessment year for both the BMI and PACER with a 4% and 7% increase respectively. CONCLUSION: The increase in overall percent of students classified in a HFZ for multiple physical fitness assessments shows that a 3-year PEP grant had a positive impact on students’ physical fitness levels. This improvement coupled with the increased availability of resources and funding make the PEP grant an asset.

The Longitudinal Impact of NFL PLAY 60 Programming on Youth Aerobic Capacity and BMI.

The NFL PLAY 60 campaign has actively promoted physical activity and healthy eating in youth through programs such as the PLAY 60 Challenge and Fuel Up to PLAY 60. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of NFL PLAY 60 programming on longitudinal trajectories of youth aerobic capacity and BMI. Data were from the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Partnership Project, a large participatory research project designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among Kindergarten through 12th grade children and adolescents. The programming was led by teachers in school settings across 32 NFL franchise markets. A range of 50,000-100,000 students from 497 schools completed FitnessGram assessments annually starting in 2011 and continuing through 2015. The analysis was conducted in 2015. Adoption of NFL PLAY 60 programming was encouraged but not required and the program implementation was evaluated each year. The adoption was evaluated through self-reported annual survey. School assessments of aerobic capacity and BMI were evaluated using FitnessGram standards to calculate the percentage of students meeting the Healthy Fitness Zone for each test. Growth curve modeling was used to estimate the longitudinal trajectories. About 19% of schools were classified as programming schools. Annual improvements in aerobic capacity were significantly greater in schools that participated in the programs for both girls (3.0%, p<0.01) and boys (2.9%, p<0.01) compared with non-programming schools. The annual improvements in BMI Healthy Fitness Zone achievement were also higher in girls (1.3%, p<0.05) and in boys (1.2%, p<0.05) from schools that participated in the programs versus non-participating schools. Schools that implemented the programs for the entire 4-year period tended to have better improvements in aerobic capacity than schools enrolled for only 2 or 3 years (p<0.05). The results of these longitudinal analyses support the utility of the NFL PLAY 60 physical activity promotion programs for improving youth aerobic capacity and potentially helping to reverse the prevalence of overweight/obesity. However, the overall program adoption rate is low.

Two years of school-based intervention program could improve the physical fitness among Ecuadorian adolescents at health risk: subgroups analysis from a cluster-randomized trial.

BackgroundAdolescents with overweight and poor physical fitness have an increased likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases during adulthood. In Ecuador, a health promotion program improved the muscular strength and speed-agility, and reduced the decline of the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity of adolescents after 28 months. We performed a sub-group analysis to assess the differential effect of this intervention in overweight and low-fit adolescents.MethodsWe performed a cluster-randomized pair matched trial in schools located in Cuenca–Ecuador. In total 20 schools (clusters) were pair matched, and 1440 adolescents of grade 8 and 9 (mean age of 12.3 and 13.3 years respectively) participated in the trial. For the purposes of the subgroup analysis, the adolescents were classified into groups according to their weight status (body mass index) and aerobic capacity (scores in the 20 m shuttle run and FITNESSGRAM standards) at baseline. Primary outcomes included physical fitness (vertical jump, speed shuttle run) and physical activity (proportion of students achieving over 60 min of moderate–to-vigorous physical activity/day). For these primary outcomes, we stratified analysis by weight (underweight, normal BMI and overweight/obese) and fitness (fit and low fitness) groups. Mixed linear regression models were used to assess the intervention effect.ResultsThe prevalence of overweight/obesity, underweight and poor physical fitness was 20.3 %, 5.8 % and 84.8 % respectively. A higher intervention effect was observed for speed shuttle run in overweight (β = −1.85 s, P = 0.04) adolescents compared to underweight (β = −1.66 s, P = 0.5) or normal weight (β = −0.35 s, P = 0.6) peers. The intervention effect on vertical jump was higher in adolescents with poor physical fitness (β = 3.71 cm, P = 0.005) compared to their fit peers (β = 1.28 cm, P = 0.4). The proportion of students achieving over 60 min of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity/day was not significantly different according to weight or fitness status.ConclusionComprehensive school-based interventions that aim to improve diet and physical activity could improve speed and strength aspects of physical fitness in low-fit and overweight/obese adolescents.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01004367. Registered October 28, 2009.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12887-016-0588-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Pain Response after Maximal Aerobic Exercise in Adolescents across Weight Status.

Pain reports are greater with increasing weight status, and exercise can reduce pain perception. It is unknown, however, whether exercise can relieve pain in adolescents of varying weight status. The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescents across weight status report pain relief after high-intensity aerobic exercise (exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH)). Sixty-two adolescents (15.1 ± 1.8 yr, 29 males) participated in the following three sessions: 1) pressure pain thresholds (PPT) before and after quiet rest, clinical pain (McGill Pain Questionnaire), and physical activity levels (self-report and ActiSleep Plus Monitors) were measured, 2) PPT were measured with a computerized algometer at the fourth finger's nailbed, middle deltoid muscle, and quadriceps muscle before and after maximal oxygen uptake test (V˙O2max Bruce Treadmill Protocol), and 3) body composition was measured with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. All adolescents met criteria for V˙O2max. On the basis of body mass index z-score, adolescents were categorized as having normal weight (n = 33) or being overweight/obese (n = 29). PPT increased after exercise (EIH) and were unchanged with quiet rest (trial × session, P = 0.02). EIH was similar across the three sites and between normal-weight and overweight/obese adolescents. Physical activity and clinical pain were not correlated with EIH. Overweight/obese adolescents had similar absolute V˙O2max (L·min(-1)) but lower relative V˙O2max (mL·kg(-1)·min(-1)) compared with normal-weight adolescents. When adolescents were categorized using FitnessGram standards as unfit (n = 15) and fit (n = 46), the EIH response was similar between fitness levels. This study is the first to establish that both overweight and normal-weight adolescents experience EIH. EIH after high-intensity aerobic exercise was robust in adolescents regardless of weight status and not influenced by physical fitness.

A lower cardiorespiratory fitness is associated to an unhealthy status among children and adolescents from Bogotá, Colombia

Several studies have shown that low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a significant independent risk factor for future cardiometabolic disease in adult life. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between CRF and health status in children and adolescents in Bogota, Colombia.A cross-sectional study was conducted in 921 children and adolescents aged 9-17 years living in the metropolitan area of the District of Bogota, Colombia (2,480m asl). CRF was assessed with the 20m shuttle run test (Course-Navette) according to ALPHA-FITNESS and FITNESSGRAM standards. Blood pressure, waist circumference, hip circumference, body composition (body fat percentage, fat body mass, and fat-free mass by bioimpedance), skin fold calipers, body mass index, and sexual maturity (Tanner) were used as indicators of physical health.After adjusting for sex, age, and sexual maturity, significant inverse relationships were seen between CRF and body mass index (r=-0.107), body fat percentage (r=-0.197), fat body mass (r=-0.159), skin fold (r=-0.246), and waist circumference (r=-0.169); P<.001. Schoolchildren with low CRF levels showed OR 6.06 (95% CI 3.98-9.24) increase in body fat by bioimpedance; OR 4.04 (95% CI 1.83-9.11) risk of overweight/obese by body mass index and OR 2.47 (95% CI 1.14-5.37) abdominal obesity due to increased waist circumference.Approximately two thirds of participants had a CRF level suggesting future cardiovascular disease. Early identification of children and adolescents with low CRF levels will allow for implementing interventions to prevent cardiometabolic disease in adulthood.

Una menor condición física aeróbica se asocia con alteraciones del estado de salud en niños y adolescentes de Bogotá, Colombia

ObjectiveSeveral studies have shown that low cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a significant independent risk factor for future cardiometabolic disease in adult life. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between CRF and health status in children and adolescents in Bogotá, Colombia. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 921 children and adolescents aged 9-17 years living in the metropolitan area of the District of Bogotá, Colombia (2,480m asl). CRF was assessed with the 20m shuttle run test (Course-Navette) according to ALPHA-FITNESS and FITNESSGRAM standards. Blood pressure, waist circumference, hip circumference, body composition (body fat percentage, fat body mass, and fat-free mass by bioimpedance), skin fold calipers, body mass index, and sexual maturity (Tanner) were used as indicators of physical health. ResultsAfter adjusting for sex, age, and sexual maturity, significant inverse relationships were seen between CRF and body mass index (r=−0.107), body fat percentage (r=−0.197), fat body mass (r=−0.159), skin fold (r=−0.246), and waist circumference (r=−0.169); P<.001. Schoolchildren with low CRF levels showed OR 6.06 (95% CI 3.98-9.24) increase in body fat by bioimpedance; OR 4.04 (95% CI 1.83-9.11) risk of overweight/obese by body mass index and OR 2.47 (95% CI 1.14-5.37) abdominal obesity due to increased waist circumference. ConclusionApproximately two thirds of participants had a CRF level suggesting future cardiovascular disease. Early identification of children and adolescents with low CRF levels will allow for implementing interventions to prevent cardiometabolic disease in adulthood.

Cross-Validation of FITNESSGRAM® Health-Related Fitness Standards in Hungarian Youth

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to cross-validate FITNESSGRAM® aerobic and body composition standards in a representative sample of Hungarian youth. Method: A nationally representative sample (N = 405) of Hungarian adolescents from the Hungarian National Youth Fitness Study (ages 12–18.9 years) participated in an aerobic capacity assessment via treadmill test to maximum to determine peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and a bioelectrical impedance assessment to estimate percent body fat (%BF). Additionally, metabolic syndrome status was assessed via finger-stick blood sample. Youth were categorized into Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) and Needs Improvement (NI) groups based on Fitnessgram standards. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome was calculated and logistic regression was used to estimate odds of metabolic syndrome. Results: Hungarian youth were generally fit with a low prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Approximately 69% to 77% of boys and 55% to 57% of girls were classified into the HFZ based on %BF and VO2peak. Youth in the NI health risk zones for VO2peak and %BF were 4 times to 5 and 2 times to 3 times more likely to have metabolic syndrome than children in the lower-risk groups, respectively. Conclusions: Fitnessgram standards for aerobic capacity and body composition were associated with metabolic syndrome status, though odds ratios were larger for VO2peak than for %BF and varied by sex. Even though these standards were developed in U.S. youth, they can be applied in Hungary and still provide a criterion-referenced indication of fitness.

Physical Activity Promotion Program Effectiveness on Changing Youth Aerobic Capacity and BMI Longitudinal Trajectories

BACKGROUND: Fuel Up to PLAY 60 and PLAY 60 Challenge are the most widely used physical activity promotion programs in the NFL PLAY 60 campaign. However, little is known about the effectiveness of these programs on promoting physical fitness in school settings. PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of NFL PLAY 60 programming on longitudinal trajectories of youth aerobic capacity and Body Mass Index (BMI). METHODS: Data were from the NFL PLAY 60 FITNESSGRAM Partnership Project, a large participatory research project. A total of 403 schools completed assessments of aerobic capacity and BMI annually from 2010 to 2014 and these data were processed using established FITNESSGRAM standards to calculate the percentage of students meeting the Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) for each test. Adoption of NFL PLAY 60 programming was encouraged in the project, but not required. Schools were considered to be a “programming school” if they reported using one of the programs at least 2 times over the 4 years of tracking (data obtained from annual survey). Multilevel modeling was used to estimate the change in the longitudinal trajectories of aerobic capacity and BMI HFZ achievement for schools that participated (or did not participate) in NFL PLAY 60 programming. The gender effects as well as the effects of socio-economic status on longitudinal trajectories were also examined. RESULTS: Approximately 18% of schools met the criteria of being an NFL PLAY 60 programming school. Annual improvements in aerobic capacity HFZ achievement were significantly greater in programming schools for both boys (3.42%, P<0.05) and girls (2.98%, P<0.05). Significant differences in trajectories of BMI HFZ achievement were evident in girls from programming schools (1.40%, P<0.05) but not in boys. Analyses revealed that low SES programming schools had larger improvements in aerobic capacity and BMI HFZ achievement than high SES programming schools (except for boys BMI HFZ achievement). CONCLUSIONS: The results of these longitudinal analyses support the utility of NFL PLAY 60 physical activity promotion programs for improving youth aerobic capacity and reversing the prevalence of overweight/obesity. Bigger effects were evident in low SES schools suggesting potential benefits for reducing disparities. Supported by the NFL Foundation.

Physical fitness among urban and rural Ecuadorian adolescents and its association with blood lipids: a cross sectional study

BackgroundPhysical fitness has been proposed as a marker for health during adolescence. Currently, little is known about physical fitness and its association with blood lipid profile in adolescents from low and middle-income countries. The aim of this study is therefore to assess physical fitness among urban and rural adolescents and its associations with blood lipid profile in a middle-income country.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between January 2008 and April 2009 in 648 Ecuadorian adolescents (52.3% boys), aged 11 to 15 years, attending secondary schools in Cuenca (urban n = 490) and Nabón (rural n = 158). Data collection included anthropometric measures, application of the EUROFIT battery, dietary intake (2-day 24 h recall), socio-demographic characteristics, and blood samples from a subsample (n = 301). The FITNESGRAM standards were used to evaluate fitness. The associations of fitness and residential location with blood lipid profile were assessed by linear and logistic regression after adjusting for confounding factors.ResultsThe majority (59%) of the adolescents exhibited low levels of aerobic capacity as defined by the FITNESSGRAM standards. Urban adolescents had significantly higher mean scores in five EUROFIT tests (20 m shuttle, speed shuttle run, plate tapping, sit-up and vertical jump) and significantly most favorable improved plasma lipid profile (triglycerides and HDL) as compared to rural adolescents. There was a weak association between blood lipid profile and physical fitness in both urban and rural adolescents, even after adjustment for confounding factors.ConclusionsPhysical fitness, in our sample of Ecuadorian adolescents, was generally poor. Urban adolescents had better physical fitness and blood lipid profiles than rural adolescents. The differences in fitness did not explain those in blood lipid profile between urban and rural adolescents.

Physical Activity Questionnaire for children and adolescents: English norms and cut‐off points

The Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children and Adolescents (PAQ-C/-A) provides general estimates of physical activity levels. Following recent expert recommendations for using the PAQ for population surveillance, the aim of this paper was twofold: first, to describe normative PAQ data for English youth; and second, to determine a criterion-referenced PAQ-score cut-off point. Participants (n = 7226, 53% boys, 10-15 years) completed an anglicized version of the PAQ. Peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak ) was predicted from PACER lap count according to latest FITNESSGRAM standards and categorized into "at-risk" and "no-risk" for metabolic syndrome. ROC curves were drawn for each age-sex group to identify PAQ scores, which categorized youth into "sufficiently active" versus "low-active" groups, using cardiorespiratory fitness as the criterion-referenced standard. PAQ scores were higher in boys than in girls and declined with age. Mean PAQ score was a significant, albeit relatively weak (area under the curve < 0.7) discriminator between "at-risk" and "no-risk." PAQ scores of ≥2.9 for boys and ≥2.7 for girls were identified as cut-off points, although it may be more appropriate to use lower, age-specific PAQ scores for girls of 13, 14 and 15 years (2.6, 2.4, 2.3, respectively). The normative and criterion-referenced PAQ values may be used to standardize and categorize PAQ scores in future youth population studies.

Abstract P136: Low Cardiorespiratory Fitness Among US Adolescents: Prevalence, Correlates, and Association with Adiposity Markers- Findings from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Survey

Introduction. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a powerful marker of current of CVD risk among youth. The goals of this study are to describe the prevalence of low CRF among US adolescents aged 12-19 years (N=4,955), determine its sociodemographic and physical activity (PA) behavioral correlates and explore its association with adiposity markers. We hypothesize some PA variables will be significantly associated with low CRF after controlling for adiposity and other confounders. Methods. Data from three rounds of NHANES from 1999-2004, the most recent nationally representative data available on CRF, were analyzed. CRF was estimated as maximal oxygen uptake via measured heart rate responses to a treadmill test and categorized as healthy or low based on CVD-validated FITNESSGRAM standards. The prevalence of low CRF across various sociodemographic and PA behavioral indicators were calculated in analyses stratified by gender. Chi-square or linear trend analyses were used to calculate differences across groups. BMI groups (normal vs. overweight/obese) and WC groups (high vs. normal) were coded for CRF-adiposity cross-tabulations. High WC was classified as ≥90 th age, gender and race-specific percentile for 12-18 year olds and &gt;94 cm and &gt;80 cm for 19 year olds males and females, respectively. Correlates of low CRF were examined using multivariable logistic regression models. All analyses were conducted in SUDAAN to account for the survey’s complex sampling design. Results . Overall 37% of US adolescents had low CRF. The prevalence of low CRF was higher in females (38.6%) than males (35.1%) (p=0.04) but did not differ across racial/ethnic or poverty-to-income ratio groups. There were significant bivariate associations between low CRF and self-reported active commuting (p&lt;0.02), &lt;2 hours/day screen time (p&lt;0.001), higher MET-min/d of moderate-to-vigorous (p&lt;0.001) and vigorous (p=0.001) PA. Among boys and girls, the prevalence of low CRF was lower among those normal weight (25.9%; 32.4%) vs. those overweight (42.3%; 46.9%) or obese (66.3%; 56%) (p for trend&lt;0.001). Similarly the prevalence of low CRF was lower among those with normal (29.4%; 35%) vs. high WC (76.8%; 53.8%). Adolescents who did not actively commute via biking or walking were more likely to have low CRF compared to those who were active commuters (OR=1.39; 95% CI 1.00-1.93; p=0.05 for girls) and (OR:1.49; 95% CI 1.06-2.10; p=0.02 for boys). Similarly, among boys and girls, those who used ≥2hours/day screen-time were more likely to be low fit (p≤0.02). Conclusion . A significant portion (50-30%) of adolescents with high BMI or WC exhibit normal CRF while about 1 in 4 normal weight adolescents have low CRF and are at increased CVD risk. Promotion of PA among adolescents to improve CRF could help both normal weight and overweight adolescents with low CRF improve their CRF and lower CVD risk independently of adiposity.

Temporal relationships between screen-time and physical activity with cardiorespiratory fitness in English Schoolchildren: A 2-year longitudinal study

ObjectiveTo determine the temporal relationships screen-time and physical activity have with cardiorespiratory fitness. MethodMeasures were made over two years (2008–2010) in 1500 participants aged 11.5 (SD 0.5) years at baseline. ResultsTracking coefficients were low-to-moderate for all measures. At follow-up, 25% of participants moved from having low (<2h) to high (≥2h) daily screen-time and 6% became unfit according to FITNESSGRAM standards. Baseline screen-time was the strongest univariate predictor of becoming unfit. Multivariate analysis controlling for decimal age, BMI and deprivation confirmed baseline screen-time as the strongest independent predictor of becoming unfit over the 2-year study period (OR 2.4; 95%CI:1.4–4.0). Current (OR 2.3; 95%CI:1.3–4.0) and previous (OR 1.7; 95%CI:1.0–2.9) physical activity levels also independently predicted becoming unfit. ConclusionThere is currently no guidance for limiting screen-time in UK children. These longitudinal data add to the cross-sectional evidence of lower physical activity and fitness in children reporting ≥2h daily screen-time. More importantly, these data demonstrate that high screen-time during childhood is an independent predictor of lower cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescence.

Cardiorespiratory fitness and dietary intake in European adolescents: the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study

The present study investigated the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and dietary intake in European adolescents. The study comprised 1492 adolescents (770 females) from eight European cities participating in the HELENA (Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence) study. CRF was assessed by the 20 m shuttle run test. Adolescents were grouped into low and high CRF levels according to the FITNESSGRAM Standards. Dietary intake was self-registered by the adolescents using a computer-based tool for 24 h dietary recalls (HELENA-Dietary Assessment Tool) on two non-consecutive days. Weight and height were measured, and BMI was calculated. Higher CRF was associated with higher total energy intake in boys (P = 0·003). No association was found between CRF and macronutrient intake (as percentage of energy), yet some positive associations were found with daily intake of bread/cereals in boys and dairy products in both boys and girls (all P < 0·003), regardless of centre, age and BMI. CRF was inversely related to sweetened beverage consumption in girls. These findings were overall consistent when CRF was analysed according to the FITNESSGRAM categories (high/low CRF). A high CRF was not related to compliance with dietary recommendations, except for sweetened beverages in girls (P = 0·002). In conclusion, a high CRF is associated with a higher intake of dairy products and bread/cereals, and a lower consumption of sweetened beverages, regardless of centre, age and BMI. The present findings contribute to the understanding of the relationships between dietary factors and physiological health indicators such as CRF.

Obesity, Level Of Fitness And Academic Performance In Hispanic American Adolescents

Childhood obesity has become most prominent public health concern in the United States. Obesity and lower physical fitness, may cause low self-esteem and depression, these two psychological disorders may affect academic performance. PURPOSE: of this study was to investigate whether levels of obesity and physical fitness have an influence on academic performance in Hispanic adolescents. METHODS: Body mass index (BMI), one mile run and curl-up scores from 1,720 Hispanic adolescents in grades 8-11 were collected. Students were classified into four groups for BMI score using CDC weight status cut point (underweight, health weight, overweight, and obese) and three groups for aerobic fitness (one mile run) and muscle strength (curl-up) using FITNESSGRAM standards (ES: exceed standard, MS: meet standard, and US: under standard). Reading and Mathematics scores in Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test were obtained from a South Texas school district. RESULTS: Obese students scored lower than other groups in reading (36.2±.8 vs. 43.1±.6, Mean±SE, P<.01) and mathematics (34.5±.9 vs. 40.8±.8, P<.05) in 11th grade and scored lower in reading only in 10th grade (38.6±.8 vs. 43.8±.5, P<.05). However, there was no relation between the level of obesity and TAKS scores in 8 and 9th grades. In 8th grade, ES in one mile run scored higher than US in reading (42.7±.7 vs. 39.5±.5, P<.05) and mathematics (40.2±.9 vs. 32.5±.7, P<.01) and also ES in curl-up scored higher than US in both reading (41.4±.5 vs. 38.2±.9, P<.05) and mathematics (37±.7 vs. 31.8±1.0, P<.01). 9th grade ES in one mile run or curl-up scored higher than US in mathematics (32.9± 1.5 vs. 28.3±.8 and 31.2±.9 vs. 26.3±1.4 in one mile run and curl-up, P<.05). In 10th grade, only ES in aerobic fitness was associated with higher scores in mathematics (41.5±1.1 vs. 33.1±.9, P<.01). None of physical fitness measures correlated with TAKS scores for the 11th grades. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the data suggests that higher BMI and lower levels of aerobic and muscle fitness are associated with lower academic achievement in Hispanic adolescents. Results indicate that academic achievement is more affected by physical fitness, such as aerobic fitness and muscle strength, in early adolescence and it is more affected by level of obesity (body image) in late adolescence.

Recommended levels and intensities of physical activity to avoid low‐cardiorespiratory fitness in European adolescents: The HELENA study

The purpose of this study was to determine the sex-specific physical activity (PA) intensity thresholds that best discriminate between unhealthy/healthy cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). Participants included 1,808 adolescents (964 girls), aged 12.5-17.5 years, from the HELENA study. We measured PA by accelerometer and calculated the time spent at light, moderate, vigorous, and moderate-to-vigorous (MVPA) intensities. CRF was assessed by the 20-m shuttle-run test. Adolescents were dichotomized (unhealthy/healthy) based on sex- and age-specific FITNESSGRAM standards. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine thresholds that best discriminate between CRF categories. ROC analyses revealed that the PA thresholds that best discriminate between unhealthy/healthy CRF were ≥152, ≥33, ≥13, and ≥52 min/day in light, moderate, vigorous, and MVPA, respectively. In boys, the PA thresholds associated with a healthy CRF were ≥37, ≥19, and ≥56 min/day in moderate, vigorous, and MVPA, respectively, whereas in girls were ≥152, ≥34, ≥12, and ≥51 min/day in light, moderate, vigorous, and MVPA, respectively. Spending at least 60 min/day in MVPA was also associated with a healthy CRF (odds ratios: 1.75, 1.94, and 1.57, all P < 0.05, for the whole sample, boys, and girls, respectively). This study shows sex- and intensity-specific PA thresholds to discriminate between adolescents with a healthy CRF from those with a less favorable or unhealthy CRF level.

Secular trends in health-related physical fitness in Spanish adolescents: The AVENA and HELENA Studies

We analysed the secular trends in health-related physical fitness in Spanish adolescents between 2001–2002 and 2006–2007. Two representative population studies were conducted 5 years apart in adolescents (12.5–17.5 years) from Zaragoza (Spain) that participated in the AVENA study in 2001–2002 and in the HELENA-CSS study in 2006–2007. Both studies used the same tests to assess physical fitness: the handgrip strength, bent arm hang, standing broad jump, 4 × 10 m shuttle run and 20 m shuttle run tests. Performance in 4 × 10 m shuttle run and 20 m shuttle run tests was higher in 2006–2007 (Cohen's d ranging from 0.2 to 0.4, p < 0.05), whereas performance in handgrip strength and standing broad jump tests was lower in 2006–2007 (Cohen's d ranging from 0.3 to 1.1, p < 0.001). Adjustment for age, pubertal status, fat mass, fat free mass and parental education did not alter the results. The odds ratio (OR) of meeting the FITNESSGRAM Standards for healthy cardiorespiratory fitness was higher in 2006–2007 in both boys (OR, 95% CI: 2.123, 1.157–3.908) and girls (OR, 95% CI: 2.420, 1.377–4.255). The results indicate that levels of both speed/agility and cardiorespiratory fitness were higher in 2006–2007 than in 2001–2002, whereas muscular strength components were lower in 2006–2007.

Low Aerobic Fitness and Obesity Are Associated with Lower Standardized Test Scores in Children

To investigate whether aerobic fitness and obesity in school children are associated with standardized test performance. Ethnically diverse (n = 1989) 5th, 7th, and 9th graders attending California schools comprised the sample. Aerobic fitness was determined by a 1-mile run/walk test; body mass index (BMI) was obtained from state-mandated measurements. California standardized test scores were obtained from the school district. Students whose mile run/walk times exceeded California Fitnessgram standards or whose BMI exceeded Centers for Disease Control sex- and age-specific body weight standards scored lower on California standardized math, reading, and language tests than students with desirable BMI status or fitness level, even after controlling for parent education among other covariates. Ethnic differences in standardized test scores were consistent with ethnic differences in obesity status and aerobic fitness. BMI-for-age was no longer a significant multivariate predictor when covariates included fitness level. Low aerobic fitness is common among youth and varies among ethnic groups, and aerobic fitness level predicts performance on standardized tests across ethnic groups. More research is needed to uncover the physiological mechanisms by which aerobic fitness may contribute to performance on standardized academic tests.

Validity of Cardiorespiratory Fitness Criterion-Referenced Standards for Adolescents

The clinical utility of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) criterion-referenced standards (FITNESSGRAM) has not been tested in adolescents. We aimed to determine the ability of the FITNESSGRAM standards to discriminate between low and high cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in a population-based sample of US adolescents. Participants included 1247 adolescents (45.7% females) aged 12-19 yr. A submaximal walking treadmill test was used to estimate peak oxygen consumption as a measure of CRF. Participants were dichotomized based on meeting or failing the sex- and age-specific FITNESSGRAM standards. CVD risk factors included systolic blood pressure, sum of triceps and subscapular skinfolds, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) of insulin resistance, triglycerides, and total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein ratio. A sex- and age-specific CVD risk score was computed as the mean of these five standardized risk factors. A risk score >1 SD was considered to indicate a high CVD risk. One third of the adolescents fail to meet the FITNESSGRAM standards. Body fat and CVD risk score were significantly lower in adolescents meeting versus failing the FITNESSGRAM standards (all P < 0.003). Receiver operating characteristics curve analyses revealed that the CRF thresholds that best discriminated between low and high CVD risk were very similar to those established by FITNESSGRAM: 44.1 and 40.3 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) among 12- to 15- and 16- to 19-yr-old boys and 36.0 and 35.5 mL x kg(-1) x min(-1) among 12- to 15- and 16- to 19-yr-old girls, respectively. The CRF criterion-referenced standards established by FITNESSGRAM discriminate adolescents with a more favorable cardiovascular profile from those with a less favorable profile. Identification of children who fail to meet these standards can help detect the target population for pediatric CVD prevention strategies.