Health-related Fitness Research Articles

The Effects of Cognitively Challenging Physical Activity Games versus Health-Related Fitness Activities on Students' Executive Functions and Situational Interest in Physical Education: A Group-Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study compared cognitively challenging physical activity games and health-related fitness activities in terms of their effects on students' executive functions and situational interest in physical education. A total of 102 fourth- and fifth-grade students (56 boys, 46 girls) participated in this study. A group-randomized controlled trial design involving an acute experiment was used. Two intact classes of students (one fourth-grade and one fifth-grade) were randomly assigned to each one of the three groups. Students in Group 1 participated in cognitively challenging physical activity games, students in Group 2 participated in activities for developing their health-related fitness, and Group 3 students were the control group without physical education. Executive functions were measured pre- and post-intervention with the design fluency test, whereas situational interest was only measured post-intervention with the situational interest scale. Group 1 students who played cognitively challenging physical activity games had increased their executive functions' scores more than the Group 2 students involved in health-related fitness activities. Students of both these groups outperformed control group students. Moreover, Group 1 students reported higher levels of instant enjoyment and total interest than Group 2 students. The results of this study suggest that cognitively challenging physical activity games can be an effective means for enhancing executive functions, and motivate students to be involved in interesting and enjoyable forms of physical activity.

Periodization method of physical exercise for obese people

During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC, stated that obesity prevalence increased by 52%. In Indonesia, the prevalence of obesity is 21.8%. Obesity triggers an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, which induces chronic inflammation both locally and systemically, which can cause health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolite syndrome, and an increased risk of infection. One of the components of obesity management is increasing physical activity. One of the domains of physical activity is exercise. Exercise with the appropriate frequency, duration, intensity, type, and periodization can influence cytokine modulation so that it can reduce systemic inflammation and increase physical fitness. This evidence-based case report (EBCR) aims to determine the type of exercise periodization in obesity management and its effect on health-related fitness. The process of searching for literature on EBCR uses the PRISMA method on 3 databases, namely: PubMed, EBSCOhost, and ProQuest. From the search results, it was found that the combination of endurance and strength training exercises with linear periodization 3 times a week, was found to be better in improving fitness in obese people. Linear periodization increases cardiopulmonary fitness with a relative mean difference of 17.8(0.3 to 35.3) %, maximal strength with 1 RM bench press and 1 RM leg press test also increased, and also reduce body fat percentage about 2.1(-4.8 to 0.5) %. Thus, the combination of strength and cardiorespiratory exercise with linear periodization gives a positive response to the components of health-related fitness in obese people.

Exercise during chemotherapy: Friend or foe?

A higher chemotherapy completion rate is associated with better outcomes including treatment efficacy and overall survival. Exercise may have the potential to improve relative dose intensity (RDI) by reducing the frequency and severity of chemotherapy-related toxicities. We examined the association between exercise adherence and RDI and possible clinical- and health-related fitness predictors of RDI. Chemotherapy records were extracted from the electronic medical record for patients enrolled in the ENACT trial (n = 105). Chemotherapy completion was assessed using average RDI. A threshold of 85% was established for "high" versus "low" RDI. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the associations between the clinical- and health-related fitness predictors of RDI. Patients with breast cancer (BC) had a significantly higher average RDI (89.8% ± 17.6%) compared with gastrointestinal cancer (GI) (76.8% ± 20.9%, p = 0.004) and pancreatic cancer (PC) (65.2% ± 20.1%, p < 0.001). Only 25% of BC patents required a dose reduction compared to 56.3% of GI and 86.4% of PC patients. Cancer site was significantly associated with RDI. Compared with BC, patients with GI (β = -0.12, p = 0.03) and PC (β = -0.22, p = 0.006) achieved significantly lower RDI. Every 2.72 unit increase in overall exercise adherence led to a significant 7% decrease in RDI (p = 0.001) in GI patients. Metastatic GI patients had a 15% RDI increase for every 2.72 unit increase in exercise adherence (p = 0.04). Exercise is a supportive therapy that has potential to enhance chemotherapy tolerance and completion. The relationship between exercise adherence and RDI is influenced by factor such as cancer site and treatment type. Special attention must be paid to how exercise is prescribed to ensure that exercise adherence does not negatively affect RDI. Cancer site, exercise dosage, and multimodal interventions to address toxicities are key areas identified for future research.

Associations between health-related fitness and quality of life in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients

Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients face substantial stress and uncertainty that may undermine their quality of life (QoL). The purpose of the present study was to examine the associations between health-related fitness (HRF) and QoL in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients from the Alberta Moving Beyond Breast Cancer Study. Newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with early-stage disease (n = 1458) were recruited between 2012 and 2019 in Edmonton and Calgary, Canada to complete baseline HRF and QoL assessments within 90days of diagnosis. HRF assessments included cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak treadmill test), muscular fitness (upper and lower body strength and endurance tests), and body composition (dual x-ray absorptiometry). QoL was assessed by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) version 2. We used logistic regression analyses to examine the associations between quartiles of HRF and poor/fair QoL (bottom 20%) after adjusting for key covariates. In multivariable analysis, the least fit groups compared to the most fit groups for relative upper body strength (OR = 3.19; 95% CI = 1.98-5.14), lean mass percentage (OR = 2.31; 95% CI = 1.37-3.89), and relative VO2peak (OR = 2.08; 95% CI = 1.21-3.57) were independently at a significantly higher risk of poor/fair physical QoL. No meaningful associations were found for mental QoL. The three main components of HRF (muscular fitness, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body composition) were independently associated with physical QoL in newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Exercise interventions designed to improve these components of HRF may optimize physical QoL and help newly diagnosed breast cancer patients better prepare for treatments and recovery.

The relationship between muscle deoxygenation and health-related physical fitness

Physical exercise is proven to be beneficial for health and studies have found that improved aerobic capacity is linked to reduced mortality. Dr Shun Takagi, Faculty of Education and Welfare, Biwako-Gakuin University, Japan, conducts research on the relationship between aerobic capacity and muscle deoxygenation during aerobic exercise involving different forms of exercise and different populations. Most recently, he is investigating the relationship between muscle deoxygenation during resistance training and improvement of muscle strength and thickness by resistance training. Enhancement of muscle deoxygenation during resistance exercise may be one of the determinants of muscle hypertrophy and increase in muscle strength and an improvement of muscle thickness and strength is related to improved quality of life. Therefore, the research could help enhance health among adults. If Takagi observes through his studies a strong relationship between muscle deoxygenation and health-related physical fitness, muscle deoxygenation could prove to be a useful indicator for effective exercise training to improve health-related physical fitness. Takagi and the team hope to be able to identify the determinants of muscle deoxygenation and then move onto developing effective training programmes for all generations, especially the more elderly. The researchers are utilising spatial resolved near infrared spectroscopy (SR-NIRS) in their work, as well as a newly established optical fat correction method to overcome the fact that the variables measured by SR-NIRS are affected by light scattering in the fat layer. This method has enabled the team to overcome challenges and drive their research forward.

EFFECT OF SHORT AND LONG DURATION NADA YOGA MEDITATION ON HEART RATE OF PARA YOGA ATHLETES

Introduction: Heart rate is a fairly good indicator of health-related physical fitness and is often used by fitness and yoga trainers before, during, and after their training sessions. “Divyang Jana”, a term often used to refer to persons with disabilities (PwD) are equally and sometimes more prone to having elevated heart rates because of external and internal conditions beyond their control. This study was undertaken to evaluate the role of NADA Yoga Meditation (22 minutes) in improving the important physiological parameter heart rate (HR) in visually impaired (VI) para yoga athletes of Uttarakhand.Method: 52 para-yoga athletes were divided into two groups of which one group did Meditation and the other did not. HR-1 (pre-intervention, HR-2- after one week, and HR-3 after 2 weeks of the intervention were measured in beats per minute offline (first week) and online (second week) NADA meditation training.Result: At the end of the study significant decrease in HR-2 and HR-3 was seen in the para yoga sports persons who practiced Meditation as compared to the non-practicing group (control group) after controlling for the covariate HR-1 (pre-intervention heart rate).Discussion: The results were interpreted using MANCOVA and concluded that NADA yoga meditation was effective in reducing the heart rate mediated anxiety levels of yoga para-athletes in just 2 weeks and was found to be effective not only in just a week but also after 2 weeks of NADA Yoga meditation training done for 22 minutes each. Further, it can be argued that NADA yoga meditation may modulate the physiological response to stress via neurohumoral activation as displayed by the fairly good indicator namely heart rate.

Effects of circuit exercise training strategy on health-related physical fitness level and biomarkers in elderly people with cardiovascular diseases

This study investigated the effects of a 12-week circuit exercise training intervention on health-related physical fitness and biomarkers in elderly adults with cardiovascular diseases. A total of 69 participants underwent the circuit exercise training program, which included stretching, aerobic activity, and weight training. The results showed that the participants had improved performance in cardiovascular and strength tests, with grip and back muscle strength showing improvement. However, sit-ups were lower than the average, and power, reaction time, and agility needed more effort. The high sensitivity C-reactive protein value reached a medium infection risk level for cardiovascular illnesses. The study concluded that there was a strong association between health-related physical fitness and biomarker index in senior persons with a medium risk cluster of cardiovascular illnesses. The study also found that BMI correlated positively with biomarker index, while cardiovascular fitness, agility, and flexibility correlated negatively with biomarker index.

Impact of Embedding High-Intensity Interval Training in Schools and Sports Training on Children and Adolescent’s Cardiometabolic Health and Health-Related Fitness: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Purpose: This systematic review aimed to identify studies evaluating the impact of high-intensity interval training when delivered in school and sports training. Methods: A systematic search of 10 databases (September 2019) identified 24 eligible studies (including children and/or adolescents 5–18 years and reporting cardiometabolic health and/or health-related fitness outcomes), assessed for quality using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (version 2.0). Outcomes were synthesized using a random-effects meta-analysis, and potential moderators were explored (i.e., study duration, risk of bias, age, and deliverer/instructor). Results: Standardized mean difference for the effects of high-intensity interval training were significant for body mass index g = −0.27 (p &lt; .001), cardiorespiratory fitness g = 0.27 (p &lt; .001), lower body muscular fitness g = 0.49 (p = .005), and upper body muscular fitness g = 0.37 (p = .002); but not for blood pressure (p &gt; .05). Risk of bias results were variable (low = 8, some concerns = 9, and high = 7). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that embedding high-intensity interval training in schools and sports training can facilitate improvements in some aspects of cardiometabolic health and fitness in children and adolescents.

The Impact of Pandemic Lockdowns and Remote Learning on Student Fitness: An Investigation of Changes to High School Student Fitness Levels

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact on health-related fitness resulting from COVID-19 lockdowns on male high school students in Melbourne, Australia. Method: A total of 146 students completed fitness testing in February and retesting in November following 7 months of remote learning. Fitness tests conducted were 20-m shuttle run (Beep Test), flexed arm hang, body mass index, push-ups, sit-ups, and sit and reach. Results: The mean fitness levels of this cohort decreased across the health-related fitness components. Decreases were varying in magnitude, body composition (d = 0.3), flexibility (d = 0.56), muscular strength (d = 0.64), muscular endurance (d = 0.39 and d = 0.26), and cardiovascular endurance (d = 0.96). Discussion: The impact on students’ fitness levels was noteworthy, and the long-term impacts of this decrease are yet to be seen. This research brings focus to what can be done to maintain adolescent fitness when their usual exercise opportunities are not available.

What is the role of adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines in relation to physical fitness components among adolescents?

Physical inactivity, excessive sedentary time, and lack of sleep time have been independently associated with lower health-related physical fitness. However, little is known about the combined association between 24-h movement guidelines (i.e., physical activity, recreational screen time, and sleep duration) and components of physical fitness. The main aim was to examine the likelihood of having high/very high levels on different components of physical fitness based on meeting with 24-h movement guidelines. In this cross-sectional study, 1276 Spanish youths (13.07 ± 0.86; 55.88% boys), aged 11-16 years, completed self-reported questionnaires on physical activity, recreational screen time, and sleep duration. Physical fitness components were assessed by 20-m shuttle-run test, standing long jump test, handgrip strength test, and 4 × 10-m shuttle-run test. Meeting 24-h movement guidelines was defined as: 9-11 h/day (children aged 5-13) or 8-10 h/day (adolescents aged 14-17) of sleep, ≤2 h/day of recreational screen time and at least 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The probability of having a high/very high score for each physical fitness components (i.e., ≥60th centile according to the normative cut-off points for European adolescents) in relation to adherence to 24-h movement guidelines was analyzed using a series of binary logistic regressions. Participants who met the three 24-h movement guidelines were more likely to have high/very high for cardiorespiratory fitness (OR = 3.31; 95% CI: 1.79, 6.14; p < 0.001), standing long jump (OR = 1.91; 95% CI: 1.06, 3.45; p = 0.031), muscular fitness (OR = 2.05; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.86; p = 0.048) and physical fitness (OR = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.08, 3.66; p = 0.012), but not for handgrip strength (OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 0.64, 2.01; p = 0.636) and speed/agility (OR = 1.65; 95% CI: 0.92, 2.96; p = 0.093), compared to those who did not meet all three recommendations. Since meeting the three 24-h movement guidelines increased the likelihood of having higher levels in most physical fitness components, it seems necessary to promote these movement behaviors early in life, as they could serve as a gateway for improving health-related fitness in future generations.

Physical Fitness and Body Composition of Youth Referees in Invasion Games.

Referees' activity can be an instrument for training students with an impact on health-related physical fitness (PF). This study aimed to investigate the differences in PF and body composition between students without sports practice (G1), students with regular sports practice (G2), and student referees in team invasion games (G3). This study followed a cross-sectional design. The sample comprised 45 male students between 14 and 20 years old (16.40 ± 1.85). Three groups (G1, G2, and G3) of 15 participants each were selected. PF was assessed by a 20 m shuttle run, change-of-direction test, and standing long jump. Body composition was determined by body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) and the percentage of body fat (%BF) predicted by skinfold. After controlling for age as a covariate, the block of variables used to characterize PF was statistically different between sports practice groups favoring student referees (p < 0.001; r = 0.26). Similar results were achieved for body composition (i.e., BMI and %BF) (p < 0.001; r = 0.17). However, when the dependent variables were evaluated separately, there were only differences between groups in %BF (p = 0.007; r = 0.21). Student referees had statistically significantly lower values than the remaining groups. Refereeing activity benefits PF related to health and performance, including body composition. This study confirms the benefits related to health in children and adolescents who are involved in refereeing activity.

Correlation of fundamental movement skills with health-related fitness elements in children and adolescents: A systematic review.

To examine the correlations between fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness elements (cardiopulmonary function, flexibility, body composition, muscle strength and endurance) in children and adolescents and investigate the evaluation methods and tools of fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness. Six electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, EBSCO and CNKI) were searched, and the research literature on the correlation between children's and adolescents' fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness published since 2002 was collected. The guidelines of the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement and the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement were used to evaluate the quality of the literature, and the sources, samples, measurement methods, main results and statistical data of the study were analyzed, summarized and discussed. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 49 studies were included. There were 13 tools for evaluating fundamental movement skills and 4 tools for evaluating comprehensive health-related fitness in the included literature. Sufficient research evidence supports a significant positive correlation between fundamental movement skills and cardiopulmonary function (10, 100%) and muscle strength and endurance (12, 100%), and most studies support the positive correlation between fundamental movement skills and flexibility (4, 66.7%), and the significant negative correlation between fundamental movement skills and body composition (29, 67.4%). Studies used skinfold, AF%, BF%, FM, and FFMI as evaluation methods. They showed a consistently significant negative correlation between body composition and fundamental movement skills (9, 100%), while BMI or waist circumference as evaluation methods showed no consistent significant negative correlation result (20, 58.8%). Moreover, in the sub-item evaluation of fundamental movement skills, object manipulation, locomotor and balance skills were all significantly and positively correlated with cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength and endurance. In contrast, locomotor skills were more closely related to body composition than object manipulation skills. A significant correlation exists between children's and adolescents' fundamental movement skills and health-related fitness elements.

Phase angle is associated with muscle health and cardiorespiratory fitness in older breast cancer survivors

Phase angle (PhA) obtained from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is an indicator of cellular integrity and relates to several chronic conditions. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to evaluate the association of PhA with health-related physical fitness, namely, cardiorespiratory fitness, skeletal muscle volume, and myosteatosis (i.e. muscle health) in older breast cancer survivors. Twenty-two women ≥60 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥25kg/m2 and who completed chemotherapy for early-stage breast cancer were included. BIA, cardiopulmonary exercise tests and magnetic resonance imaging scans were completed before and after eight weeks of time-restricted eating. At baseline, PhA was associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (R2=0.54, p<0.01) and skeletal muscle volume (R2=0.83, p<0.01) and myosteatosis (R2=0.25, p=0.02). Results were similar at follow-up. Findings from this pilot study suggest that higher values of PhA are associated with better health-related physical fitness among older breast cancer survivors.

Factors For Adherence To Exercise: Motivation To Pursue Fitness Among Mapeh Teachers In Zamboanga City

The pursuit of a sustainable fitness program is viewed as a global issue and mission. Clearly, this is a global problem, and it should be prioritized as the first step in any health-care program. It is the value, knowledge, talents, and experiences obtained via physical activity in order to achieve and maintain health-related fitness and maximize health. This study examines what factors motivate MAPEH instructors to exercise. There are 72 MAPEH teachers from Zamboanga City's top eight (8) schools participated in the research. The findings reveal that respondents demonstrated above-average level on Identified Regulation motivating component. MAPEH teachers choose to exercise freely because they appreciate the benefits of exercise. They like exercise sessions, regard physical activity as a pleasurable pastime, and receive pleasure and fulfillment from physical activity. The respondents in this study do not believe they should exercise because other people, such as friends/family/partner, have pushed them to do so. This study revealed that exercising is a personal responsibility of someone for health, social belonging, and personal development. This study is very vital in analyzing the features of exercise and how active participants are motivated to consistently doing the practice. The information from this study can help program fitness programs for the faculty and other employees of organizations with similar profile.

Health-related physical fitness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome versus controls: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrinopathy associated with cardiometabolic dysfunction. (1) To compare HRPF indices, including cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscle strength, and muscle endurance, between women with and without PCOS (i.e., controls). (2) To explore the impact of moderating factors, i.e., insulin sensitivity, androgen levels, physical activity levels, and body mass index, on these indices. Articles comparing HRPF between PCOS and control groups were identified until February 27th, 2022. Random-effects meta-analyses were conducted and moderating factors were explored with subgroup and meta-regression analyses. Twenty studies were included. Compared to controls, CRF was lower in women with PCOS (n = 15, -0.70 [-1.35, -0.05], P = 0.03, I2 = 95%). Meta-regression analyses demonstrated that fasting insulin (P = 0.004) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (P = 0.006) were negatively associated with CRF, while sex-hormone binding globulin levels (P = 0.003) were positively associated. Absolute muscle strength was not different between PCOS and controls (n = 7, 0.17 [-0.10, 0.45], P = 0.22, I2 = 37%). One study evaluated muscle endurance and reported lower core endurance in PCOS subjects compared to controls. These data suggest that PCOS may be associated with impaired CRF. It remains unclear whether muscle strength and endurance differ between women with PCOS and controls. As this data set was limited by a small sample size, potential for bias, and inconsistent findings, additional studies accounting for the heterogeneous presentation of PCOS as well as improved matching between PCOS and controls for characteristics known to affect HRPF would help elucidate the impact of PCOS on indices of HRPF. CRD42020196380.

The Correlation Between Junk Food Consumption and Health-Related Physical Fitness Factors in 10 - 12 Years Students of Kamyaran, Iran

Background: The consumption of junk food among children and adults is increasing, which can affect their general health. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the correlation between junk food consumption and health-related physical fitness factors in Kamyaran students. Methods: Based on Morgan's tablet, a total of 309 subjects volunteered to participate in this study, out of 1514 students aged 10 - 12 years in Kamyaran city. The studied schools were selected by the multi-stage cluster method. The mean and standard deviation of the subjects’ age, height, and weight were 11.26 ± 0.68 years, 144.27 ± 4.75 cm, and 39.36 ± 8.01 kg, respectively. This study assessed height, weight, and body mass index based on the cut-off BMI National Health and Nutrition Survey. The physical fitness factors of students were measured according to standard tests. The researcher developed a questionnaire to assess the consumption of junk food. Cronbach’s alpha of this questionnaire was 0.78. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the mean and standard deviation of the data. Spearman correlation was used to examine the correlation of variables. Results: There was a significant inverse correlation between junk food consumption and health-related physical fitness factors (P &lt; 0.05), but there was a direct and significant correlation between junk food consumption and body mass index (P &lt; 0.05). There was a significant correlation between junk food consumption, nutritional knowledge, and behavior in the subjects (P &lt; 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between junk food consumption and healthy attitude in the subjects (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: According to our results, parents and policymakers should pay more attention to health and physical activity in schools and society.

Body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and neuromuscular adaptations induced by a home-based whole-body high intensity interval training

Background/objectiveBodyweight exercises performed at home could be a complementary approach to improve health-related fitness in people having little spare time and during stay-at-home periods. This study then investigated body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, and neuromuscular adaptations to a home-based, video-directed, whole-body high-intensity interval training (WB-HIIT). MethodsFourteen subjects participated to an 8-week WB-HIIT (6 females, 23 ± 1 years) and fourteen were included in a non-exercise control group (CTL; 6 females, 24 ± 4 years). All took part to pre- and post-intervention assessments of body composition, peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and first ventilatory threshold (VT1; index of aerobic capacity), dynamic (leg press 3-repetition maximum) and isometric strength (knee extensors maximal isometric contractions with assessment of voluntary activation), and muscle endurance during an isometric submaximal contraction maintained till exhaustion. WB-HIIT consisted in 30-s all-out whole-body exercises interspaced with 30 s of active recovery. Training sessions were performed at home by means of videos with demonstration of exercises. Heart rate was monitored during sessions. ResultsWB-HIIT increased VO2peak (5%), VT1 (20%), leg lean mass (3%), dynamic (13%) and isometric strength (6%), and muscle endurance (28%; p < 0.05), while they did not improve in CTL. VO2peak increase was correlated (r = 0.56; p < 0.05) with the time spent above 80% of maximal heart rate during training sessions. Isometric strength increase was correlated with change in voluntary activation (r = 0.74; p < 0.01). ConclusionThe home-based WB-HIIT induced concomitant cardiorespiratory fitness and neuromuscular improvements. The predominant effect was observed for aerobic capacity and muscle endurance which could improve exercise tolerance and reduce fatigability.

Classifying High School Students’ Health-Related Physical Fitness Report Cards With Data Mining

In this study, classifications were made from the data obtained from the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report cards and BMIs of students through data mining methods, artificial neural networks, and decision trees models. Then the classification performances of both models were compared. The body weight and height measurements of the students in the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report were formulated, and their BMI classification was made. In addition, it was investigated whether other parameters such as shuttle, push-up, and sit-and-stretch flexibility test values had an effect on BMI classification. The study group comprised 1,050 secondary school students studying in the Cihanbeyli district of Konya in 2017. In conclusion, it was determined that artificial neural networks had more correct classifications than decision trees analysis. In the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report, shuttle and push-up stood out among the variables affecting BMI classification.

Classifying High School Students’ Health-Related Physical Fitness Report Cards With Data Mining

In this study, classifications were made from the data obtained from the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report cards and BMIs of students through data mining methods, artificial neural networks, and decision trees models. Then the classification performances of both models were compared. The body weight and height measurements of the students in the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report were formulated, and their BMI classification was made. In addition, it was investigated whether other parameters such as shuttle, push-up, and sit-and-stretch flexibility test values had an effect on BMI classification. The study group comprised 1,050 secondary school students studying in the Cihanbeyli district of Konya in 2017. In conclusion, it was determined that artificial neural networks had more correct classifications than decision trees analysis. In the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report, shuttle and push-up stood out among the variables affecting BMI classification.

Trend in health-related physical fitness for Chinese male first-year college students: 2013-2019.

Physical fitness is a health indicator contributing to the prevention of non-communicable diseases that threaten public health. Studies across a number of global populations indicate that physical fitness is generally declining. This study investigated the trend in physical fitness of Chinese male first-year college students from 2013 to 2019 to offer critical information for fostering individual and public health. This study used archival data and a natural experiment design capturing 4 years of data prior to implementation of the Healthy China 2030 initiative and 3 years following. Physical fitness tests were based on the Chinese national student physical fitness standards for males including body mass index, vital capacity, standing-long-jump, sit-and-reach, pull-ups, 50 m sprint, and 1,000 m run. Because the physical fitness tests set different standards for males and females, female data will be reported separately. Data from a total of 3,185 Chinese male first-year college students from a private university in Hebei Province of China were included in the study. A one-way multivariate analysis of variance was used for analyzing the research data. The results indicated an overall significant difference in health-related physical fitness of Chinese male first-year college students, with scores on health indicators generally declining from 2013 to 2019. Despite improvement on some fitness variables in some years, performance on virtually all indicators was diminished compared to baseline years. These findings can contribute to the existing global literature in the field of public health showing general declines in physical fitness. Chinese universities have the opportunity to support Healthy China 2030 goals and cultivate individuals' physical fitness by offering physical education course that encourage college students to participate in moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activities in order to support physical fitness development.