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Physical fitness in adolescents with normal weight and overweight
Author(s) -
Fogelholm M.,
Stigman S.,
Huisman T.,
Metsämuuronen J.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
scandinavian journal of medicine and science in sports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.575
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1600-0838
pISSN - 0905-7188
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0838.2007.00685.x
Subject(s) - cardiorespiratory fitness , multi stage fitness test , overweight , physical fitness , percentile , medicine , demography , jumping , physical therapy , obesity , fitness test , mathematics , statistics , physiology , sociology
We studied the associations of overweight (OW, BMI ≥85th percentile) and physical activity (PA) with physical fitness in adolescents. The nationally representative sample was 1120 boys and 1146 girls, aged 15–16 years. Height and weight were self‐reported. The level of PA was based on self‐reported frequency and duration of sweating during organized and non‐organized activity. Fitness was measured by sit‐ups, sit‐and‐reach, five‐jump, back‐and‐forth jumping, ball skills, coordination and endurance shuttle run tests. The fitness index was calculated as the mean of z ‐scores for individual tests. The prevalence of OW was 17.3% in boys and 11.8% in girls. The main effect of PA (in analysis of variance) on all fitness tests was significant ( P ≤0.005). The main effect of OW was significant ( P <0.002) for all tests, except for sit‐and‐reach. According to linear regression models, the association between PA and fitness was stronger than that between OW and fitness. Sit‐ups, endurance shuttle‐run and fitness index showed the strongest association with PA (standardized β coefficients 0.31–0.49). OW was not associated with sit‐and‐reach test (coefficient 0.04) and only weakly with the ball skills test (coefficients −0.10 to −0.12). In conclusion, OW had the most negative association with cardiorespiratory and muscle endurance, and explosive power tests.