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Identifying the ideal body size and shape characteristics associated with children's physical performance tests in P eru
Author(s) -
Bustamante Valdivia A.,
Maia J.,
Nevill A.
Publication year - 2015
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/sms.12231
Subject(s) - multi stage fitness test , jump , anthropometry , grip strength , vertical jump , mathematics , jumping , physical fitness , demography , physical therapy , psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , statistics , medicine , physics , physiology , quantum mechanics , sociology
We used allometric models to identify the optimal body size/shape characteristics associated with physical and motor performance tests in P eruvian schoolchildren. The sample consisted of 3624 subjects (1669 boys and 1955 girls) aged 11–17 years from 31 public schools belonging to four cities located in the three natural regions in central P eru. Motor performance included 12‐min run, standing long jump, grip strength, curl‐ups, shuttle run, and sit and reach. The reciprocal P onderal index ( RPI ), a characteristic sometimes referred to as the somatotype “ectomorphy,” was found to be the most suitable body shape indicator associated with 12‐min run, standing long jump, curl‐up, and shuttle run performance. A positive maturation offset parameter was also associated with greater standing long jump, grip strength, shuttle run, and sit‐and‐reach performances. With the exception of the sit‐and‐reach flexibility, sex differences are pervasive in all tests favoring boys. Rainforest schoolchildren are best performers in the power and flexibility tests, whereas those from high altitude were superior in the 12‐min endurance test even after taking their much lighter body size characteristics into account. This latter finding suggests that living at high altitude in Peru benefits children's endurance performance both before and even after controlling for differences in the confounding variable of body size/shape.