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Background: Physical fitness has been considered an important health indicator. Several factors can impact the increase in physical fitness in children and adolescents, including chronological age, sex and BMI, in addition to training variables such as weekly frequency, session and intervention duration, and types of exercises performed. To know the importance of variables that can impact physical fitness, it is important for health professionals to identify the most efficient way of prescribing physical exercises for children and adolescents. The aim is review and meta-analyses of the effects of supervised and structured physical exercise on the physical fitness trainability of children and adolescents., Methods: Relevant articles were searched in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Scopus platform databases and selected based on the following criteria: children and adolescents aged between 7 and 17 years who performed any type of structured physical exercise compared to a control group without exercise and evaluating physical fitness (strength or muscular power, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) or speed. The results are reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020., Results: Eighty studies were included with a total of 5769 participants. Strength exercises (ES: 1.073; 95% CI, 0.612-1.533; P < 0.001; I2: 74%), concurrent (ES: 1.054; 95% CI, 0.255-1.853; P < 0.010; I2: 72%) and sports (ES: 0.573; 95% CI, 0.015 to 1.132; P < 0.044; I2: 34%) seem to be the most effective in increasing muscular strength. Aerobic activities (ES: 0.400; 95% CI, 0.258-0.542; P < 0.001; I 2 : 74%), sports (ES: 0.271; 95% IC, 0.148-0.394; P < 0.001; I 2 : 15), or HIIT (ES: 0.668; 95% IC, 0.333-1.003; P < 0.001; I 2 : 29%) resulted in increased CRF (ES: 0.514; 95% IC, 0.220-1.808; P < 0.001; I 2 : 66%). The practice of physical exercise increased muscular power (ES: 0.241; 95% CI, 0.053-0.429; P = 0.012; I 2 : 0%). The practice of HIIT impacts MAS gains (ES: 0.048; 95% CI, 0.050 - 0.026; P = 0.029; I 2 : 44%)., Conclusion: Supervised and structured physical exercise can improve muscular strength (15-35%), CRF (5.4-8.5%), muscular power (5.6-11.8%), and MAS (5.4%) trainability in children and adolescents. Sex, BMI of the subjects and type of exercise performed (aerobic activities, exclusive to strength, HIIT or sports) should be considered when prescribing the exercise., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: To evaluate the trends in physical fitness in children and adolescents., Method: The present study focusses on a longitudinal analysis of the single two-legged jump (S2LJ) from children and adolescents, who participated in the DONALD study from 2004 till 2022. P max /body mass (power, surrogate for muscular performance), V max (bounce speed, surrogate for coordination), F max /body mass (force, surrogate for muscular strength) and V max F max / BM (Nerve-Muscle Index, surrogate for jump efficiency) were examined by linear mixed models and propensity-score(PS)-matching analysis., Results: Data from 1,485 measurements from males and 1,445 from females were included. Mean age was 10.9 years for males and 11.4 years for females. The range of the number of repeated S2LJ was 1 to 8, the median was 3. In PS-matching analysis, there was a dose-effect relationship between the test date and the S2LJ parameters in such a way that P max /body mass and F max /body mass decreased with more recent test dates (effect size at a difference in the test date of 1.7 decades: 0.25 - 0.3) whereby V max and V max F max / BM showed no consistent trend., Conclusion: Motor performance in children, assessed by the S2LJ, has decreased over the last two decades, mainly due to lower muscular strength, while motor efficiency and coordination seemed to be unchanged., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest.

Global physical fitness (PF) levels have declined over the past 50 years, contributing to early health risks in children although it is still unclear how age, gender and socioeconomic status (SES) impact PF risk. This study aimed to identify unique health risks related to age, SES and gender that might influence muscular fitness (MF) and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) levels of primary school children in South Africa. Children ( N = 349, boys = 165; girls = 184) of low ( n = 201) and high SES ( n = 148) underwent three time point measurements at 6, 9 and 12 years spanning seven primary school years. MF was assessed with the strength sub-test of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOT-2) and CRF with a 20 m shuttle run. Relationships between biographical data, anthropometric data and PF were analysed using mixed linear regression models. After controlling for covariates, findings from unadjusted interaction models were used, revealing significant ( p < 0.05) two-way age and SES interactions in standing long jump (SLJ), push-ups, wall-sit, sit-ups and VO 2 max and age and gender interactions ( p < 0.001) in sit-ups, push-ups and VO 2 max. Universal cut-points are considered valid monitoring guidelines of PF risk in South African school children. For comparison, standardised global protocols for sit-ups and push-ups should be prioritised and intervention strategies should focus on improving PF in girls, older children from the age of 9 and children from low SES backgrounds.

Background: Monitoring health-related physical fitness (HRPF) may benefit proactive Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) management. However, knowledge regarding HRPF in patients with IBD is limited and gold standard tests are impractical for widespread use, necessitating simpler methods., Aim: This study evaluated the criterion validity of screening tools and field-based tests compared to gold standard tests for HRPF in patients with IBD., Methods: Adult patients with IBD completed screening tools, field-based tests, and gold standard tests for HRPF. Criterion validity was examined through (intraclass) correlation coefficients and Bland-Altman plots. Predictive capacity of the screening tools was examined with receiver operating curve analysis., Results: Among 53 included patients, screening tools demonstrated poor-to-moderate validity compared to the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) for cardiorespiratory fitness. Very strong correlations were found for four-site skinfold thickness and multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis (BIA) with deuterium oxide dilution for body fat percentage (ICC = 0.90, ICC = 0.93), and between the steep ramp test and CPET (r = 0.95) for cardiorespiratory fitness. The steep ramp test also correlated strongly with isokinetic quadriceps (r > 0.75) and hamstring (r > 0.74) strength. Hand-held dynamometry and the sit-to-stand test showed strong correlations with hamstring strength (r > 0.80, r > 0.76). Negligible correlations were found for field-based tests compared to isokinetic quadriceps and hamstring endurance., Conclusions: Four-site skinfold thickness and BIA showed good agreement with the gold standard for body fat measurement. The steep ramp test demonstrated strong correlations with the gold standard tests for cardiorespiratory fitness and quadriceps and hamstring strength, while hand-held dynamometry and the sit-to-stand test showed strong correlations with hamstring strength., Competing Interests: Declarations Conflict of interest Daisy M.A.E. Jonkers reports grant from the public-private partnership grants of Dutch Top Institute of Food and Nutrition (TIFN), Top Knowledge Institute (TKI) Agri&Food and Health Holland, by the Carbokinetics program as part of the NWO-CCC Partnership Program, by Organic A2BV/Mothersfinest BV and, EU/FP7 SysmedIBD/305564, BIOM/305479 and Character/305676, H2020 DISCOvERIE/848228, all outside the submitted work. Marieke J. Pierik reports grants and non-financial support from Falk Pharma, grants from European commission, grants from ZONMW (Dutch national research fund), grants and non-financial support from Takeda, grants and non-financial support from Johnson and Johnson, grants and non-financial support from Abbvie, non-financial support from Ferring, non-financial support from Immunodiagnostics, non-financial support from MSD, all outside the submitted work. Laurents P.S. Stassen serves on the advisory board of Diagnostic Green Gmbh and has served as a speaker and received research support from Takeda, outside the submitted work. For the remaining authors none were declared. Ethical approval This study was conducted in compliance with the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Medical Ethical Committee of the Maastricht University Medical Center + (registration no. 22–012). Consent to participate Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objective: Physical activity supportive environments have the potential to promote health-related fitness in adults. However, the extent to which neighbourhood built characteristics promote health-related fitness via physical activity has received little research attention. Therefore, our objective was to estimate the indirect and direct effects between neighbourhood built characteristics and health-related fitness mediated by physical activity., Methods: Using cross-sectional data collected between 2014 and 2019, we merged neighbourhood built characteristics, physical activity, and health-related fitness variables, derived from two Canadian national databases. Using these data, we estimated sex-stratified covariate-adjusted path models (males: n = 983 to 2796 and females: n = 962 to 2835) to assess if accelerometer-measured light, moderate, and vigorous intensity physical activity mediated associations between objectively measured neighbourhood built characteristics (intersection density, dwelling density, points of interest, and transit density) and health-related fitness (grip strength, jump height, V̇O 2 max , and flexibility). Across 16 sex-specific models, we estimated 48 indirect and 16 direct effects., Results: Concerning significant associations, for males we found that 16.6% of indirect and 18.8% of direct were negative and 4.2% of indirect and 0% of direct were positive. For females, we found that 12.5% of indirect and 0% of direct were negative and 0% of indirect and 25% of direct effects were positive., Conclusions: Individual Canadian Active Living Environment built characteristics are positively associated with moderate-intensity physical activity and negatively associated with light-intensity physical activity. Further, associations between activity friendly neighbourhood characteristics and health related-fitness may be distinct from physical activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Militaries have historically utilised generic physical fitness tests to assess physical readiness, but there has been a recent shift to develop physical employment standards (PES) based on actual job demands., Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to characterise the physical demands of critical tasks performed by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel to inform PES development., Methods: Job task analysis were performed for 27 RAAF trades. Criterion tasks were identified through a systematic approach involving workshops and field-observations. The identified tasks were assessed for dominant physical capacity and grouped into movement-based clusters. Psychophysiological measures were collected from personnel performing the tasks., Results: Of 87 criterion tasks, 92% were characterised as manual handling dominant. Across these 87 tasks the principal physical capacities were: muscular strength (59%), muscular endurance (52%) and cardiorespiratory endurance (39%). The most common movement clusters were Lift to Platform (44%) and Lift and Carry (38%). Lift to Platform tasks required lifting to a median height of 1.32 m (1.20 -1.65 m) and a median mass of 25.0 kg (21.0 -28.9 kg) per person. Median carry mass was 25.0 kg (22.4 -36.1 kg) per person and distance was 26.0 m (17.5 -50.0 m). Median task mean 'Vdot;O2, HR and RPE were 1.8 L.min- 1 (1.5-2.2 L.min- 1), 137 b.min- 1 (120-144) and 13 (12-14)., Conclusions: The high proportion of manual handling criterion tasks emphasises the importance of these activities and the underlying physical capacities for RAAF personnel. Current fitness assessments are unlikely to predict job task performance.

Objective: To estimate sex-specific associations (total, direct, and indirect effects) between objectively measured neighbourhood walkability and greenness and objectively measured physical activity and health-related fitness including cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in Canadian adults., Methods: Neighbourhood walkability (Canadian Active Living Environment) and greenness (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index; NDVI) data were linked to cardiorespiratory (i.e., submaximal step test estimated V̇O 2 max) and muscular fitness (i.e., handgrip strength) and accelerometer measured physical activity; Canadian Health Measures Survey). Covariate-adjusted sex-stratified path analyses was conducted to assess if physical activity (light: LPA; moderate: MPA, and; vigorous: VPA) mediated the associations between neighbourhood walkability, NDVI and health-related fitness. Model sample sizes ranged from 987 to 2796 for males and 989 to 2835 for females., Results: Among males, we found indirect effects between neighbourhood walkability and cardiorespiratory fitness via LPA (negative) and VPA (positive). We also found a total effect (negative) between neighbourhood walkability and grip strength and indirect effects between neighbourhood walkability and handgrip strength via LPA (negative) and MPA (negative). Among females, we found a total effect (positive) and direct effect (positive) between neighbourhood walkability and cardiorespiratory fitness, and an indirect effect for neighbourhood walkability and cardiorespiratory fitness via LPA. We found no significant effects related to neighbourhood greenness., Conclusions: Residing in a neighbourhood with higher walkability may positively affect cardiorespiratory fitness but negatively affect muscular strength. The negative associations between neighbourhood walkability and LPA may offset potential positive associations between neighbourhood walkability and MPA and VPA and their subsequent influence on health-related fitness., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite the physical nature of the occupation many firefighters have low levels of physical fitness which is associated with poor performance of occupational tasks and increased injury rates. For many fire departments an initial step in promoting health and wellness within the department is to conduct annual fitness testing., Objective: To examine the effects of implementing a consequential fitness assessment within a fire department., Methods: A retrospective repeated measures design was used to analyze annual fitness assessment data of professional firefighters (n = 1415) from 2019 to 2022 within a large urban fire department located in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The fitness tests included assessments of pull-ups, push-ups, sit-ups, aerobic capacity, and body composition. Repeated measure analyses of variances (ANOVAs) assessed the effect of year and a 2-way ANOVA was conducted to investigate the effects of sex and age on fitness measures on 2022 data., Results: All fitness measures were found to be maintained over the 4-year period. Significant main effects of age and sex across all fitness measures, but no significant interactions were found. Older firefighters (50 + years) exhibited lower performance (p < 0.001, d > 0.80) on muscular fitness assessments than young firefighters (20-29 years). A large effect of sex (males > females) was found for pull-ups (d = 1.04), push-ups (d = 1.23), and aerobic capacity (d = 1.38)., Conclusions: The results suggest that implementing a consequential fitness assessment could help maintain firefighters' fitness levels over a multi-year period.

Motor competence is important for lifelong physical activity (PA). The current study aimed to examine associations between PA and motor competence. In total, 43 children aged 7--12 years with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder completed anthropometric measures, the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2, and wore a wrist accelerometer to capture total PA, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), average acceleration, and intensity gradient. No significant associations were found between PA outcomes and motor competence. Motor competence performance was commonly 'below average' or 'average'. The weakest subtests were upper limb coordination and strength. The strongest subtest was running speed and agility. Total weekly MVPA was 336.1 ± 150.3 min, higher than UK recommendations of 120-180 per week for disabled children and young people. Larger scale studies are needed to better understand the relationship between PA and motor competence. Future research should also consider the influence of environmental factors on PA in this group.

This study investigated body composition and fitness test relationships from firefighters participating in a health and wellness program and categorized firefighters according to population norms relative to sex and age. Data from 270 firefighters (men = 258, women = 12) were analyzed, including body composition (body mass index [BMI], body fat percentage [BF%], waist circumference [WC], waist-to-hip ratio) and fitness (sit-and-reach, grip strength, leg press, crunches, push-ups, maximal aerobic capacity [V̇O 2max ]) tests. Mann-Whitney U-test analysis ( p < 0.05) showed that male firefighters had a greater WC, WHR, grip strength and leg press. Female firefighters had a greater BF% and better sit-and-reach. Partial correlations controlling for sex indicated 22/24 correlations between body composition and fitness were significant ( r = -0.143--0.640). ~52% of firefighters were overweight, and 25% were Obesity Class I-III. ~76% had an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) considering BMI and WC. ~22% were fatter than average-to-overfat considering BF%. Most firefighters (73-94%) were good-to-excellent in sit-and-reach, grip strength, and push-ups; average-to-well above average in crunches; average-to-above average in leg press; and had good-to-superior V̇O 2max . Although most firefighters had better fitness compared to the general population, many had increased CVD risk. The data highlighted the need for comprehensive approaches to improving firefighter health and decreasing CVD risk.

This research aimed to measure the fist speed and strength of Elite Kick Boxers from TRNC and the Republic of Turkey, which are the basic techniques of hand smacking. Since measuring with scientific precision technological devices is not suitable due to the dress code in the competitions, punch counts, speeds and strengths were measured by re-creating a similar environment simulation to the competition conditions and wrapping the bandages on the hands through high-precision Corner Boxing Technology sensors under the hand bandages. The number and speed of direct punches hit by the athletes in the competitions increased compared to other punch types, and then the number and speed of crochet punches also increased. This research has not been done in the TRNC and Turkey before, and it is an authentic study. The results of this research will contribute to both the TRNC and the Turkish national teams in terms of the re-establishment of the training and competition strategies.

Physical fitness and body weight are key correlates of health. Nevertheless, an increasing number of children display poor physical fitness and high body weight. The aim of this study was to examine the prospective association of physical fitness with body weight throughout the elementary school years with a special emphasis on children with high body weight or poor physical fitness at baseline. A total of 303 Austrian children (55.1% male) completed the German motor test up to eight times over a 4-year time span (between the ages 6 and 10 years). Physical fitness did not differ across quartiles of body weight at baseline. A more pronounced weight gain, however, was associated with an impaired development of physical fitness and this association was more pronounced in children with higher baseline body weight. In addition, the detrimental effects of an impaired development of physical fitness on subsequent body weight were more pronounced in children with higher baseline body weight. No differences in the longitudinal association between body weight and physical fitness, on the other hand, were observed across quartiles of baseline fitness. These results emphasize the importance of the promotion of physical fitness, particularly in children with increased body weight, to ensure future health.

Background: Self-esteem is a common indicator of psychological well-being, but its relationship with physical fitness components during adolescence is not fully understood., Aims: The aims of this study were to analyse the association of physical fitness components (low vs. high) with self-esteem in adolescents, and to examine the combined influence of physical fitness on self-esteem., Subjects and Methods: A total of 225 participants (44% girls), aged 13.9 ± 0.3 years, from the DADOS (Deporte, ADOlescencia y Salud) study were included in the analyses. ALPHA-Fitness Test Battery was used to evaluate physical fitness components. The Spanish version of the Behaviour Assessment System for Children-3 questionnaire was used to assess self-esteem., Results: Our results showed differences on self-esteem between groups of cardiorespiratory fitness (low = 49.51 ± 12.03 vs. high = 55.01 ± 4.46; p  < 0.05) and upper limb muscular strength (low = 53.87 ± 7.38 vs. high = 54.29 ± 5.99; p  < 0.05). Lower limb muscular strength and speed-agility groups did not show statistical differences. Significant differences on self-esteem were found when comparing adolescents with a physical fitness index of ≤1 vs. 4 (52.66 vs. 55.28; p  < 0.05)., Conclusion: These findings suggest that cardiorespiratory fitness and upper limb muscular strength are positively related with self-esteem. Moreover, our results revealed a combined influence of physical fitness on the self-esteem of adolescents.

Background: The fitness levels of Canadian adults declined substantially between 1981 and the years 2007 to 2009, suggesting a reduction in population health. This paper updates the fitness trends of Canadians aged 20 to 69 years by extending the time period to 2017., Data and Methods: The Canadian Health Measures Survey is a repeated cross-sectional survey that is conducted to produce nationally representative health estimates. Descriptive statistics are presented for fitness measures in 2016 and 2017 by age and sex, and trends in fitness were calculated spanning a period of 10 years (2007 to 2017). The associations between fitness measures and meeting the 2020 Canadian physical activity recommendations were also assessed., Results: From 2007 to 2017, there were few statistically significant changes in the fitness levels of Canadian adults. When all ages were combined, there were declining trends in predicted cardiorespiratory fitness, from 39.5 to 36.7 mL•kg⁻¹•min⁻¹ among men and 34.0 to 32.2 mL•kg⁻¹•min⁻¹ among women. Trends indicated declining flexibility among men. In general, meeting the current Canadian moderate-to-vigorous physical activity recommendation was associated with better fitness, particularly in the categories of predicted cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition., Interpretation: The periodic assessment of fitness in Canadians provides valuable insight into population health. The present update provides evidence that fitness levels among adults have generally stabilized over the past 10 years. Taken with the reported declines in fitness that occurred from 1981 to the 2007-to-2009 period, this study shows that the fitness of Canadian adults remained low between 2007 to 2009 and 2016 to 2017. It is necessary to explore new ways to help improve the fitness levels of the Canadian population.

Even though physical fitness is an important component in children's health and well-being, there has been a decline in physical fitness over the last several decades. The present study examined potential differences in the development of physical fitness during the academic year and summer vacation in Austrian elementary-school children. A total of 214 children (52.3% boys) completed the German motor test in the fall (after summer vacation) and spring (prior to summer vacation) of every grade throughout their elementary school years. This resulted in eight assessments of cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular fitness, flexibility, speed, agility, and balance over a 4-year period. As expected, physical fitness increased with age but the improvement in cardio-respiratory endurance and muscular fitness was more pronounced during summer vacation ( p < 0.01), while the improvement in speed was more pronounced during the academic year ( p < 0.01). These results indicate an influence of weather conditions on health-enhancing physical activity in addition to structural and social support. Particularly in geographical regions with cold winters and shorter days, health-enhancing physical activity may be limited. Accordingly, schools need to provide additional opportunities to ensure an adequate amount of physical activity that stimulates the development of physical fitness.

Relative age is a phenomenon broadly studied in sport sciences. Youth sports participants born earlier in the selection year tend to present a maturational advantage over their peers. As it is also dependent on physical performance, older physical education students may also benefit from this effect in this school subject. The main goal of this manuscript was to determine whether the relative age effect is present within physical fitness outcomes of Portuguese children and adolescents. The physical-aerobic fitness, strength, flexibility and body composition of 885 students (490 females and 395 males) were collected and compared by quarters of birth, segmented by gender and age groups (10-12; 12-14; 14-16 and 16-18 years). The results reveal a moderate to small effect in physical fitness outcomes, with a trend for children and adolescents born in the early part of the year to present higher performance levels. These differences were more evident in ages closer to the physical maturational onset (12-14 y) and more apparent in male students. This physical fitness advantage may lead to a biased assessment and development of students born earlier in the year.

Physical fitness in childhood is considered a marker of current and future health. For this reason, there is a need for a simple but reliable test to assess the different components of physical fitness even at school during physical education lessons. However, standard values are required to correctly interpret the results of such tests. Hence, this study aimed to generate sex- and age-specific normative percentile values for health-related physical fitness in Italian children. To this aim, 30,472 children aged 6-11 years from the Friuli Venezia-Giulia region (Italy) were examined. The fitness test battery included the Léger test (cardiorespiratory), the shuttle test (agility), standing long jumps, frontal throws of a basketball (lower and upper limb strength), the sit-and-reach test (flexibility), and the standing balance test. Sex- and age-percentile curves were determined using the General Additive Model for Location Scale and Shape (GAMLSS).Conclusion: The reference standards are provided as 1st, 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 97th, and 99th percentiles in the form of both tables and charts and are roughly comparable with those of other European children. What is Known: • Physical fitness in childhood is considered a marker of current and future health; • Several tests have been developed to assess physical fitness in children; • There are general European reference standards for a series of tests of the main fitness components for children. What is New: • The present study provides specific reference standards for a series of tests that are indicative of the main fitness components and easily applied in children, particularly those in the Italian population; • Standing balance test and basketball frontal throw test references in a wide sample of children; • The performance of children in the present study was roughly comparable to that of other European children.

Background: Légong dance is a famous Balinese dance with a dynamic movement. It potentially becomes an exercise of choice to improve young girls' physical fitness. This study aimed to evaluate légong dance training's effect on physical fitness compared with aerobic training., Methods: Forty young girls were randomly assigned to the aerobic training (AG) and lègong dance (DG) group and trained with jogging and lègong dancing at moderate-intensity aerobic training. Each was carried out for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 6 weeks., Result: Aerobic capacity (estimated maximal oxygen consumption) improved significantly in AG and DG, with a mean difference and Cohen d effect size of 0.36 mL/kg/min and 0.68. The back- and leg-muscle strength increased significantly in DG and AG, with a mean difference of 5.55 kg and 6.67 kg, and an effect size of 0.69 and 0.77. Balance improved significantly in DG and AG, with a mean difference of 21.26 seconds and an effect size of 1.05. All significant values are reported at P < .05. There were no significant improvements in arm muscle strength, body fat percentage, and flexibility in either group (P > .05)., Conclusion: Lègong dance training results in significant physical fitness improvement and better results than aerobic training.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of core exercises on swimmers Functional Movement Screen (FMS) test scores and swimming performance. A total of 32 volunteer children aged 12-15 participated in this study. Participants were separated into 3 main groups: the control group (CG; N = 10) that did not perform any exercises, the swimming group that only performed swimming training (SG; N = 11), and the core exercise training group (TG; N = 11) that performed core exercises in addition to swimming training. The functional movement patterns of the children were determined by the FMS test, and their swimming performances of 50 meters and 100 meters were measured by means of a stopwatch. The Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test was utilized to determine the ingroup difference between the pre-tests and post-tests of the children's FMS scores and swimming performances. According to the statistical analysis results, it was observed that swimming training increased FMS total score and active straight leg raising test score. Besides, core exercises significantly increased all FMS sub-tests and total score values in the post-test. At the end of the study, although there was no significant difference between pre and posttests in SG both 50m and 100m swimming performances, statistical results also proved that the 100m swimming performances of the TG increased significantly in the post-test (p < 0.05). As a result, it can be stated that the swimmers', who performs core exercises, swimming performance increased, and improved FMS test scores, which is a significant element regarding the decrease in sports injury.

Dietary habits have been linked with health in childhood. However, few studies have examined the association between healthy dietary patterns and physical fitness. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the associations of adherence to the Mediterranean dietary pattern (MDP) and breakfast quality with physical fitness in children. Further to this, we examined the role of physical activity in these associations. A total of 175 children (86 girls, 9.7 ± 0.3 years) participated. Adherence to MDP and breakfast quality were assessed by the KIDMED questionnaire and 24 h recall, respectively. Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and speed-agility were assessed. Physical activity was evaluated by wrist-worn accelerometers. Greater adherence to the MDP was related with higher cardiorespiratory fitness, lower-limbs muscular strength, and speed-agility (all β ≥ 0.189, all p ≤ 0.02). No significant associations were observed between breakfast quality and physical fitness (all p > 0.05). However, all the significant associations disappeared after adjusting for physical activity (all p > 0.05). Our study sheds light on the relevance of adhering to the MDP over physical fitness in school children. However, there is no association between breakfast quality and physical fitness. Furthermore, physical activity seems to explain, at least partially, these findings.

The fat but fit paradox has suggested that obese individuals with good fitness levels have lower cardiometabolic risk compared to individuals with normal weight but lower fitness levels. This paradigm has not been explored in the context of bone health. The aim of this study was to test whether categories of fat but fit paradigm assessed by body fat percentage and handgrip strength holds up in young adults and to analyze the relationship between fat but fit categories and bone outcomes. Cluster cross-sectional analyses of data from 499 young adults aged 18 to 30 from Toledo and Cuenca, Spain were conducted. Body fat percentage, handgrip strength, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), and dietary nutrients such as, proteins, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and vitamin D were assessed. Cluster analysis of body fat percentage and handgrip z scores resulted in a classification of four clusters that could be interpreted according to Fat Unfit (FU), Unfat Unfit (UU), Fat Fit (FF) and Unfat Fit (UF) categories. ANCOVA models showed that young adults in clusters with higher handgrip strength levels (FF, UF) and with higher key bone nutrients levels (UF) had significantly higher total BMC values than their peers in the UU and FU cluster categories, after controlling for sex, age and height. This study provides two novel conclusions in relation to the fat but fit paradigm: first, it confirms the construct of the four clusters of body fat percentage and handgrip strength, and second, it reinforces the predictive validity of the fat but fit paradigm categories, indicating the positive effect, although it may not just be a causal relationship, of muscular strength and key bone nutrients on counteracting the negative effect of obesity on bone health.

The objective of this study was to examine muscular fitness using measurements of the right hand grip (RHG) and left hand grip (LHG), as well as the counter movement jump (CMJ) performance of both athlete and non-athlete school children. Additionally, the study aimed to compare these variables between genders. A total of 221 school children aged 11-13 participated in this study. The participants were categorized into four groups based on their characteristics: female athletes (n = 57), female non-athletes (n = 60), male athletes (n = 59), and male non-athletes (n = 45). The primary exclusion criteria included any musculoskeletal limitations that could potentially affect test performance. The strength of the RHG and LHG (kg) was assessed using the Takei-TKK-5101 device. CMJ heights (cm) were measured using the Smart-Speed device. For all variables, a mixed-design two-way univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to identify differences between and within groups. The findings of the present study indicated that the RHG, LHG, and CMJ values of athletes were significantly greater than those of non-athletes for both genders (p < 0.001). Moreover, the analyzed performance values exhibited significant differences between male athletes and male as well as female non-athletes, and also between female athletes and female as well as male non-athletes (p < 0.001). Engaging in sports is highly important for school children aged 11-13 to enhance their muscular fitness. It can be stated that the development of muscular fitness for both genders would be higher in children who participate in sports compared to those who do not engage in sports.

The physical fitness course is a mandatory subject for undergraduate students at Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Indonesia. However, there is limited physical activity possibly performed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, conventional physical fitness tests and measurements could not be conducted in a conventional way. This study aimed to test the possibility of the Personal Physical Fitness Test (PPT) being implemented by college students who were enrolled in a physical fitness course. There were 1.639 college students aged 18 ± 0.81 years old who participated in this study. The independent physical fitness test was designed to represent several physical components i.e., standing board jump (lower body strength). Plank (core strength), push-ups (upper body strength), and one-minute skipping (cardiorespiratory). The data were in the normal distribution. Male students performed better than females in every test (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the data were categorized on each test based on gender. The categories are excellent, good, fair, poor, and very poor. In a further study, the personal physical fitness test could be implemented in a larger sample size.

Background: Physical fitness is an important indicator of current and future health status. This analysis examines the relationships among child-parent dyads in physical fitness measures., Data and Methods: The analysis is based on biological child-parent dyads from three cycles of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (Cycle 1: 2007 to 2009, Cycle 2: 2009 to 2011, and Cycle 5: 2016 to 2017). Physical fitness components-cardiorespiratory (CRF) (n = 615), muscular strength (n = 1,319) and flexibility (n = 1,295)-were measured at mobile examination centres using standardized fitness tests. Descriptive, correlation and regression analyses were used to examine relationships among child-parent dyads., Results: CRF (R = 0.12), muscular strength (R = 0.23) and flexibility (R = 0.22) measures were weakly correlated among child-parent dyads. Modest increases in the physical fitness levels of children were observed with increases in the fitness rating scores of their parents. According to unadjusted and adjusted regression models, CRF (p< 0.05), muscular strength (p< 0.001) and flexibility (p< 0.001) were positively associated among child-parent dyads. When examined by sex of parent and child, CRF was significantly associated in mother-son dyads only, grip strength was associated in all dyad types except father-son pairings, and flexibility was associated in mother-son and father-son pairings only., Discussion: A significant and positive association was evident in measured physical fitness among parents and children. Some variation in the presence and strength of associations existed according to child and parent sex.

Owing to confounding factors influencing the effect of aging, systematic analyses of age-related changes in motor ability are mostly limited to the use of animals whose diets and genetics can be controlled or the use of datasets of athletes who share similar lifestyles. However, we lack systematic methods for analyzing the effect of aging on the motor ability structure of the general public. We propose that principal component analysis (PCA) on fitness test results of a large sample may provide information on the aging-induced change in the motor ability structure of the general public. We complied the fitness test records of 7402 Koreans between the ages of 20 and 64, and performed PCA on the records of gripping, 50m dash, sit-ups, and shuttle runs, which indicate strength, speed, muscular endurance, and aerobic endurance, respectively. Our analysis shows the structural changes in motor ability around the age of 40 and 60 in Korea. We expect that the proposed approach can be applied to similar datasets from other countries or local communities to quantify any age-induced change in motor ability structure in each specific group.

Introduction: The modified Functional Movement Screen™ (mFMS) has been used to screen for mobility, stability, motor control, and balance in older adults, yet, its relationship to measures of physical fitness is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between mFMS scores and measures of physical fitness in older adults. A secondary aim was to determine physical fitness differences depending on mFMS Lower Body Motor Control Screen scores., Methods: One hundred and eight older adults completed this cross-sectional study. Measurements of physical fitness included: Handgrip Strength (HG), Back-Leg Strength Dynamometer (BLS), 8 foot Up and Go (8UG), Vertical Jump (VJ), Medicine Ball Throw (MBT), Chair Stand (CST), Arm Curl (AC), and 6-Minute Walk test (6 MW). The mFMS consisted of four screens: Shoulder Mobility Screen (SMS), Deep Squat (DS), Active Straight Leg Raise (ASLR), and a Lower Body Motor Control Screen (LB-MCS). Spearman's R correlations determined associations between physical fitness tests and mFMS scores (DS, SMS, ASLR). Independent t-tests or Mann Whitney U tests determined whether individuals who passed the LB-MCS displayed higher physical fitness scores., Results: The DS was significantly correlated with all fitness measures (p < 0.05). Higher DS scores were associated with better HG (r = 0.31), BLS (r = 0.49), VJ height (r = 0.54), MBT (r = 0.41), CST (r = 0.57), AC (r = 0.30), 6 MW (r = 0.50), and 8UG (r = -0.61) performance. Individuals who passed the LB-MCS displayed superior BLS, 8UG test, and 6 MW test performance (p < 0.05)., Discussion & Conclusion: Higher DS scores are associated with higher physical fitness scores. Individuals who passed the LB-MCS displayed better physical fitness scores. Practitioners may desire to use the mFMS to measure physical fitness in older adults., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of the study was to assess the longitudinal associations of physical activity (PA) with body composition and physical fitness (PF) at the 12-month follow-up during the transition from kindergarten to school in Estonian children aged 6 to 8 years (n = 147). PA and sedentary behavior (SB) were assessed using the accelerometer. Body composition was measured from triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses and PF using PREFIT test battery. SB at the mean age of 6.6 year had negative relation with upper and lower body strength and motor fitness at the mean age of 7.6 year in adjusted models. Light PA (LPA) and moderate PA(MPA) at 6.6 year were positively and SB was negatively associated with fat-free mass index (FFMI) at 7.6 year after adjustments for confounders [vigorous PA (VPA), total awake wear time, child's sex, age at measurement]. Substituting 5 min/d of SB at 6.6 year with 5 min of VPA was related to higher FFMI at 7.6 year. In adjusted models, VPA at 6.6 year was positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness at 7.6 year, greater baseline VPA or moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) predicted greater upper body strength a year later and LPA, MPA, VPA, MVPA at 6.6 year were positively related to lower body strength at follow-up. In adjusted analysis greater VPA at 6.6 year was related to better motor fitness at follow-up. Promoting higher-intensity PA and reducing SB at preschool may have long-term effects on body composition and PF in children at the first grade., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: The positive association between physical fitness and bone structure has been widely investigated in children and adolescents, yet no studies have evaluated this influence in young children (ie, preschoolers)., Hypothesis: Fit children will present improved bone variables when compared with unfit children, and no sex-based differences will emerge in the sample., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Level of Evidence: Level 3., Methods: Handgrip strength, standing long jump (SLJ), speed/agility, balance, and cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) were assessed using the Assessing FITness levels in PREschoolers (PREFIT) test battery in 92 children (50 boys; age range, 3-5 years). A peripheral quantitative computed tomography scan was performed at 38% of the length of the nondominant tibia. Cluster analysis from handgrip strength, SLJ, speed/agility, and CRF was developed to identify fitness groups. Bone variables were compared between sexes and between cluster groups. The association between individual physical fitness components and different bone variables was also tested., Results: Three cluster groups emerged: fit (high values on all included physical fitness variables), strong (high strength values and low speed/agility and CRF), and unfit (low strength, speed/agility, and CRF). The fit group presented higher values than the strong and unfit groups for total and cortical bone mineral content, cortical area, and polar strength strain index (all P < 0.05). The fit group also presented a higher cortical thickness when compared with the unfit group ( P < 0.05). Handgrip, SLJ, and speed/agility predicted all bone variables except for total and cortical volumetric bone mineral density. No differences were found for bone variables between sexes., Conclusion: The results suggest that global fitness in preschoolers is a key determinant for bone structure and strength but not volumetric bone mineral density., Clinical Relevance: Physical fitness is a determinant for tibial bone mineral content, structure, and strength in very young children. Performing physical fitness tests could provide useful information related to bone health in preschoolers.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the existence of a relative age effect (RAE) on physical fitness of preschoolers. Anthropometry and physical fitness were assessed in 3147 children (3-5 years old) using the PREFIT battery. Based on the birth year, participants were divided into 3year groups (3-, 4- and 5-years). Within each year group, 4quarter groups were created: quarter 1, preschoolers born from January to March; quarter 2, from April to June; quarter 3, from July to September; quarter 4, from October to December. The MANCOVA analysis revealed a main effect of year group (Wilks' λ = 0.383; F 10,5996  = 369.64; p < 0.001, η p 2  = 0.381) and of quarter (Wilks' λ = 0.874; F 15,8276.6  = 27.67; p < 0.001; η p 2  = 0.044) over the whole battery of tests. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report the existence of RAE at the preschool stage. In general, performance improved as the relative age increased (i.e., those born in quarter 1 performed better than those in the other quarters). Individualization strategies should be addressed within the same academic year not only in elementary or secondary years but also in preschoolers.

Self-rated health (SRH) is an independent determinant for all-cause mortality. We aimed to examine the independent and combined associations of components of physical fitness with SRH at baseline (cross-sectional) and two years later (longitudinal) in children and adolescents. Spanish youth (N = 1378) aged 8 to 17.9 years participated at baseline. The dropout rate at 2-year follow-up was 19.5% ( n = 270). Participants were categorized as either children (8 to 11.9 years age) or adolescents (12 to 17.9 years age). The ALPHA health- related fitness test battery for youth was used to assess physical fitness, and SRH was measured by a single-item question. Cumulative link, ANOVA and ANCOVA models were fitted to analyze the data. Cardiorespiratory fitness, relative upper body isometric muscular strength, muscular strength score, and global physical fitness were positively associated with SRH in children (OR, 1.048; 95% CI, 1.020-1.076; OR, 18.921; 95% CI, 3.47-104.355; OR, 1.213; 95% CI, 1.117-1.319, and OR, 1.170; 95% CI, 1.081-1.266, respectively; all p < 0.001) and adolescents (OR, 1.057; 95% CI, 1.037-1.076; OR, 5.707; 95% CI, 1.122-29.205; OR, 1.169; 95% CI, 1.070-1.278, and OR, 1.154 95% CI, 1.100-1.210, respectively; all p < 0.001); and motor fitness was positively associated with SRH only in adolescents at baseline (OR, 1.192; 95% CI, 1.066-1.309; p < 0.01). Cardiorespiratory fitness and global physical fitness were positively associated with SRH in children two years later (OR, 1.056; 95% CI, 1.023-1.091; p < 0.001; and OR, 1.082; 95% CI, 1.031-1.136; p < 0.01; respectively). Only cardiorespiratory fitness was independently associated with SRH in children and adolescents at baseline (OR, 1.059; 95% CI, 1.029-1.090; and OR, 1.073; 95% CI, 1.050-1.097, respectively; both p < 0.001) and two years later (OR, 1.075; 95% CI, 1.040-1.112; p < 0.001; and OR, 1.043; 95% CI, 1.014-1.074; p < 0.01, respectively). A high level of cardiorespiratory fitness at baseline or maintaining high levels of cardiorespiratory fitness from the baseline to 2-year follow-up were associated with a higher level of SRH at 2-year follow-up in children ( p < 0.01) and adolescents ( p < 0.05). These findings emphasize the importance of cardiorespiratory fitness as strong predictor of present and future SRH in youth. Intervention programs to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness level of the youth population are urgently needed for present and future youth's health.

Background: North American indigenous populations experience higher rates of obesity and chronic disease compared with nonindigenous populations. Improvements in musculoskeletal fitness can mitigate negative health outcomes, but is not well understood among indigenous populations. This review examines musculoskeletal fitness measures among North American indigenous populations., Methods: A total of 1632 citations were evaluated and 18 studies were included., Results: Comparisons of musculoskeletal fitness measures between North American indigenous men and boys and women and girls were generally not reported. The greatest left and right combined maximal grip strength and maximal leg strength among Inuit boys and men and girls and women were observed among 20-29 years age group. Maximal combined right and left grip strength declined from 1970 to 1990, by an average of 15% among adults and 10% among youth. Maximal leg extension among Inuit has declined even further, averaging 38% among adults and 27% among youth from 1970 to 1990. Inuit men demonstrate greater grip strength and lower leg strength than Russian indigenous men, whereas Inuit women demonstrate greater leg strength., Conclusions: Further research is needed to better understand physical fitness among indigenous peoples and the potential for improving health and reducing chronic disease risk for indigenous peoples through physical fitness.

There are many health benefits of regular physical activity and improving physical fitness levels can reduce the risk of chronic disease. Accumulating evidence suggests the neighborhood built environment is important for supporting physical activity; however, few studies have investigated the contribution of the neighborhood built environment to fitness levels. We examined the associations between objectively-determined and self-reported neighborhood walkability and overall and specific components of perceived health-related fitness (cardiorespiratory, muscular strength, and flexibility) in a random sample of 592 adults from two areas of Calgary (Canada). Participants provided complete data to an online questionnaire capturing perceived cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular strength (MST), flexibility, moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), resistance training, and sociodemographic characteristics. The questionnaire also captured participant's perceptions of their neighborhood's walkability (Physical Activity Neighborhood Environment Scale; PANES) and the physical activity supportiveness of neighborhood parks (Park Perceptions Index; PPI). Objectively-measured neighborhood walkability was estimated using Walk Score ® . The average (SD) age of participants was 46.6 (14.8) years and 67.2% were female. Participants, on average, participated in at least 30-minutes of MVPA on 3.4 (2.1) days/week and undertook resistance training 2.0 (1.8) days/week. Adjusting for covariates, Walk Score ® was not associated with any fitness outcomes. Adjusting for covariates, the PANES index was positively associated ( p < 0.05) with CRF, MST, flexibility, and overall fitness and the PPI was positively associated ( p < 0.05) with all fitness outcomes except MST. Our findings provide novel preliminary evidence suggesting the neighborhood built environment may be important for supporting higher health-related fitness levels in adults., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.

Physical fitness is an important component in the development and health of children and adolescents. Given the equivocal results of previous research regarding the influence of the living environment on physical fitness, this study examined differences in physical fitness in urban and rural elementary school children in Upper Austria. A total of 18,168 (51% male) children between 6 and 11 years of age participated in anthropometric assessments and completed eight fitness tests that assessed cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular power, speed, agility, flexibility, and ball handling skills during a single test session in the school's gymnasium. Urban living environment was associated with higher body weight ( p = 0.01) and lower physical fitness ( p < 0.01), except for flexibility, which was better in urban children ( p < 0.01) and upper body strength (no difference), even after accounting for differences in body weight. Furthermore, it was shown that urban-rural differences in physical fitness are more pronounced in normal weight children and that these differences increase with age. These results highlight the potential of the living environment for the promotion of an active lifestyle that enhances physical fitness. The availability of safe spaces that facilitate unstructured and structured physical activity, as well as active transportation provide viable options for the promotion of physical fitness in children.

Purpose: The study aimed to test the overall changes of health-related fitness (HRF) in minority Chinese college students and to examine HRF differences in gender, race, and year in college. Method: Participants (n = 1320) were minority college students with more than two-thirds females (ie 76.1%), and Hui, Tibetan, and Mongolia consisted of 13.8%, 13.8%, and 11.2%, respectively. Student HRF was tracked for four years. Data were analyzed using multilevel latent growth curve modeling. Results: Muscular strength and endurance were the weakest component in minority college students' HRF, while body mass index was within the category of "excellent". Males outperformed female on all components of HRF. Conclusions: It is suggested that interventions concerning minority females' HRF and muscular strength and endurance for both genders be constructed and tested.

Background: Many adults with intellectual disabilities live a sedentary lifestyle, have low levels of functional fitness and are overweight. The purpose of this study was to determine whether an exercise intervention with activities which are simple, fun, accessible and adapted for socialising in a group would elicit significant improvements in various parameters associated with functional fitness for adults with intellectual disabilities. Methods: Forty-two adults with intellectual disability (44.5 ± 11.5 years) were randomly located to an exercise group (n = 19) and a control group (n = 23). The program consisted of walking, dancing, and resistance training exercises and was implemented, three times a week for 6 weeks. Results: Significant ameliorations (p < 0.05) were reported for body mass, hip circumference, aerobic capacity, functional ability, muscular strength, balance, and flexibility with varying degrees of effect sizes. p Conclusions: The combined exercise training program showed a significant positive impact on various parameters associated with functional fitness for adults with intellectual disability.

Introduction: This article reports the physical abilities and physical wellness of three groups of children with different neurodevelopmental disabilities--Autism, Down Syndrome and Intellectual Disability. Methods: The causal-comparative research method was implemented in this study. The participants comprised 32 students with moderate intellectual disabilities, 18 with autism spectrum disorder, and 22 with Down Syndrome. The body mass index (BMI), flexibility, standing long jump, sitting height, stroke length, and medicine ball throwing levels were measured for physical fitness, and the groups were compared afterward. The Kruskal Wallis-H Test and Mann-Whitney U Test were applied to determine the differences between the groups' physical fitness averages for the statistical analysis. Results: Statistically significant differences were obtained in BMI, standing long jump, stroke length, and medicine ball throwing variables (p < 0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was discovered for the flexibility and sitting height variables (p > 0.05). The BMI, sitting height, and stroke length levels for the group with autism spectrum disorder were higher than the other groups, as the flexibility levels of the group with Down Syndrome were higher than the other groups. Students with intellectual disabilities were demonstrated to have better values than other groups regarding standing long jump and medicine ball throwing performances. Conclusions: Objective information about the physical fitness of individuals with children with different neurodevelopmental disabilities was obtained. In addition, the data obtained with these children will contribute to future plans for movement training as well as the content and frequency of the interventions, and will guide the development of new strategies to develop physical abilities and physical wellness.

The relationship between youth-fitness test items related to cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition and health outcomes is well established. Until recent years, the link between musculoskeletal fitness measures and health markers has been less conclusive. The information provided in this article offers evidence of the health links between youth musculoskeletal measures (specifically the grip test, the vertical jump, the long jump, and the plank) and health outcomes. While additional research is necessary, it is safe to say that the new research brings us closer than ever to identifying reliable, valid, practical muscle-fitness test items. Physical education teachers can consider the suggestions provided in this article for using the test items in their classes.

Objective: This study examined relationships between physical fitness, health behaviors, and occupational outcomes of university affiliates. Participants: 166 university affiliates of an American university (including students, faculty, and staff) participated between October 2018 and March 2020. Methods: Participants completed fitness measurements, wore a device to measure physical activity (PA) and sleep for one week, and completed a survey evaluating happiness and job satisfaction. Multiple regression models evaluated associations between physical fitness, health behaviors, and occupational outcomes. Results: 45% of participants had "poor" cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and unhealthy % fat. CRF, body composition, and muscular endurance were related to PA while body composition was related to sleep duration. Muscular endurance was related to GPA and job satisfaction. Conclusions: Findings suggest 45% of university affiliates had deficient physical fitness and may benefit from increasing PA and sleep. Universities should evaluate fitness within holistic programs to improve affiliates' health and, ultimately, occupational success.

The measurement of resistance training (RT) is often based on adaptations of aerobic physical activity measures which may not contain the elements necessary to assess RT. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine what measures are used to assess RT and appraise their composition. Specifically, the inclusion of frequency, duration, intensity, the use of major muscle groups, reps, and sets. Search terms included "resistance training," "strength training," OR "weight training" AND "behavior" OR "participation." Studies were evaluated based on whether RT measures assessed the key components of participation. In the 92 included studies, only one of the six components of the RT recommendations was assessed on average. This was almost exclusively frequency. Many assessments of RT were adapted from aerobic measures without rigorous validity evidence. Construct validity in RT measurement may lead to improved public health recommendations, surveillance of behavior, and precision in determining effective interventions and correlates.

Purpose: The purpose was to examine secondary physical education teachers' strength and conditioning (SC) knowledge and evaluate associations between SC teaching role, professional preparation, and development. Method: A knowledge survey was developed/validated and distributed to 2,189 middle/high school teachers, with 605 providing complete data. Results: Seventy-five percent of participants reported serving an SC-related teaching role, and mean SC knowledge was 6.77 correct out of 15 (45%). Participants with SC certification, who taught an SC unit/course, who supervised an SC sport program, and who taught in high school performed significantly better. Physical education teacher education preparation, including exercise physiology and weightlifting activity courses, was a significant predictor of SC knowledge. Professional development, such as SC online coursework, meeting with SC professionals, and reading SC publications, was also a significant predictor. Conclusion: To support physical education teachers' SC knowledge, physical education teacher education programs should include SC-related course offerings, and school administrators should consider offering professional development to physical education teachers who serve in SC roles.

Purpose: To examine socialization experiences of physical educators who deliver strength and conditioning (S&C) programming, particularly the development of subjective theories, expertise, orientations, and perceived mattering. Methods: Thirty-one secondary school physical educators providing S&C instruction/supervision as part of required duties completed in-depth interviews with Occupational Socialization Theory as a guiding framework for analysis. Results: Themes developed were: (a) acculturation and organizational socialization influence beliefs, (b) S&C professional development is scarce, (c) S&C in physical education is a sporting endeavor, (d) blurred lines between teaching and coaching, and (e) S&C-related programs matter. Discussion: Physical educators delivering S&C programming lack adequate preservice preparation and professional development, and experience both role conflict and decreased marginalization. Physical education teacher education programs should offer more formal S&C training for safe and effective instruction/supervision. Schools should provide S&C-related professional development to maximize student learning and safety and avoid potential legal liability.

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of a Pilates program in the context of the physical education course at school, on aerobic capacity, muscular strength, muscular endurance, and flexibility of high school students. The voluntary participants were 42 high school students, aged 15 to 17 years, randomly divided into a Pilates group (PG; n = 24) that were taught and practiced Pilates exercises and a control group (CG; n = 18) that participated in the regular physical education school program, during physical education course at school, twice a week, for 45 minutes, for 10 weeks. After the 10-week period, PG significantly improved in all physical fitness parameters, while CG only in muscular endurance. The results demonstrated the very positive effects of the Pilates program as an alternative form of physical activity during the physical education course at school, on physical fitness parameters of high school students.

Objective: Determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student-athletes. Participants: Participants (n = 238) were Division III student-athletes (18-24yrs) enrolled at a Pennsylvania State University campus during the Fall 2020 semester. Methods: Student-athletes were emailed a link of a 43-question survey which was deployed using Qualtrics®. The survey asked questions about collegiate experience, health, well-being, sport related training, and physical fitness before and during the pandemic. Results: Approximately 94% of student-athletes reported that COVID-19 worsened their college experience. About 52 and 59% of student-athletes believed that COVID-19 had a negative impact on their health and well-being, respectively. Nearly 79% of student-athletes reported that their sport-related training decreased during the pandemic. Over half of participants believed that their physical fitness, endurance, and strength decreased during the pandemic. Conclusion: The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on Division III collegiate student-athletes include a worsened college experience as well as worsened health and well-being.

A few studies have recently reported that higher cardiorespiratory fitness is associated with higher volumes of subcortical brain structures in children. It is, however, unknown how different fitness measures relate to shapes of subcortical brain nuclei. We aimed to examine the association of the main health-related physical fitness components with shapes of subcortical brain structures in a sample of forty-four Spanish children aged 9·7 (sd 0·2) years from the NUtraceuticals for a HEALthier life project. Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength and speed agility were assessed using valid and reliable tests (ALPHA-fitness test battery). Shape of the subcortical brain structures was assessed by MRI, and its relationship with fitness was examined after controlling for a set of potential confounders using a partial correlation permutation approach. Our results showed that all physical fitness components studied were significantly related to the shapes of subcortical brain nuclei. These associations were both positive and negative, indicating that a higher level of fitness in childhood is related to both expansions and contractions in certain regions of the accumbens, amygdala, caudate, hippocampus, pallidum, putamen and thalamus. Cardiorespiratory fitness was mainly associated with expansions, whereas handgrip was mostly associated with contractions in the structures studied. Future randomised-controlled trials will confirm or contrast our findings, demonstrating whether changes in fitness modify the shapes of brain structures and the extent to which those changes influence cognitive function.

Male sexual function is regulated by vascular function and impaired vascular function is closely related with erectile dysfunction (ED). Vascular functions are positively influenced by physical fitness (i.e., aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and flexibility). The detailed associations between physical fitness and male sexual function remain poorly understood. The present study aimed to clarify the influence of physical fitness on male sexual function. In 177 adult men, peak oxygen consumption (VO 2 peak ), handgrip strength (HGS), and sit and reach were measured as indices of physical fitness. Arterial stiffness and erectile function were assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) and the International Index of Erectile Function 5 (IIEF5) questionnaire, respectively. IIEF5 score was significantly correlated with VO 2 peak ( r s = 0.52), HGS ( r s = 0.37), and cfPWV ( r s = -0.44); and multivariate linear regression analyses showed that VO 2 peak , HGS, and cfPWV were significantly associated with IIEF5 score after considering confounders. The receiver operator characteristic curve analysis suggested that the cutoff values for predicting ED were 29.0 ml/min/kg for VO 2 peak and 39.3 kg for HGS. The IIEF5 score was the highest in the subjects with the values of both VO 2 peak and HGS were higher than their respective cutoff values, while the IIEF5 score was the lowest in the subjects with the values of both VO 2 peak and HGS were lower than their respective cutoff values. These results suggest that the maintenance of high aerobic capacity and muscular strength may offset deterioration of male sexual function.

Objectives: Although physical fitness is considered a marker of health in youth, little is known whether physical fitness in pre-school age is related to later body composition. Thus, this study investigated (i) associations of physical fitness at 4.5years of age with body composition 12months later and (ii) whether improvements in physical fitness during the 12-month follow-up were associated with changes in body composition., Design: This study included 142 children, measured at 4.5 and 5.5years, from the control group of the MINISTOP trial., Methods: Physical fitness (cardiorespiratory fitness, lower- and upper-body muscular strength and motor fitness) was measured using the PREFIT test battery. Body composition was assessed using air-displacement plethysmography., Results: In adjusted regression analyses, greater cardiorespiratory fitness, lower-body muscular strength and motor fitness at 4.5years were associated with a lower fat mass index at 5.5years (standardized β=-0.182 to -0.229, p≤0.028). Conversely, greater cardiorespiratory fitness, lower- and upper-body muscular strength as well as motor fitness at 4.5years of age were associated with a higher fat-free mass index (standardized β=0.255-0.447, p≤0.001). Furthermore, improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, lower-body muscular strength and motor fitness during the 12-month follow-up period were associated with decreases in fat mass index and/or % fat mass., Conclusions: In conclusion, the results of this study provide evidence of the importance of physical fitness early in life. Nevertheless, further studies are needed in order to clarify the influence of physical fitness in the pre-school age with later health outcomes., (Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Reference values are necessary for classifying children, for health screening, and for early prevention as many non-communicable diseases aggravate during growth and development. While physical fitness reference standards are available in children aged 6 and older, such information is lacking in preschool children. Therefore, the purposes of this study were (1) to provide sex-and age-specific physical fitness reference standards for Spanish preschool children; and (2) to study sex differences across this age period and to characterise fitness performance throughout the preschool period., Design: Cross-sectional., Methods: A total of 3179 preschool children (1678 boys) aged 2.8-6.4 years old from Spain were included in the present study. Physical fitness was measured using the PREFIT battery., Results: Age- and sex-specific percentiles for the physical fitness components are provided. Boys performed better than girls in the cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular strength, and speed-agility tests over the whole preschool period studied and for the different percentiles. In contrast, girls performed slightly better than boys in the balance test. Older children had better performance in all fitness tests than their younger counterparts., Conclusions: Our study provides age- and sex-specific physical fitness reference standards in preschool children allowing interpretation of fitness assessment. Sexual dimorphism in fitness tests exists already at preschool age, and these differences become larger with age. These findings will help health, sport, and school professionals to identify preschool children with a high/very low fitness level, to examine changes in fitness over time, and to analyse those changes obtained due to intervention effects., (Copyright © 2018 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To identify temporal trends in muscular fitness of English children using allometric scaling for height and weight to adjust for the influence of body size., Design: Repeated cross-sectional study., Methods: We measured; height, weight, standing broad-jump, handgrip, sit-ups and bent-arm hang in 10-year-old boys and girls from Chelmsford, England in: 2014 (n=306), 2008 (n=304) and 1998 (n=310). Physical activity was (PAQ-C) was assessed in 2008 and 2014. Muscular fitness was allometrically scaled for height and weight. We assessed temporal trends using General Linear Models (fixed factors: wave and sex) and reported effect sizes using partial eta squared (η P 2 ). We compared percentage change per year 1998-2008 with 2008-2014., Results: Ten-year-olds in 2014 were taller and heavier than in 2008 and 1998 but there were no differences in BMI. Compared with 2008, physical activity was lower in boys (η P 2 =0.012) and girls (η P 2 =0.27) assessed in 2014. There were significant main effects of wave for handgrip (η P 2 =0.060), sit-ups (η P 2 =0.120) and bent-arm hang (η P 2 =0.204). Pairwise comparisons showed muscular fitness of both sexes was significantly lower in 2014 than in 1998. From 2008 to 2014 percent change per year in handgrip (1.6%) and sit-ups (3.9%) were greater than for the preceding decade (handgrip 0.6%, sit-ups 2.6%)., Conclusions: Downward temporal trends in muscular fitness appear independent of secular changes in body size. We found a decrease in self-reported physical activity concurrent with the accelerated declines in fitness from 2008 to 2014. These findings suggest the declines in children are not engaging in physical activities which support development of muscular fitness., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the research was to determine the effect of an 8-week circuit training program on explosive strength and strength endurance in physical education classes intended for high school students. The research included 60 students of two second-grade high school classes. Both classes attended regular physical education classes, where, within the main part of the class, one class had a special program for developing strength through circuit training (circuit group), while the other one had no modifications to the regular physical education program (control group). The classes were randomly marked as circuit group (n = 28) and control group (n = 32). Five strength tests were used in the study: squat jump, countermovement jump, squats, push-ups, and sit-ups. The results showed that the 8-week strength development program organized as circuit training contributed to a significant improvement in strength. The results of all tests showed a significant effect of training on students' strength. It has been determined that short-term circuit training in physical education classes is an effective way to develop students' physical performance.