European fitness landscape for children and adolescents: updated reference values, fitness maps and country rankings based on nearly 8 million test results from 34 countries gathered by the FitBack network
Fecha
2023Autor
Versión
Acceso abierto / Sarbide irekia
Tipo
Artículo / Artikulua
Versión
Versión publicada / Argitaratu den bertsioa
Impacto
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10.1136/bjsports-2022-106176
Resumen
Objectives (1) To develop reference values for health-related fitness in European children and adolescents aged 6-18 years that are the foundation for the web-based, open-access and multilanguage fitness platform (FitBack); (2) to provide comparisons across European countries. Methods This study builds on a previous large fitness reference study in European youth by (1) widening the age demograph ...
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Objectives (1) To develop reference values for health-related fitness in European children and adolescents aged 6-18 years that are the foundation for the web-based, open-access and multilanguage fitness platform (FitBack); (2) to provide comparisons across European countries. Methods This study builds on a previous large fitness reference study in European youth by (1) widening the age demographic, (2) identifying the most recent and representative country-level data and (3) including national data from existing fitness surveillance and monitoring systems. We used the Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity and fitness at population level (ALPHA) test battery as it comprises tests with the highest test-retest reliability, criterion/construct validity and health-related predictive validity: the 20 m shuttle run (cardiorespiratory fitness); handgrip strength and standing long jump (muscular strength); and body height, body mass, body mass index and waist circumference (anthropometry). Percentile values were obtained using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape method. Results A total of 7 966 693 test results from 34 countries (106 datasets) were used to develop sex-specific and age-specific percentile values. In addition, country-level rankings based on mean percentiles are provided for each fitness test, as well as an overall fitness ranking. Finally, an interactive fitness platform, including individual and group reporting and European fitness maps, is provided and freely available online (www.fitbackeurope.eu). Conclusion This study discusses the major implications of fitness assessment in youth from health, educational and sport perspectives, and how the FitBack reference values and interactive web-based platform contribute to it. Fitness testing can be conducted in school and/or sport settings, and the interpreted results be integrated in the healthcare systems across Europe. [--]
Materias
Physical endurance,
Physical fitness,
Europe,
Children,
Adolescents,
FitBack network
Editor
BMJ Publishing Group
Publicado en
British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2023;57:299–310
Departamento
Universidad Pública de Navarra. Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud /
Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. Osasun Zientziak Saila /
Universidad Pública de Navarra/Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa. Institute on Innovation and Sustainable Development in Food Chain - ISFOOD
Versión del editor
Entidades Financiadoras
This research was co-funded by the Erasmus+ Sport Programme of the
European Union within the project FitBack No 613010-EPP-1-2019-1-SI-SPO-SCP
and Slovenian Research Agency within the Research programme Bio-psycho-social
context of kinesiology (number P5-0142). FBO, JJG-C, JRR and IL are supported by
the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigación, Visiting Scholar grants and
Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise, Nutrition and
Health and by the Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y
Universidades and European Regional Development Fund (SOMM17/6107/UGR) and
CIBERobn Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition.