Physical fitness reference standards in European children: the IDEFICS study

• DOI: 10.1038/ijo.2014.136
• Publication Date: 2014-09-15T14:19:14Z
• Authors: P De Miguel-Etayo; L Gracia-Marco; F B Ortega; T Intemann; R Foraita; L Lissner; L Oja; G Barba; N Michels; M Tornaritis; D Molnár; Y Pitsiladis; W Ahrens; L A Moreno
• Keywords: Sprint; Multi-stage fitness test

A low fitness status during childhood and adolescence is associated with important health-related outcomes, such as increased future risk for obesity cardiovascular diseases, impaired skeletal health, reduced quality of life poor mental health. Fitness reference values adolescents from different countries have been published, but there a scarcity pre-pubertal children in Europe, using harmonised measures the literature. The IDEFICS study offers good opportunity to establish normative large set components eight European common well-standardised methods sample children. Therefore, aim this report sex- age-specific standards Children (10 302) aged 6–10.9 years (50.7% girls) were examined. test battery included: flamingo balance test, back-saver sit-and-reach (flexibility), handgrip strength standing long jump (lower-limb explosive strength) 40-m sprint (speed). Moreover, cardiorespiratory was assessed by 20-m shuttle run test. Percentile curves 1st, 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, 97th 99th percentiles calculated General Additive Model Location Scale Shape (GAMLSS). Our results show that boys performed better than girls speed, lower- upper-limb fitness, flexibility. Older younger children, except flexibility girls. provide first time physical years.