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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
This study investigated the association between sociodemographic and behavioral factors and
health standards based on physical fitness component scores in a sample of Brazilian schoolchildren. Methods:
A sample of 1457 girls and 1392 boys aged 6 to 18 years performed a test battery of 5 items: 1) sit-and-reach,
2) curl-up, 3) trunk-lift, 4) push-up, and 5) progressive endurance run (PACER). The cut-off scores for gender
and age suggested by the FitnessGram were adopted. Results: The findings showed that the sociodemographic
and behavioral factors significantly associated with the ability of schoolchildren of meeting the health standards
varied according to the fitness test. In the 5 tests used girls presented lower chance of meeting the health
standards. Age and socioeconomic class were negatively associated with the performance in all physical tests.
Schoolchildren aged ≤ 9 years or from families of lowest socioeconomic class presented approximately twice
the chance of meeting the health standards than those aged ≥ 15 years and from more privileged families,
specifically in the push-up (OR = 2.40; 95% CI 2.01–2.82) and PACER (OR = 2.18; 95% CI 1.84–2.54) tests.
Conclusions: Interventions to promote health-related physical fitness should not only consider gender and
age of schoolchildren, but also selected sociodemographic and behavioral factors, especially socioeconomic
class and leisure activities.
Description
Keywords
Criterion-referenced standards Fitnessgram Fitness surveillance Adolescents
Citation
Guedes, D.P.; Neto, J.M.; Lopes, Vítor P.; Silva, A.J.S. (2012). Health-related physical fitness is associated with selected sociodemographic and behavioral factors in brazilian school children. Journal of Physical Activity and Health. ISSN 1543-5474. 9:4, p. 473-480
Publisher
Human Kinetics