Physical fitness as a protective factor for cognitive impairment in a prospective population-based study in Germany. Relations of moderate and vigorous physical activity to fitness and fatness in adolescents. [Physical fitness enhancement through education, EDUFIT study: background, design, methodology and dropout analysis]. A comprehensive physical activity promotion programme at elementary school: the effects on physical activity, physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of physical activity. Correlates of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness among Brazilian adolescents. A school-based physical activity program to improve health and fitness in children aged 6–13 years ("Kinder-Sportstudie KISS"): study design of a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN15360785] [Improving physical fitness in adolescents through a school-based intervention: the EDUFIT study]. Health-related fitness in school children: compliance with physical activity recommendations and its relationship with body mass index and diet quality. Physical fitness: a comparative study between students of residential (Sainik) and non-residential schools (aged 12-14 years). A multi-modal training programme to improve physical activity, physical fitness and perceived physical ability in obese children Predicting students' physical activity and health-related well-being: a prospective cross-domain investigation of motivation across school physical education and exercise settings. Effect of fitness and physical activity on bone mass in adolescents: the HELENA Study Examining the impact of 45 minutes of daily physical education on cognitive ability, fitness performance, and body composition of African American youth. Physical inactivity is a risk factor for physical activity-related injuries in children Influence of extracurricular sport activities on body composition and physical fitness in boys: a 3-year longitudinal study Promoting Elementary Physical Education: Results of a School-Based Evaluation Study Influence of a Health-Related Physical Fitness Model on Students' Physical Activity, Perceived Competence, and Enjoyment
To evaluate the predictive effects of subjective measures of physical activity ( PA ) and objective measures of physical fitness ( PF ) on dementia risk , Participants of the prospect i ve population -based ILSE- study ( * 1930 - 1932 ; 12-year follow-up ) were examined at three examination waves ( t1 : 1993/94 ; t2 : 1997/98 ; t3 : 2005/07 ) . 381 subjects of the original cohort ( n = 500 ) were re-examined at t3 . 29 % of the subjects who were cognitively healthy at baseline received the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment ( MCI ) and 7 % of Alzheimer 's disease ( AD ) . Subjects were screened for physical and mental health using medical interviews , physical , and neuropsychological examinations . Participants completed a question naire on their current and past PA at t1 . Subjects were classified as physically active if they reported a regular sport activity for at least 2 hours per week in the past year . Muscular strength ( h and grip ) and motor coordination ( balance ) served as objective indicators of PF . Subjects who passed the balance-test at t1 had a reduced risk of developing MCI/AD at t3 ( OR = 0.35 , 95%CI 0.19 - 0.66 , p < 0.01 ) and performed significantly better on various neuropsychological measures . Muscular strength or subjective reports of PA did not predict MCI/AD development . Our results confirm the hypothesis that PF acts as a protective factor for the development of cognitive disorders . In our study , context , motor coordination served as a better predictor than muscular strength or self-rated PA . Since subjects with cognitive disorders due to cerebral and /or systemic disorders were excluded from the analyses , our findings suggest that the effect of skill-related PF extends beyond the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors BACKGROUND It is unclear how moderate and vigorous intensities of physical activity ( PA ) are associated with cardiovascular fitness ( CVF ) and percentage of body fat ( % BF ) in adolescents . OBJECTIVE We tested the hypothesis that vigorous PA , to a greater degree than moderate PA , would be associated with better CVF and lower % BF . DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study of 421 black and white high school students ( x age : 16 y ) .  PA was measured with 5 d of accelerometry and expressed in min/d of moderate or vigorous PA .  CVF was measured with a multistage treadmill test and was expressed as the oxygen consumption at a heart rate of 170 bpm . % BF was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry . Multiple regressions were used to determine the degree to which variance in CVF and % BF was explained by PA , after control for age , sex , race , and the sex x race interaction . RESULTS A higher index for CVF was associated with higher amounts of moderate and vigorous PA ;  more variance was explained by vigorous than by moderate PA .  Lower % BF was associated with higher amounts of vigorous PA but not with the amount of moderate PA . CONCLUSION Black and white adolescents who engaged in relatively large amounts of free-living vigorous exercise were likely to be relatively fit and lean Physical fitness is a powerful marker of cardiovascular health already at early stages in life . To promote physical fitness enhancement from the school is therefore needed . The present study describes a school intervention program specifically design ed for these purpose s , called EDUFIT ( EDUcation for FITness ) . The study was carried out in 2007 and comprised 67 adolescents aged 13+/-1 years from a secondary school who belonged to three different classes . The classes were r and omly allocated to control group ( CG ) , experimental group 1 ( EG1 ) and experimental group 2 ( EG2 ) . The CG was involved in 2 physical education sessions/week , the EG1 was involved in 4 physical education sessions/week ( volume increased ) and the EG2 was involved in 4 physical education sessions/week of high intensity ( volume+intensity increased ) . Several health parameters were assessed before and after a 16-weeks intervention : physical fitness , body composition , lipid-metabolic profile , ventilatory parameters , blood pressure , and cognitive and academic performance . The intervention was feasible and well-tolerated . There were high participation and adherence rates , i.e. 96 % ( n=67 ) and 84 % ( n=56 ) respectively . Yet not always significant ( 0,1>P>0,05 ) , we observed that the adolescents who satisfactory complete the program showed better cognitive and academic performance , and worse levels of adiposity , diastolic tension , h and grip strength and maximal expiratory pressure . The hypothesis of the EDUFIT study is that to double the number of physical education classes will improve physical fitness in adolescents . The confirmation of the hypothesis could have important public health implication OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of a comprehensive physical activity ( PA ) promotion programme in elementary schools on children 's total PA levels , leisure-time PA , physical fitness and psychosocial correlates of PA . DESIGN A pre-test-post-test design over two school years . SETTING AND SUBJECTS Sixteen elementary schools ( 764 children , mean age : 11.2 + /- 0.7 years ) were r and omly assigned to the intervention condition ( n = 8) and the control condition ( n = 8) . The intervention included a health-related physical education programme , an extracurricular PA promotion programme and classroom-based PA education lessons . In the total sample , leisure-time PA , psychosocial correlates of PA and physical fitness were measured using a PA question naire and the Eurofit test battery . In a sub- sample , total PA levels were measured using an accelerometer . RESULTS According to accelerometer data , children 's moderate PA and moderate-to-vigorous PA ( MVPA ) levels decreased less in the intervention schools than in the control schools ( P < 0.01 ) . The average time spent on MVPA decreased by 9 min per day in the intervention schools compared with 33 min per day in the control schools . Children in the intervention schools reported significantly more moderate PA in leisure time than the controls ( P < 0.05 ) . No overall improvement of physical fitness and no effects on the psychosocial correlates of PA were found . CONCLUSIONS The comprehensive PA promotion programme was successful in preventing a decline in children 's  total activity levels . Furthermore , the intervention increased children 's PA engagement in leisure time . Therefore , implementation needs to be encouraged OBJECTIVE To analyze socioeconomic indicators , physical activity ( PA ) opportunities , and behavioral correlates of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness among Brazilian boys and girls . METHODS A sample of 1555 adolescents was r and omly selected . Age- and sex-specific st and ard scores were calculated for each fitness component . RESULTS Among boys , head of household 's schooling , involvement in organized PA , meeting the PA recommendations , and computer/games use were associated with cardiorespiratory fitness . Involvement in organized PA and active time in Physical Education ( PE ) classes were predictors of muscular fitness . Among girls , active time in PE classes and TV watching were predictors of cardiorespiratory fitness . Meeting the PA recommendations was associated with muscular fitness . CONCLUSION PA variables and sedentary behaviors should be independently considered for physical fitness promotion in youth Background Childhood obesity is the result of a long lasting imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure . A major contributing factor is physical inactivity which is closely linked to bone health , cardiovascular disease risk , fitness and psychological factors . The school seems to provide an excellent setting to enhance levels of  physical activity ( PA ) .  However , there is insufficient data from previous school-based intervention trials on how to enhance overall PA . It is also unknown whether an intervention aim ed at increasing PA is effective in improving the children 's health . The purpose of this paper is to outline the design of a school-based r and omized , controlled trial ( RCT ) aim ing to increase overall PA and to improve fitness and health in 6- to 13-year-old children . Methods / Design 15 schools were r and omized to the intervention ( n = 9 ) or the control ( n = 6 ) group , stratified by geographic region ( urban vs. rural ) and by age ( 1st and 5th grade ) . Participation was given for all children in the intervention group since in this group the intervention was part of the normal school curriculum . The intervention during one academic year consisted of : 1 . two additional physical education classes per week given by trained physical education teachers adding up to a total of five PA classes per week , 2 . short PA breaks ( 2–5 min each ) during academic lessons , 3 . PA home work , and 4 . adaptation of recreational areas around the school . All children underwent  anthropometric measurements , blood pressure assessment , fitness testing , measurement of PA  and they filled out question naires . At least 70 % of all children agreed to blood sampling and measurements of body composition and bone mineral measurements by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry . The primary endpoints of the study after one year were an increase in total PA by accelerometry , an increase in aerobic fitness measured by the 20 m shuttle run , a decrease in percent body fat derived from skinfold measurements and an increase in quality of life as assessed by the child health question naire in the intervention group compared to the control group . Secondary outcomes were overall fitness , differences in body composition including body fat distribution , cardiovascular risk factors , psychosocial health , bone mineral content and density of femur , lumbar spine and total body and food intake . Discussion Our preliminary data suggest that the children were representative of Swiss children with respect to sex , socio-demographic status , and body mass index . Short-term results can be expected by the beginning of 2007 . We hypothesized that our intervention will lead to an increase in PA , fitness and overall health . Based on our data , we aim to provide important information regarding the influence of such an intervention on these outcome measures in school-aged children and to provide nationwide guidelines to improve PA in children INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Physical fitness level is a marker of cardiovascular health in young people . The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a school-based intervention program , focused on increasing the volume and intensity of physical education ( PE ) sessions , on adolescents ' physical fitness . METHODS Sixty-seven adolescents ( 12 - 14 years old ) from three secondary school classes participated in a 16-week intervention . The classes were r and omly allocated to the control group , experimental group 1 ( EG1 ) or experimental group 2 ( EG2 ) . The control group received st and ard PE ( 2 sessions/week ) , the EG1 received 4 st and ard PE sessions/week and the EG2 received four high-intensity PE sessions/week . Aerobic fitness , muscle strength , speed-agility and flexibility were assessed using previously vali date d field-based tests before and after the intervention . RESULTS Doubling the number of PE sessions/week result ed in improvements in aerobic fitness and flexibility ( P=.008 and P=.04 , respectively ) . Further increases in the intensity of the sessions were related to improvements in speed-agility ( P<.001 ) . The maximal oxygen consumption increased by 3 and 5 mL/kg/min in the EG1 and EG2 , respectively . No differences were observed for muscle strength . CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that doubling the frequency of PE sessions is a sufficient stimulus to improve physical fitness , particularly aerobic fitness , which has been shown to be a powerful indicator of cardiovascular health in children and adolescents . Future studies involving larger sample sizes should confirm or refute these findings This study establishes the relationship between the compliance with the governmental physical activity guidelines ( at least a minimum of one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity , MVPA , five times a week ) , health-related physical fitness and different health related lifestyle variables in a representative sample of Spanish children . Subjects were a representative group of scholars from five schools r and omly selected in Extremadura , a mainly rural region with a very low population density . Statistical analysis comprises a t-test to calculate physical fitness differences between groups , according to the compliance with the mentioned physical activity guidelines . A multinomial logistic regression coefficient is established to determine the differences between the better physical fitness status group (= percentile 75 ) and the poorer physical fitness status group (= percentile 25 ) for each fitness test and gender , body mass index , physical activity , Mediterranean diet index and population size . Main findings show that the compliance with physical activity guidelines result in a better h and grip strength in left h and ( p < 0.05 ) , leg strength ( p < 0.000 ) , speed-agility run ( p < 0.000 ) and 20 m endurance shuttle run ( p < 0.000 ) . Being a girl , being overweighed and living in an urban setting are associated with a lower physical fitness (= percentile 25 ) , whereas there is no relationship between diet quality and subjects ' performance in all physical fitness test evaluated . As a conclusion , this study emphasizes the need to promote an active lifestyle in which physical activity suppose a minimum of one hour of regular MVPA , at least five times a week , to achieve a healthy fitness status Physical Fitness Index ( PFI ) , of fifty Residential ( Sainik ) School children ( Mean + /- SD , 13.18 + /- 0.48 yrs ) and forty four Non-Residential school children ( Mean + /- SD , 13.15 + /- 0.66 yrs ) of Bijapur , Karnataka , was assessed by Harvard Step Test . Their height ( cm ) , weight ( kg ) , chest circumference ( cm ) , and mid arm circumference ( cm ) were recorded as physical anthropometry . Body Mass Index ( BMI ) was also calculated ( kg/m2 ) . Results indicated that Non-Residential School children had poor physical anthropometry and showed a less PFI score ( Mean + /- SD , 60.56 + /- 13.49 ) , as compared to Residential ( Sainik ) School children ( Mean + /- SD , 85.7 + /- 16.91 ) . Regular physical activity with uniform diet and better physical composition attributed higher physical fitness in the children of Residential ( Sainik ) school in comparison to their sedentary Non-Residential counter part Abstract Actual and perceived physical abilities are important correlates of  physical activity ( PA ) and fitness , but little research has explored these relationships over time in obese children . This study was design ed : ( a ) to assess the feasibility of a multi-modal training programme promoting changes in PA , fundamental motor skills and real and perceived physical abilities of obese children ; and ( b ) to explore cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between real and perceived physical competence in boys and girls . Forty-one participants ( 9.2 ± 1.2 years ) were assessed before and after an 8-month intervention with respect to body composition , physical fitness , self-reported PA and perceived physical ability . After treatment , obese children reported improvements in the body mass index , PA levels , gross motor performance and actual and perceived physical abilities . Real and perceived physical competence was correlated in boys , but not in girls . Results indicate that a multi-modal programme focused on actual and perceived physical competence as associated with the gradual increase in the volume of activity might be an effective strategy to improve adherence of the participants and to increase the lifelong exercise skills of obese children A three-wave prospect i ve design was used to assess a model of motivation guided by self-determination theory ( Ryan & Deci , 2008 ) spanning the context s of  school physical education ( PE ) and exercise .  The outcome variables examined were health-related quality of life ( HRQoL ) , physical self-concept ( PSC ) , and 4 days of objective ly assessed estimates of activity . Secondary school students ( n = 494 ) completed question naires at three separate time points and were familiarized with how to use a sealed pedometer . Results of structural equation modeling supported a model in which perceptions of autonomy support from a PE teacher positively predicted PE-related need satisfaction ( autonomy , competence , and relatedness ) . Competence predicted PSC , whereas relatedness predicted HRQoL. Autonomy and competence positively predicted autonomous motivation toward PE , which in turn positively predicted autonomous motivation toward exercise ( i.e. , 4-day pedometer step count ) . Autonomous motivation toward exercise positively predicted step count , HRQoL , and PSC . Results of multi sample structural equation modeling supported gender invariance . Suggestions for future work are discussed Our aim is to analyse the effect on bone mass of : ( 1 ) physical fitness performance on a specific group of physical activity ( PA ) and , ( 2 ) PA on a specific physical fitness performance group . Bone mineral content ( BMC ) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry ( DXA ) and PA by accelerometers was assessed in 373 Spanish adolescents ( 182 males ) . Adolescents were classified as : active and non-active ( ≥60 or < 60 min day−1 of moderate-vigorous PA ) . Fitness was assessed through speed/agility , strength and cardiorespiratory tests . Adolescents were classified by tertiles ( T1 , T2 and T3 ) . ANCOVA was used for the analysis with sex , height , lean mass , calcium intake and pubertal status as covariates . Adolescents with lower strength , speed/agility and cardiorespiratory fitness ( CRF ) showed lower BMC in the whole body and extremities compared with adolescents with better results in these tests , mainly those non-active adolescents . Non-active adolescents with high fitness levels showed higher BMC ( whole body and upper limbs ) than active ones . The conclusions included : ( 1 ) within the non-active group , lower levels of fitness were associated with lower BMC ; this might be through PA or trough an effect of PA on muscle mass . ( 2 ) Non-active adolescents with high level of fitness in most fitness tests showed higher BMC than their active peers , in spite of their lower PA levels . These unexpected results could be influenced by several factors such as genetics , nutrition , type of exercise or sport , hormones and skeletal age OBJECT Increased importance on academic achievement has result ed in many school districts focusing on improved academic performance leading to reductions in physical education time . The purpose was to examine the effects of 45 minutes of daily physical education on the cognitive ability , fitness performance and body composition of African American elementary and middle school youth . METHODS Participants completing the informed consent in grade s 2nd to 8th were included in the study . A pre/posttest design was used with repeated measures analysis of variance . Experimental and control school participants were pretested on the  cognitive measures ( ie , Fluid Intelligence and Perceptual Speed ) and Fitnessgram ® physical fitness test items ( eg , aerobic capacity , muscular strength and muscular endurance , body composition ) in September 2009 and posttested in May 2010 . RESULTS Experimental elementary and middle school participants observed significantly greater improvements compared with control elementary and middle school participants on 7 of 16 fitness and body composition measures and on 8 of 26 cognitive measures . These fitness , body composition , and cognitive improvement differences were more noticeable among elementary and middle school females . CONCLUSIONS Providing 45 minutes of daily physical education can perhaps increase cognitive ability while increasing fitness and decreasing the prevalence of overweight and obese youth Objectives To describe the risk factors associated with injuries result ing from physical education ( PE ) , leisure time physical activity ( leisure time PA ) and sports in 9–12-year-old children . Design Prospect i ve cohort study . Setting Primary schools . Participants Nine hundred and ninety-five children aged 9–12 years . Main outcome measures Injuries occurring during either PE class  , leisure time PA or sports , and caused the child to at least stop the current activity were recorded prospect ively . Individual weekly exposure was estimated from baseline and follow-up question naires . Potential risk factors were gender , age , socioeconomic status , ethnicity , habitual level of PA , body mass index and a motor fitness . A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was developed , accounting for clustering within schools . Results Gender , age and level of PA were independent significant risk factors for injury . Different modalities of PA had different injury risk factors . Most importantly , the low levels of habitual PA  significantly increased injury risk . Conclusions The children at highest injury risk are the target audience of the contemporary PA promotion efforts . PA promotion should also focus on injury prevention Objective : To analyse the effect of extracurricular physical activities on fat mass accumulation and physical fitness during growth in early pubertal males . Design : Longitudinal study .Subjects : A total of 42 male children ( 9.4±1.4 years , Tanner I – II and 12.7±1.5 years , Tanner III – IV , before and after the 3.3 years follow-up , respectively ) , r and omly sample d from the population of Gran Canaria ( Spain ) , 26 of them physically active ( PA , at least 3 h per week during 3 years ) and 16 non-physically active ( non-PA ) . Measurements : Body composition ( dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry ) , anthropometrics ( body circumferences and skinfolds ) and physical fitness variables ( dynamic and isometric force , anaerobic capacity and maximal aerobic power ) were determined in all subjects . Results : Both groups had comparable body sizes at the start and the end of the study . Body mass index increased with growth more in the PA than in the non-PA group ( P<0.05 ) . However , fat mass accumulation with growth was lower in the PA than in the non-PA ( P<0.05 ) . There was a positive relationship between the increment of total and trunkal fat mass , especially in non-active children ( r 2=0.93 ) . In contrast , there was an inverse relationship between the total lean mass growth and the accumulation of total and regional fat mass ( r=−0.37 to −0.41 , all P<0.05 ) . Physical fitness was maintained in the PA , while it worsened in the non-PA children . Conclusions : Without any dietary intervention , children who regularly participate in at least 3 h per week of sports activities are more protected against total and regional fat mass accumulation . They also increase their total lean and bone mass to a greater extent than children who do not participate in extracurricular sport activities . In addition , PA children maintain their physical fitness during growth , while it deteriorates in the non-PA children Using a quasiexperimental design , the authors examine whether fourth- and fifth- grade students exposed to a developmental physical education ( PE ) curriculum , Michigan ’s Exemplary Physical Education Curriculum ( EPEC )  , demonstrated stronger motor skill — specific self-efficacy and perceptions of physical activity competence , physical activity levels , motor skills , and physical fitness than did students exposed to existing PE curricula . The authors conducted a multilevel regression analysis with data from 1,464 students in the fourth and fifth grade s. Data were collected using a student survey , an activity checklist , and motor and fitness assessment s. Compared to students receiving st and ard PE , students exposed to EPEC showed significantly stronger results in motor skills but not fitness outcomes . The authors found significant positive intervention effects on indicators of motor skill self-efficacy and physical activity levels among the fourth- grade cohort . EPEC was more effective than st and ard PE curricula at improving motor skill performance ( fourth- and fifth- grade cohorts ) and at increasing self-reported motor skill-specific self-efficacy and physical activity ( fourth- grade cohort ) This study was design ed to explore the effects of a health-related physical fitness physical education model on students ' physical activity , perceived competence , and enjoyment .  61 students ( 25 boys , 36 girls ; M age = 12.6 yr . , SD = 0.6 ) were assigned to two groups ( health-related physical fitness physical education group , and traditional physical education group ) , and participated in one 50-min . weekly basketball class for 6 wk . Students ' in-class physical activity was assessed using NL-1000 pedometers . The physical subscale of the Perceived Competence Scale for Children was employed to assess perceived competence , and children 's enjoyment was measured using the Sport Enjoyment Scale . The findings suggest that students in the intervention group increased their perceived competence , enjoyment , and physical activity over a 6-wk . intervention , while the comparison group simply increased physical activity over time . Children in the intervention group had significantly greater enjoyment
There is strong evidence for a positive association between CRF and cluster of PF with AP in cross-sectional studies ; and evidence from longitudinal studies for a positive association between cluster of PF and AP ; the relationship between muscular strength and flexibility with AP remains uncertain
Physical fitness ( PF ) is a construct of health- and skill-related attributes which have been associated with academic performance ( AP ) in youth .
This study aim ed to review the scientific evidence on the association among components of PF and AP  in children and adolescents .