Background: This study examined the applicability of trans-theoretical model (TTM) to understand exercise behaviour among students in University "St. Cyril and Methodius" in Skopje. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted. The dependent variables analysed were exercise self-efficacy expectation, decisional balance (pros and cons), social support for physical activity and exercise enjoyment. The independent variable was stage of exercise behaviour change. 1066 students representing various disciplines on campus completed a valid and reliable questionnaire during regularly scheduled classes. More than 67 percent of sample were sedentary (pre contemplation, contemplation, or preparation) whereas 17,6% were in the action stage (regularly active < 6 months) and 14,9% were in the maintenance stage (regularly active > 6 months). Results: All of the TTM constructs differed significantly across exercise stages. Students who are in the action and maintenance stage show greater self-efficacy, social support from parents and peers, and they receive greater benefit from physical activity, compared to students who are in the prethinking and thinking stage. In addition, students who are in the action and maintenance stage, enjoy physical activity more than students who are in the pre-thinking stage. Students who are in the stage of preparedness show greater self-efficacy than students who are in the pre-thinking and thinking stage and they receive greater social support from parents and peers, compared to students who are in the pre-thinking stage. Conclusion: Results supported the use of the entire TTM in examining exercise behaviour among college students.

The purpose of the present study was to analyze the secular trends in anthropometric characteristics and health-related physical fitness (i.e., flexibility, muscular strength and speed/agility) in Macedonian children between 2012 and 2019. Materials and methods. We analyzed the secular trends in anthropometric characteristics and health-related physical fitness in Macedonian children between 2012 and 2019. Two representative population studies were conducted 7 years apart in children (6-10 years) from Skopje (Mаcedonia). Both studies used the same anthropometric measures and tests to assess physical fitness: height, weight, body mass index, body fat percentage, muscle mass percentage, sit and reach, handgrip strength, standing long jump, 30 sec sit ups, and 4 × 10 m shuttle run.  Result. The boys and girls measured in 2019 had significantly better performance in the sit and reach (Cohen’s d ~0.4 and ~0.5, respectively), 30 sec sit ups (Cohen’s d ~0.3 and ~0.2, respectively), and 4 × 10 m shuttle run (Cohen’s d ~0.7 and ~0.8, respectively) tests compared to those measured in 2012–2013. Levels of the standing long jump were significantly lower in 2019 in boys and girls (Cohen’s d ~0.6 for both).  Conclusions. Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that Macedonian children measured in 2019 have higher levels of flexibility, abdominal muscle strength and coordination, speed and agility, but lower levels of explosive force of the lower limbs than their counterparts measured. 7 years ago, no statistically significant differences were found in anthropometric measures and measures of body weight.

Background. Handgrip strength test is applied both to adults and children to indicate muscular fitness as well as the nutritional and health status. It differs in adults and adolescents depending on the gender. However, it is not clear whether a difference exists also in children at 9 to 10 years of age, and what are the factors that influence it. The goal of the research was to determine the absolute and relative values of the hand dynamometer test with healthy Macedonian boys and girls aged 9 and 10 from the Skopje region as well as to determine the factors that affect the handgrip strength at that age. Materials and methods. The research was conducted on a sample of 775 children (boys n = 386; girls n = 389), whereby the following characteristics were measured: handgrip strength, weight, height, body fat percentage, muscle mass percentage and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The maximum handgrip strength was measured with a digital Takei TKK 5101 dynamometer.  Results. The research found that there are statistically significant differences in the absolute values obtained in the hand dynamometer test between healthy boys and girls in Macedonia at 9 and 10 years of age. On the basis of the results obtained from the research, one can conclude that the results of the hand dynamometer test are affected by age, gender and body composition.  Conclusion. Based on the increasing predominance of children’s obesity, the present study can provide clinicians and researchers with an insight how body composition influences muscular fitness, and can serve policy-makers to develop gender-specific strategies about body-weight management and promotion of muscular performance among children and adolescents.

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Background and Objectives: There is a shortage of criteria referent standards for tests of logistic application meant to estimate the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) of children and adolescents in the Republic of North Macedonia. The goal of the research was twofold: (1) To identify the ability of CRF estimated by the 20-m shuttle-run test (20mSRT) to discriminate between “healthy” and “unhealthy” phenotypes (by adiposity measures such as WC and WHR) in children; (2) To determine the correlation between obesity and relatively maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 peak) tested on a relatively large respondents’ sample of Macedonian children. The research was conducted on a sample of 1,863 respondents, 957 (51.4%) of whom were boys, and 906 (48.6%) were girls at the age of 7 to 10 years. All of them were from 19 primary schools in the central and eastern parts of the Republic of North Macedonia.  Materials and Methods: The waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were used to identify body adiposity markers. CRF was measured using the 20mSRT (VO2 peak). Receiver operating characteristic curves and logistic regression were applied in order to establish the discriminative power of CRF in anticipating the parameters of body adiposity markers.  Results: With regard both to the boys and girls, VO2 peak showed considerable predictive power of identifying the body adiposity (area under the curve [AUC] > 0.66). In boys, when considering the full sample (7-10 years), the best cut-point for VO2 peak to detect body fat by WC were 48.8 to mL•kg−1•min−1 and WHtR were 47.4 to mL•kg−1•min−1. For girls, when considering the full sample (7-10 years), the best cut-point to detect body fat by WC were 47.4 to mL•kg−1•min−1 and WHtR were 47.1 to mL•kg−1•min−1.  Conclusions: According to these cut-points, adolescents with low CRF were more likely to be obese either by WC or WHtR. The border values (cut-points) of CRF can be used as quantitative markers of children of healthier body characteristics from the Republic of North Macedonia.