Objective: the aim of the research was to determine the differences in fitness components among children and adolescents from urban and rural areas. Design/method: A sample of 5076 school children (2877) and adolescents (2199) from urban and rural areas from the region of Strumica (Macedonia). Physical fitness is estimated with 7 tests and that: standing long jump, sit-ups, bent arm hang, handgrip, sit and reach, speedagility, shuttle run 4x10 and three-minute step test. The differences in fitness tests, anthropometric measures and body composition by place of residence were examined by one-way analysis of covariance. Results: Rural children and adolescent have lower height, body mass BMI and body fat % and had higher muscular mass % cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility (all p < 0.001), than urban young people. Regarding muscular fitness, the results differed depending on the fitness test selected. Rural children and adolescent had a better performance in standing long jump, handgrip strength bent arm hang while they had a lower performance in sit-ups in 30 s (all p < 0.001), compared to their urban peers. Effect size was small-medium (Cohen's d = 0.1-0.5). Conclusion: children and adolescents from the rural environment show better results in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle fitness of the upper and lower extremities and have better coordination, speed and agility in comparison with their urban peers. The place of residence, apart from other environmental factors, should be taken into account when building a state strategy and interventions through which it will promote physical activity and health.

The aim of this research was to determine the level of adiposity and obesity among Macedonian adolescents and to compare the results with previous studies conducted in this population, as well as those conducted in other populations. The sample included 2390 adolescents from four urban different regions of R. Macedonia aged between 11 to 18 years; 1238 males and 1152 females. Weight, height, waist, and hip circumference (WC, HC) as well as triceps, calf, subscapular, and suprailiac skinfold thickness (SFT) were measured. Body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), subscapular/triceps skinfold ratio (STR), and percentage body fat were computed. The prevalence of overweight and obesity defined by the IOTF children growth reference were calculated and age-dependent and gender-specific smoothed percentile curves for BMI and ROC curves were generated. The boys have statistically significantly higher values of WC, WHR and WHtR in all adult categories (except WHtR at 18 years old), greater body weight at the age of 12 to 18, and body weight 13 to 18 years (p<0.001). Weight, height and BMI are increasing with age in both, boys and girls, and decreases in girls. The level of adiposity of Macedonian adolescents has increased over the past 20 years and has reached the level of developed countries that face an obesity epidemic.

Study purpose. The research goal was to establish if the fat-free mass, chronological age and maturity status are determinants of physical fitness, and to analyze the development changes of fat-free mass and physical fitness in concordance with chronological age and maturity status in schoolchildren aged 6 to 14. Materials and methods. The research was conducted on a sample of 9106 students aged 6 to 14 years. In order to reach the research goals, the following variables were measured: height, weight, sitting height, fat mass, fat-free mass and various components of the physical fitness (lower limbs explosive strength, handgrip strength, abdominal muscle repetitive strength, speed and agility). The values of body mass and biological maturation indexes (APHV) were obtained by using formulas. Results. The boys’ age at peak height velocity was estimated at 13.00±0.82, and the girls’ one at 11.57±0.68. The relationships between chronological age and age at peak height velocity with fat-free mass was r=0.82 to 0.94 in the boys and r=0.83 to 0.92 in the girls. The relationships between fat-free mass and physical fitness tests in the boys were: standing long jump (r=0.55), 30 sec sit-ups (r=0.37), handgrip strength (r=0.75) and shuttle run 4 х 10 meters (r=-0.40); and in the girls – standing long jump (r= 0.45), 30 sec sit-ups (r= 0.36), handgrip strength (r= 0.74) and shuttle run 4 х 10 meters (r= -0.43). The differences in fat-free mass and physical fitness tests were more prominent when the comparison was done with relation to the biological maturation (APHV) and chronologic age. Conclusions. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that maturity status and fat-free mass determinate the physical fitness performances in the schoolchildren of both genders. Also, the age at peak height velocity should be used in Physical Education as a tool of monitoring, ranging and classification of physical performances in children and adolescents.

The purpose of this research is to determine the effects of a specialised two-month fitness programme with strength exercises on the body composition and aerobic endurance in recreational women. The research included a group of women aged 18–35 who had not previously been engaged in recreational exercises in fitness centres. The sample included 50 women who exercised at the Fivestar fitness centre in Gjilan, and who underwent the abovementioned programme. The composition of the body was evaluated using a Tanita BC-601 device and the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which was conducted as a reference method in the research related to the analysis of body composition. For this research, the following variables of body composition and aerobic endurance were applied: body height (BH), body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), muscle mass (TBM), bone mass or density (BMD), calorie expenditure (DCI), body vitality (BMR), body water intake (TBW), visceral fat intake (AVF), and the Rockport fitness test for aerobic endurance (ROFT). For the dependent group, the T-test analysis was applied through statistical methods. The results obtained after statistical processing showed that, in relation to the two-month programme three times a week (24 trainings), physical exercises in the fitness can affect the reduction of subcutaneous adipose tissue, and thus reduce the risk of various cardiovascular diseases. In addition to reducing fat mass with strength exercises in the fitness, there was also an improvement in aerobic endurance. This shows that, besides aerobic exercise, weight training should be applied to increase aerobic capacity.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of recreational futsal on passive middle-aged footballers in body composition.  Materials and methods. The research was conducted on a sample of 58 men aged from 30 to 40, average age 35.88 ± 2.39. The sample was divided into two groups. The first group included 29 passive football players (average age 35.58 ± 2.36) who were engaged in recreational futsal 2-3 times a week, and the second group included 29 passive football players (average age 36.17 ± 2.42) who weren’t engaged in recreational physical activity. The body composition was assessed by TANITA BC-601, the method of bioelectrical impedance, which became a reference method in research studies in the body composition analysis. The variables obtained were: body height (cm), body weight (kg), fat mass (%), muscle mass (kg), bone mass (kg), body mass index (kg/m2), calorie consumption – daily calorie intake (kcal), vitality of the body, quantity of water in the body (%), visceral fat (%). Results. Groups are not distinguished in the variables body height (HBH), calorie consumption – daily calorie intake (DCI), vitality of the body (BMR), and quantity of water in the body (TBV) because p > 0.05. In the variables where body mass, body fat tissue and muscle mass were assed, namely body weight (BWT), fat mass (BFP), muscle mass (TBM), bone mass (BMD), body mass index (BMI) and visceral fat (AVF), a statistically significant difference was gained p < 0.05 in favor of the group of passive football players who were involved in recreational futsal. Conclusions. It can be said that the recreational futsal as physical activity is an effective tool to improve body composition not only in passive football players but in all persons of all ages regardless of gender. Intensity and duration in recreational futsal is an effective way to reduce body fat in the population of passive middle-aged football players.