Development of physical fitness in Austrian primary school children

Abstract

SummaryBackgroundPhysical activity and physical fitness play an important role in the prevention of overweight and obesity in childhood and adolescence and reduce the risk of becoming overweight or obese in adulthood.AimTo evaluate the development of physical fitness in overweight and non-overweight primary school children from the first to third grades.MethodsUsing a longitudinal study design, body height and weight as well as physical fitness of primary school children from Tyrol, Austria were measured five times during a period of 2.5 years using the German motor performance test (DMT 6–18).ResultsIn total, 266 children (55% boys) with a mean age of 6.4 ± 0.5 years at baseline participated. The proportion of overweight children was 11% at baseline and 22% at the fifth time point. Overweight children showed a significantly lower physical fitness level (mean total z‑score of DMT6–18) at all 5 time points (Hedges g: 0.64–1.09). Repeated measurement analyses of variances showed a significant increase of physical fitness over time among overweight (partial η2: 0.12) and non-overweight (partial η2: 0.29) children. With respect to gender, physical fitness significantly increased over time among overweight (partial η2: 0.20) and non-overweight (partial η2: 0.28) girls, as well as among non-overweight boys (partial η2: 0.31) but not among overweight boys (partial η2: 0.07).ConclusionOverweight and non-overweight primary school children significantly increased their physical fitness over the study period; however, overweight children showed a significantly lower physical fitness level at all test time points and did not even achieve the mean baseline fitness level of non-overweight children. With respect to the increasing percentage of overweight children over the study period, evidence-based preventive measures to reduce overweight and increase physical fitness should be implemented at the earliest in primary schools with a special focus on overweight boys.

Factors Associated with Physical Fitness among Overweight and Non-Overweight Austrian Secondary School Students

“…For example, in a pooled analysis including more than 73,000 adolescents aged 13–15 years, Garcia-Hermoso et al [30] revealed low cardiorespiratory fitness and musculoskeletal fitness levels in overweight and obese adolescents when compared with their normal weight peers. The observed differences within physical fitness between overweight and non-overweight adolescents in this study are in line with previous research [17,20,22] and might be partly caused by the fact that excessive body fat of overweight and obese children and adolescents is an extra load to be moved during weight-bearing tasks [31]. However, the BMI cannot distinguish between lean and fat mass, and therefore provides no information of body fat distribution [32].…”

“…In accordance with our previous studies on Austrian children and adolescents [16,19,20,21,22] students’ height and weight were measured in sport clothing and barefoot. Body height was measured by using the mobile stadiometer “Seca 217” (Seca, Hamburg, Germany) with an accuracy of 0.1 cm and body weight was measured with the calibrated scale “Grundig PS 2010” (Grundig AG, Neu-Isenburg, Germany) with an accuracy of 0.1 kg.…”

“…While there are some recent studies dealing with physical fitness and overweight of Austrian primary school children (ages 6–10 years) and secondary school children from grade 5 to 8 (ages 11–14 years) [16,20,21,22], less information is available regarding secondary school students from grade 9 to 12 (ages 15–18 years).…”

Impact of Parental Education and Physical Activity on the Long-Term Development of the Physical Fitness of Primary School Children: An Observational Study

“…Although a recent study suggests that differences in specific components of PF may not be sharp across BMI categories [41], our findings are well comparable with a wide body of literature [37,42]. In an earlier longitudinal study on primary school children from first to third grade, we found that overweight children showed significantly lower physical fitness at all test time points and they did not even outreach the mean baseline fitness level of non-overweight children [42]. In the present study, the frequency of overweight children was significantly lower in children with at least one parent having completed upper secondary education or above, which is in line with the outcomes from Merino-De Haro et al [28], who reported that preschoolers aged 3-5 years whose parents had higher educational levels showed lower body fat.…”

“…Our results also revealed a higher physical fitness in non-overweight children. Although a recent study suggests that differences in specific components of PF may not be sharp across BMI categories [41], our findings are well comparable with a wide body of literature [37,42]. In an earlier longitudinal study on primary school children from first to third grade, we found that overweight children showed significantly lower physical fitness at all test time points and they did not even outreach the mean baseline fitness level of non-overweight children [42].…”