Influence of Sport Practice and Body Weight on Physical Fitness in Schoolchildren Living in the Campania Region

Abstract

Background: Physical fitness (PF) levels correlate with health hallmarks at all ages. In this study, w aimed to determine the PF level of schoolchildren from the Campania Region (Italy) through health-related PF (HRPF) components, taking into account body weight and sport practice (SP). Methods: PF level was determined in 565 schoolchildren aged 10–13 (11.7 ± 1.0 yrs; m: 353, f: 212) using some of the Eurofit battery tests. Results: 77% children practiced sport, boys more than girls (86% vs. 63%, respectively; p < 0.05). Boys performed better than girls (p < 0.05) in the Plate Tapping, Standing Broad Jump, Bent-Arm Hang, and 10 × 5 m Shuttle Run tests; girls performed better in the Sit-and-Reach Test (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Overweight/obese status negatively affects the muscular strength of lower limbs, even if it progressively improves during growth. SP was revealed to be a determinant in performance only in some PF tests, likely due to the heterogeneous training level among boys and girls who practice sport.

Increasing Physical Activity at School Improves Physical Fitness of Early Adolescents

“…Also, in a study by Gea-García et al (2020) boys scored higher on tests similar to those presented in this study [14]. The opposite was observed in the study by Mancini et al (2022) conducted on children aged 10-13, which reported no differences in the speed test between physically active boys and those not undertaking additional PA [57]. However, it was a pilot study and long-term outcomes were not monitored.…”

“…. Studies byZhang et al (2021) [66] andMancini et al (2022) [57] also indicated better scores in the core strength test in girls, as already discussed above.Analysis of the fitness test results in the present study showed that children performed best in the agility test, i.e., the 10 × 5 m shuttle run. On average, children with increased PA at school achieved more favorable scores in the agility test than those of standard PA (21.56 s and 22.07 s; respectively).…”

“…In the study by Tomkinson et al (2018) conducted with the Eurofit test showed that boys performed significantly better than girls in tests of muscular strength, muscular endurance, and speed but worse in the core strength test [36]. Also in the study by Mancini et al (2022), girls showed better fitness performance in the core strength test than boys [57].…”

“…It is well known that overweight and obesity result in a decrease in sporting ability [14,57,58]. In fact, motor skills such as running, jumping, or sit-ups are often hampered by excessive body weight.…”

Relación entre Índices Antropométricos de Obesidad y Condición Física en Escolares de 9 a 14 Años de la Región de Valparaíso, Chile

“…El evaluador entregó las instrucciones para realizar el inicio del salto y el participante buscó alcanzar la máxima distancia horizontal. Se realizaron 2 intentos y se registró el mejor de ambos, evaluando el lugar del apoyo del cuerpo que se encuentre más cerca de la línea de salida inicial (Mancini et al, 2022).…”