Physical fitness of Latin America children and adolescents: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

IntroductionPhysical fitness (PF) is an important indicator of health in children and adolescents. Internationally, test batteries have been used to assess overall PF. In Latin America, however, while PF has been widely measured, there is no accepted test battery, making it difficult to monitor and/or compare the PF levels of Latin children. The aim of this study, therefore, is to systematically review and potentially meta-analyse the peer-reviewed literature regarding the assessment of PF in Latin American children and adolescents.Methods and analysisThis systematic review and meta-analysis will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols statement. The systematic literature search will be performed in MEDLINE, Scopus, SciELO, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, LILACS and Latindex (Spanish) to locate articles published up to April 2021. Eligible studies will include both descriptive and analytic study designs. Meta-analyses are planned for sufficiently homogeneous PF outcomes with regard to statistical and methodological characteristics. Narrative syntheses are planned for PF outcomes that are considered to be too heterogeneous. The statistical program STATA V.15 will be used for meta-analyses, with subgroup analyses performed according to the characteristics of included studies.Ethics and disseminationThis systematic review and meta-analysis protocol is designed to provide updated evidence on the PF of Latin American children and adolescents. Findings from this review may be useful for teachers, researchers and other professionals responsible for paediatric fitness and health promotion/surveillance. The results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed scientific publications, conferences, educational talks and infographics.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42020189892.

Breastfeeding, Walking Onset, and Abdominal Obesity Are Determinants of Physical Fitness among Latin American and Spanish Schoolchildren: A Cross-Cultural Study

“…Moreover, adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Spanish children is predictive for health-related quality of life and high fitness status [ 46 ]. On the other hand, a meta-analysis conducted by Godoy-Cumillaf et al [ 47 ] highlights that there is a lack of scientific evidence on PF in Latin American children and adolescents, as well as a lack of updated normative values for the American population.…”

Physical activity-related indicators in children and adolescents in Uruguay: A scoping review based on the Global Matrix initiative

“…These initiatives are crucial for capacity building, promoting a research environment conducive to multidisciplinary collaboration, and making better use of financial and human resources ( 16 ). Although incipiently, this allows the development of different research capacity components ( 17 ), such as the consolidation of research teams ( 25 , 33 , 46 ), local training programs ( 47 ), networking opportunities ( 47 , 48 ), and cross-national collaborations ( 46 , 49 – 51 ). These points are especially important for building a sustainable research agenda in Uruguay, whereas research capacity and resources are limited ( 18 ), and the investigation of PA-related indicators is a nascent field ( 17 ).…”

“…Additionally, the first Uruguayan bachelor's theses ( 41 – 43 ) based on the indicators of the GM initiative represent a huge step forward, which will be better reflected in the coming years as research work is further developed and eventually published. Finally, regarding the consolidation of national research, the theses research was performed with the support of a national research group with several cross-national collaborations and scientific publications ( 15 , 46 , 54 , 55 ).…”

Beyond Boundaries: A Comprehensive Review of Anthropometric Indices in Urban and Rural India

“…The systematic review and meta-analysis protocol designed to evaluate the effects of physical activity interventions on anthropometric indicators and health indices in Chilean children and adolescents represent a significant contribution to the field [49]. This study aims to provide a standardized methodology for systematically reviewing existing evidence and synthesizing the most widely used field-based methods and health indices in assessing the impact of physical activity interventions on anthropometry.…”