Query: health related fitness and free active sport in adolescence

title: The self esteem, goal orientation, and health related physical fitness of active and inactive adolescent students
abstract: A purposive sample of 200 (100 active and 100 inactive) adolescent students between 11 and 17 years (mean age of active students 13.40 1.64 and inactive students 13.18 1.40) were invited to participate in this study. The self esteem and goal orientation of the students were determined with Rosenberg's Self Esteem Scale (1965) and the Task and Ego Orientation in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ) respectively. The health related behavior and physical fitness of the students were determined by five tests measuring upper body strength, muscular endurance, aerobic endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Group comparisons of active and inactive students were done using descriptive statistics and independent samples t tests, while Chi square tests were used to determine the adolescents' time spent on sedentary activities, specifically on "Sunday" and the "Other Weekdays." The results showed a significant difference between both groups on all of the parameters of health related physical fitness components, self esteem, and goal orientation. Active students had higher self esteem and task orientation, whereas inactive students showed lower self esteem and higher ego orientation levels.

title: The relationship between active travel to school and health related fitness in children and adolescents: a systematic review
abstract: BackgroundActive travel to school (ATS) has been identified as an important source of physical activity for youth. However, the relationship between ATS and health related fitness (HRF) among youth remains unclear.MethodsA systematic search of seven electronic databases (EMBASE, OVID MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus and TRIS on line) was conducted in December 2009 and studies published since 1980 were considered for inclusion.ResultsTwenty seven articles were identified that explored the relationship between ATS and the following aspects of HRF: weight status/body composition, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular fitness and flexibility. Forty eight percent of the studies that examined the relationship between ATS and weight status/body composition reported significant associations, this increased to 55% once poor quality studies were removed. Furthermore, the findings from five studies, including one longitudinal study, indicate that ATS is positively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in youth. However, the evidence for the relationships between ATS and muscular fitness or flexibility is equivocal and limited by low study numbers.ConclusionsThere is some evidence to suggest that ATS is associated with a healthier body composition and level of cardiorespiratory fitness among youth. Strategies to increase ATS are warranted and should be included in whole of school approaches to the promotion of physical activity.

title: Participation in community based sport skills learning programmes, physical activity recommendations and health related fitness for children in Greece
abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participation in a community based sport skills learning programme on reported physical activity (PA) daily step counts and fitness levels of children aged 10 12 years. Participants in this study were 119 students, 59 girls (age 11.02+ 0.8 years, mean+ SD) and 60 boys (age 11.2+ 0.9 years) from the prefecture of Thesprotia in Greece. Reported physical activity was assessed with the 3 day physical activity record Greek self report record and the number of daily steps determined with a pedometer. Physical fitness was assessed using the Fitnessgram 8.0 tests. Participants in a sport skills learning programme formed group A (n 59) and participants only in physical education classes formed group B (n 60) Children in group A showed higher physical activity (p<0.01) daily steps (p>0.001) aerobic capacity (p<0.001) and abdominal strength (p<0.001) Additionally, there were more children meeting the recommendations for the number of daily steps and the Healthy Fitness Zone standards in group A than in group B. In conclusion, community based sport skills learning programmes, by serving their main goal of motor skill learning, had positive effects on selected elements of physical fitness and helped children achieve daily physical activity recommendations although intraindividual variations should not be overlooked.

title: Clustering of multiple lifestyle behaviors and health related fitness in European adolescents.
abstract: To explore the clustering of different lifestyle behaviors and whether this clustering differs by gender, age, and health related fitness.  Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) cross sectional study.  Ten European cities.  A total of 2,084 adolescents (12.5 17.5 years) MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Four lifestyle behaviors were assessed by self administered questionnaires: moderate to vigorous physical activity, homework time, screen time, and diet. Health related fitness components (aerobic capacity, strength, speed agility, and body composition) were assessed.  Hierarchical method and k means cluster analysis. Analysis of variance tests.  Five clusters were identified: Healthy diet and Active, Healthy diet and Academic, Healthy diet and Inactive, Unhealthy diet and Screen user, and Unhealthy diet and Active. Younger adolescents were more active and followed a healthier diet than older adolescents. Older boys devoted more time to screen use, whereas older girls devoted more time to homework. Boys in the Healthy diet and Active cluster presented higher aerobic capacity and speed agility, whereas girls presented higher aerobic capacity, strength, and speed agility.  Clustering of different lifestyle behaviors is observed. Different healthy lifestyles do not always come together and clusters are associated with gender, age, and health related fitness, but not with body composition. These differences need to be considered when developing intervention strategies for the prevention of unhealthy habits.

title: Secular trends in health related physical fitness in Spanish adolescents: the AVENA and HELENA studies.
abstract: We analysed the secular trends in health related physical fitness in Spanish adolescents between 2001 2002 and 2006 2007. Two representative population studies were conducted 5 years apart in adolescents (12.5 17.5 years) from Zaragoza (Spain) that participated in the AVENA study in 2001 2002 and in the HELENA CSS study in 2006 2007. Both studies used the same tests to assess physical fitness: the handgrip strength, bent arm hang, standing broad jump, 4x10m shuttle run and 20m shuttle run tests. Performance in 4x10m shuttle run and 20m shuttle run tests was higher in 2006 2007 (Cohen's d ranging from 0.2 to 0.4, p<0.05) whereas performance in handgrip strength and standing broad jump tests was lower in 2006 2007 (Cohen's d ranging from 0.3 to 1.1, p<0.001) Adjustment for age, pubertal status, fat mass, fat free mass and parental education did not alter the results. The odds ratio (OR) of meeting the FITNESSGRAM Standards for healthy cardiorespiratory fitness was higher in 2006 2007 in both boys (OR, 95% CI: 2.123, 1.157 3.908) and girls (OR, 95% CI: 2.420, 1.377 4.255) The results indicate that levels of both speed/agility and cardiorespiratory fitness were higher in 2006 2007 than in 2001 2002, whereas muscular strength components were lower in 2006 2007.

title: Physical activity from adolescence to adulthood and health related fitness at age 31 cross sectional and longitudinal analyses of the Northern Finland birth cohort of 1966

title: Health related physical fitness among rural primary school children in Tshannda, South Africa
abstract: The socioeconomic transformation in South Africa over the previous decade may have created a less active lifestyle and a decline in fitness among South African children. This study seeks to present the data on the health related physical fitness of the Tshannda rural school children in grades 1 to 7 and to evaluate age and gender differences in physical fitness among the Tshannda children, of which information is not yet available. The stature, body mass and skinfolds of the children were measured and the Eurofit test battery was used to assess the children's physical and performance fitness. Percentage body fats, fat mass and fat free mass were calculated. There was progressive increase and improvement in the performance values from grade level one to seven. In the physical performance tests requiring moving the body, power and strength, the boys generally performed higher than the girls. Girls were superior to boys in the tests of flexibility. Body fat was higher in girls than in boys at all grades and increases with advancement in grades. The physical performance measures of our samples increase in grade levels and with the boys having higher values than girls as well as performing better in activities requiring physical exertion and expenditure of energy. In contrasts, the girls showed superiority in flexibility measures and accumulate more body fat than the boys. Physical fitness of these rural school children seems to be low, thus confirming the worldwide decline in fitness levels of children.  South Africa, eurofit test, anthropometric measurement, physical fitness, rural children.

title: The relationship between motor competence and health related fitness in children and adolescents
abstract: In the last twenty years, there has been increasing evidence that Motor Competence (MC) is vital for developing an active and healthy lifestyle. This study analyses the associations between motor competence and its components, with health related fitness (HRF)  A random sample of 546 children (278 males, mean 10.77 years) divided into four age groups (7 8; 9 10; 11 12; 13 14 years old) was evaluated. A quantitative MC instrument (evaluating stability, locomotor and manipulative skills) a maximal multistage 20 m shuttle run test and the handgrip test, height and BMI were used in the analyses. Pearson correlations and standard regression modelling were performed to explore the associations between variables.  Moderate to strong significant correlations (0.49 r 0.73) were found between MC and HRF, for both sexes, and correlation values were stable across the age groups. The MC model explained 74% of the HRF variance, with the locomotor component being the highest predictor for the entire sample (b .302; p .001) Gender related differences were found when boys and girls were analysed at each age group. Locomotor MC for girls was the most consistent significant predictor of HRF across all age groups (0.47 b 0.65; all p<.001) For boys, significant predictors were locomotor and manipulative MC (0.21 b 0.49; all p .05) in the two younger age groups (7 8 and 9 10 years) and stability (0.50 b 0.54; all p<.001) for the older two age groups (11 12 and 13 14 years)  These results support the idea that: (1) the relationship between overall MC and HRF is strong and stable across childhood and early adolescence; (2) when accounting for the different MC components, boys and girls show different relationship patterns with HFR across age.

title: Motor competence and health related physical fitness in youth: A systematic review.
abstract: This study aimed to review the scientific evidence on associations between motor competence (MC) and components of health related physical fitness (HRPF) in children and adolescents.   Systematic search of Academic Search Premier, ERIC, PubMed, PsycInfo, Scopus, SportDiscus, and Web of Science databases was undertaken between October 2012 and December 2013. Studies examining associations between MC and HRPF components (body weight status, cardiorespiratory fitness, musculoskeletal fitness and flexibility) in healthy children and adolescents, published between 1990 and 2013, were included. Risk of bias within studies was assessed using CONSORT and STROBE guidelines. The origin, design, sample, measure of MC, measure of the HRPF, main results and statistics of the studies were analyzed and a narrative synthesis was conducted.  Forty four studies matched all criteria; 16 were classified as low risk of bias and 28 as medium risk. There is strong scientific evidence supporting an inverse association between MC and body weight status (27 out of 33 studies) and a positive association between MC and cardiorespiratory fitness (12 out of 12 studies) and musculoskeletal fitness (7 out of 11 studies) The relationship between MC and flexibility was uncertain.  Considering the noted associations between various assessments of MC and with multiple aspects of HRPF, the development of MC in childhood may both directly and indirectly augment HRPF and may serve to enhance the development of long term health outcomes in children and adolescents.

title: Effects of the Boy Scouts of America Personal Fitness Merit Badge on Cardio Metabolic Risk, Health Related Fitness and Physical Activity in Adolescent Boys
abstract: A growing number of adolescents are more sedentary and have fewer formal opportunities to participate in physical activity. With the mounting evidence that sedentary time has a negative impact on cardiometabolic profiles, health related fitness and physical activity, there is a pressing need to find an affordable adolescent physical activity intervention. One possible intervention that has been overlooked in the past is Boy Scouts of America. There are nearly 900,000 adolescent boys who participate in Boy Scouts in the United States. The purpose of this research study was to evaluate the effect of the Personal Fitness merit badge system on physical activity, health related fitness, and cardio metabolic blood profiles in Boy Scouts 11 17 years of age. Participants were fourteen (N 14) Boy Scouts from the Great Salt Lake Council of the Boy Scouts of America who earned their Personal Fitness merit badge. Classes were held in the Spring of 2016 where boys received the information needed to obtain the merit badge and data were collected. Results from the related samples Wilcoxon signed rank test showed that the median of differences between VO2 peak pre test and post test scores were statistically significant (p 0.004) However, it also showed that the differences between the Pre MetS (metabolic syndrome) and Post MetS scores (p 0.917) average steps taken per day (p 0.317) and BMI (p 0.419) were not statistically significant. In conclusion, the merit badge program had a positive impact on cardiovascular endurance, suggesting this program has potential to improve cardiovascular fitness and should be considered for boys participating in Boy Scouts.