Sex and age correlations of reported and estimated physical fitness in adolescents

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 14; no. 7; p. e0219217
• Main Authors: Paradzik, Petar, Sporis, Goran, Stefan, Lovro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 03-07-2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Age; Age Factors; Biology and Life Sciences; Children; Children & youth; Correlation; Correlation coefficient; Correlation coefficients; Cross-sectional studies; Female; Fitness; Girls; Health aspects; Health care; Humans; Kinesiology; Long jump; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Normal distribution; People and Places; Physical education; Physical fitness; Physical Fitness - physiology; Physical Sciences; Physiology; Population; Research and Analysis Methods; Self Report; Sex; Sex Characteristics; Students; Studies; Systematic review; Teenagers; Young adults; Youth; Croatia
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219217

The main purpose of the study was to explore sex and age specific correlations between self-reported and estimated physical fitness. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 1 036 secondary-school students (55.3% girls). Self-reported physical fitness was assessed on a 10-point scale, with a higher score indicating better physical fitness. We measured waist circumference, sit-ups in 1 minute, standing long jump and sit-and-reach test and calculated z-scores to obtain objective physical fitness index. Boys performed better in sit-ups in 1 minute and standing long jump tests and had higher waist circumference values. Girls performed better in sit-and-reach test. Overall, boys had higher physical fitness z-score values, compared to girls. Younger boys had better physical fitness perception (r1st grade = 0.61, p<0.001), compared to older ones (r = 0.40-0.50, p<0.001). In girls, correlation coefficient was the highest in the 3rd grade (r = 0.46, p<0.001), followed by the 2ndgrade (r = 0.43, p<0.001), the 1stgrade (r = 0.41, p<0.001) and the 4th grade (r = 0.37, p<0.001). Our study shows moderate sex and age specific correlation between self-reported and estimated physical fitness in a large sample of adolescents.