Naslov
Secular trends in health-related physical fitness among 11–14-year-old Croatian children and adolescents from 1999 to 2014

Autori
Kasović, M. ; Štefan, L. ; Petrić, V.

Izvornik
Scientific reports (2045-2322) 11 (2021); 11039, 7

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Radovi u časopisima, članak, znanstveni

Ključne riječi
Secular trends ; health‑related physical fitness ; children ; adolescents

Sažetak
The main purpose of the study was to analyze secular trends of health-related physical ftness in 7–14-year-old Croatian children and adolescents from 1999 and 2014. In this observational crosssectional study, we recruited 5077 children and adolescents between ages 11 and 14 (50.8% girls) from fve primary schools located in the capital city of Zagreb. Physical ftness performance was tested from 1999 until 2014. Physical ftness performance included: (1) body- mass index (measure of body size), (2) standing broad jump (measure of lower-body power), (3) polygon backwards (measure of general coordination and agility), (4) sit-ups in 60 s (measure of upper-body strength), (5) sit-and- reach test (measure of fexibility) and (6) 6-min run test (measure of cardiorespiratory ftness). Boys performed better in all physical ftness tests, except for sit-and-reach test (p< 0.001). In boys, between 1999 and 2014, body size, upper-body strength and coordination/agility increased, while fexibility, lowerbody power and cardiorespiratory ftness decreased. During the same period, girls experienced an increase in body size, lower-body power, upper- body strength, coordination/agility and fexibility, while cardiorespiratory ftness decreased. This study shows that cardiorespiratory ftness, fexibility and coordination/agility decrease, while upper- body strength increases in both sexes. These fndings should serve as an avenue for national monitoring system to screen and track biological development in children and adolescents.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kineziologija, Interdisciplinarne društvene znanosti

POVEZANOST RADA