Fitness Measures and Health Outcomes in Youth (2012) / Chapter Skim
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Assessment of fitness historically has encompassed such components as body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, musculoskeletal strength and endurance, and flexibility. Examples of tests used historically in national 1
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While the components of fitness measured and the specific test items included in protocols have varied considerably across test batteries and over time, youth fitness testing has become a well-established institution in school physical education programs during the past half-century. In a school context, tests are being used as institutional fitness assessment tools, as educational tools to teach youth and their families about the importance of physical fitness, and as communication tools to guide individuals on attainable goals for maintaining fitness and health.
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The committee will also study to what extent is change in perfor mance on a fitness test item (e.g., handgrip strength or 1.5-mile walk/run) associated with change in health outcomes in youth who are apparently "healthy" but include both obese and nonobese.
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The committee also recognized that national surveys and schools and other educational settings2 raise different implementation issues. In addition, the conduct of fitness tests in schools may be driven by goals beyond health, such as educating about the importance of specific fitness components.
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In general, the studies reviewed provided insufficient data with which to assess the influence of several potential modifiers -- age, gender, race/ethnicity, body composition, maturation status, motor skill -- on performance on tests of cardiorespiratory endurance, musculoskeletal fitness, and flexibility. As noted earlier, the committee's recommendations are specific to the implementation of fitness measures either in a national youth fitness survey or in schools and other educational settings.
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Finally, the committee offers recommendations for future research that would advance understanding of youth fitness measures and their association with health outcomes. Conclusions About Components of Fitness The committee's conclusions relate to the four components of fitness detailed above: body composition, cardiorespiratory endurance, musculoskeletal fitness, and flexibility.
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These measures also vary in that they have been associated with different health markers; for example, skinfold measures are related to risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome, waist circumference has been associated with cardiovascular disease, and BMI is related to risk of diabetes and hypertension. When implementing and interpreting measures of body composition, it is important to note that many factors, such as physical activity, calorie consumption, age, and maturation, influence body composition measures.
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Although the fitness tests and protocols used vary substantially, the cardiorespiratory endurance tests associated most frequently and strongly with a positive change in health markers or risk factors are heart rate extrapolation tests (i.e., those that use a treadmill or cycle ergometer and measure cardiorespiratory endurance as maximal oxygen consumption [VO2max]
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Studies reviewed show a relationship between performance on these tests and bone health and body composition. The handgrip strength test demonstrates moderate to strong validity when assessed against upperand lower-body criterion muscle strength measures.
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Recommendations for National Surveys A substantial body of evidence supports the idea that specific tests measuring cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition are related to health markers in youth. The evidence for an association between musculoskeletal fitness and health markers in youth is less extensive.
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Conducting fitness tests in educational settings can yield further benefits, such as contributing to the body of evidence on the association between health-related fitness components and learning outcomes, improving individuals' fitness performance, and educating about the importance of physical fitness. The committee considered the strengths and weaknesses of the test items recommended for a national survey with regard to their practicality in schools and other educational settings.
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The curl-up may be considered in addition to the suggested musculoskeletal fitness tests for measuring core strength and endurance. Although the committee does not recommend a flexibility measure as a core component of a fitness test battery, administrators in schools and other educational settings may wish to include the sit-and-reach test or its alternatives (e.g., backsaver sit-andreach)
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specific fitness tests and health, and (2) fitness components and health: · tudies should explore the relationship between body composi S tion measures and physical fitness tests and the potential interac tions among body composition, fitness, and health in youth.
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, either by themselves or in combination with musculoskeletal fitness test items, and potential health markers (e.g., back pain, posture, injury prevention)
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