Anthropometric Indices and Some Aspects of Physical Fitness in Croatian Adolescents by Gender

Martin Zvonar, Mario Kasović and Lovro Štefan
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Martin Zvonar: Faculty of Sport Studies, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Mario Kasović: Faculty of Sport Studies, Masaryk University, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
Lovro Štefan: Department of General and Applied Kinesiology, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, Horvaćanski zavoj 15, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia

IJERPH, 2019, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-7

Abstract: Background . The main purpose of this study was to explore the body-mass index and waist circumference associated with physical fitness by gender. Methods. In this cross-sectional study, we included 1036 adolescents (55.4% girls) from eight randomly selected secondary schools within the city of Zagreb (Croatia). Body-mass index and waist circumference were objectively measured. Physical fitness included three tests: (1) 1 min sit-ups, (2) standing long jump and (3) a sit-and-reach test. Associations were calculated using linear regression models. Results. Boys had higher body-mass index and waist circumference values, compared to girls ( p < 0.001). They also performed better in 1 min sit-ups and the standing long jump tests ( p < 0.001), while girls obtained higher values in the sit-and-reach test ( p < 0.001). In boys, body-mass index and waist circumference were associated with 1 min sit-ups and the standing long jump. In girls, waist circumference was also associated with 1 min sit-ups and the standing long jump, while body-mass index was only associated with this standing long jump. Conclusions. Our study shows that anthropometric indices have non-linear associations with physical fitness tests in a large sample of Croatian adolescents. Screening for thinness and obesity to predict the level of physical fitness should be of a great interest.

Keywords: secondary-school students; body-mass index; waist circumference; fitness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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