The Association of Body Mass Index and Fat Mass with Health-Related Physical Fitness among Chinese Schoolchildren: A Study Using a Predictive Model

Qiang Wang, Hongzhi Guo, Sitong Chen, Jiameng Ma and Hyunshik Kim ()
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Qiang Wang: College of Sports Science, Shenyang Normal University, Shenyang 110034, China
Hongzhi Guo: Graduate School of Human Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa 359-1192, Japan
Sitong Chen: Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University, Melbourne, VIC 3011, Australia
Jiameng Ma: Faculty of Sports Science, Sendai University, Shibata 989-1693, Japan
Hyunshik Kim: Faculty of Sports Science, Sendai University, Shibata 989-1693, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 20, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Body fat mass (FM) has advantages over body mass index (BMI) in terms of accuracy of fitness assessment and health monitoring. However, the relationship between FM and fitness in Chinese children has not yet been well studied. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health-related physical fitness, BMI, and FM, which was estimated using a predictive model among elementary schoolchildren in China. This cross-sectional study included 2677 participants (boys, 53.6%; girls, 46.4%) who underwent anthropometric measurements (height, weight, BMI, and FM) and five health-related fitness tests: 50-m sprint (speed), sit and reach (flexibility), timed rope-skipping (coordination), timed sit-ups (muscular endurance), and 50-m × 8 shuttle run (endurance). In boys, BMI showed a positive correlation with speed ( p < 0.001) and endurance ( p < 0.006) tests and a negative correlation with flexibility ( p < 0.004) and coordination ( p < 0.001) tests. In girls, a positive correlation between speed ( p < 0.001) and endurance ( p < 0.036) tests was observed. Both BMI and FM (estimated using the predictive model) were strongly associated with the health-related physical fitness of elementary schoolchildren. Our findings indicate that health-related physical fitness was similarly affected by FM and BMI. As FM can be quantified, it could therefore be used to develop strategies and intervention programs for the prevention and management of obesity in children.

Keywords: speed; flexibility; coordination; muscular endurance; endurance; schoolchildren; Chinese (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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