Background: Understanding environmental correlates of physical activity can inform

Research Methods and Procedures:A random sample of 3214 Flemish schoolchildren was selected and divided into an "obese" and "nonobese" group based on body mass index and sum of skinfolds. Physical fitness was assessed by the European physical fitness test battery. Physical activity was estimated by a modified version of the Baecke Questionnaire. Results: Obese subjects had inferior performances on all tests requiring propulsion or lifting of the body mass (standing-broad jump, sit-ups, bent-arm hang, speed shuttle run, and endurance shuttle run) compared with their nonobese counterparts (p Ͻ 0.001). In contrast, the obese subjects showed greater strength on handgrip (p Ͻ 0.001). Both groups had similar levels of leisure-time physical activity; however, nonobese boys had a higher sport index than their obese counterparts (p Ͻ 0.05). Discussion: Results of this study show that obese subjects had poorer performances on weight-bearing tasks, but did not have lower scores on all fitness components. To encourage adherence to physical activity in obese youth, it is important that activities are tailored to their capabilities. Results suggest that weight-bearing activities should be limited at the start of an intervention with obese participants and alternative activities that rely more on static strength used.

Regular aerobic physical activity (PA) increases exercise capacity and physical fitness (PF), which can lead to many health benefits. Accurate quantification of PA and PF becomes essential in terms of health outcome and effectiveness of intervention programmes. In this manuscript we present a review regarding the assessment of physical activity and fitness. Three types of PA assessment methods can be distinguished: criterion methods, objective methods and subjective methods. Criterion methods like doubly labelled water, indirect calorimetry and direct observation are the most reliable and valid measurements against which all other PA assessments methods should be validated, but they also hold important drawbacks. Objective PA assessment methods include activity monitors (pedometers and accelerometers) and heart rate monitoring. Finally, questionnaires and activity diaries are considered subjective methods. For the assessment of PF, we distinguish field tests and laboratory tests. The Eurofit for Adults is a test battery that is designed to assess health-related fitness of individuals, communities, sub-populations and populations. It is mainly used for evaluating the morphological component, the muscular component, the motor component and the cardio-respiratory component. In the laboratory, exercise capacity is preferentially assessed through maximal incremental exercise testing. Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing is a well-established procedure that provides a wealth of clinically diagnostic and prognostic information. The peak oxygen uptake is the gold standard in the assessment of exercise tolerance. When maximal exercise is contraindicated or not achievable, the VAT or the submaximal slopes provide reasonable alternatives.

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This study investigated the validity of the Baecke Questionnaire, the Five City Project Questionnaire, and the Tecumseh Community Health Study Questionnaire in 19 Flemish males, using correlation and multiple stepwise regression analyses. The three questionnaires are commonly used physical activity questionnaires in epidemiological studies. The physical activity level (PAL) as measured with the doubly labelled water method was used as the criterion. The Baecke total activity index showed the highest correlation coefficient with PAL (r = 0.69, p < 0.001). Also the sweat index from the Five City Project Questionnaire, and total daily energy expenditure from the Tecumseh Community Health Study Questionnaire showed significant associations with PAL, respectively 0.57 (p < 0.05) and 0.64 (p < 0.01). Multiple stepwise regression analyses supported the findings from the correlation study. The largest individual contribution in PAL was from the activity index (45%) for the Baecke Questionnaire, the sweat index (29%) for the Five City Project Questionnaire, and total daily energy expenditure (38%) for the Tecumseh Community Health Study Questionnaire. In conclusion, the questionnaires, and certainly the Baecke Questionnaire, can provide valid data about physical activity. Therefore they are useful in epidemiological studies.

Regular aerobic physical activity (PA) increases exercise capacity and physical fitness (PF), which can lead to many health benefits. Accurate quantification of PA and PF becomes essential in terms of health outcome and effectiveness of intervention programmes. In this manuscript we present a review regarding the assessment of physical activity and fitness. Three types of PA assessment methods can be distinguished: criterion methods, objective methods and subjective methods. Criterion methods like doubly labelled water, indirect calorimetry and direct observation are the most reliable and valid measurements against which all other PA assessments methods should be validated, but they also hold important drawbacks. Objective PA assessment methods include activity monitors (pedometers and accelerometers) and heart rate monitoring. Finally, questionnaires and activity diaries are considered subjective methods. For the assessment of PF, we distinguish field tests and laboratory tests. The Eurofit for Adults is a test battery that is designed to assess health-related fitness of individuals, communities, sub-populations and populations. It is mainly used for evaluating the morphological component, the muscular component, the motor component and the cardio-respiratory component. In the laboratory, exercise capacity is preferentially assessed through maximal incremental exercise testing. Cardio-pulmonary exercise testing is a well-established procedure that provides a wealth of clinically diagnostic and prognostic information. The peak oxygen uptake is the gold standard in the assessment of exercise tolerance. When maximal exercise is contraindicated or not achievable, the VAT or the submaximal slopes provide reasonable alternatives.

We report the morphology (height, weight, body fat, body mass index), fitness (strength, speed, agility, flexibility), and soccer-specific (dribbling) and non-specific motor coordination skills (Körper KoordinationsTest für Kinder; KTK) of 78 Belgian international youth soccer players aged 15-16 years with varying biological maturity status. The more mature players (U16 and U17) possessed higher morphological measures and outperformed their later maturing peers (U16 Futures and U17 Futures) on almost all fitness tests. However, soccer-specific and non-specific motor coordination tests did not distinguish the more mature players from the later maturing players in both age groups. When adjusted for the confounder (age at peak height velocity), multivariate analysis of covariance revealed that several morphology- and fitness-related parameters did not differ between selection groups, again in both age groups. These findings indicate that biological maturation affects morphology and fitness more so than motor coordination skills. In conclusion, to prevent the dropout of promising late maturing players, we suggest avoiding one-dimensional approaches and to include measures of biological maturity status as well as maturity independent performance tests during the talent identification and selection process.

The first part of this study examined in which basic morphological and fitness measures Under-14 (n=34) and Under-16 (n=47) male youth handball players differ from reference samples of the same age (n=430 and n=570, respectively). To help develop a talent identification model, the second part of the study investigated which specific morphological and performance measures describe differences between elite (n=18) and non-elite (n=29) Under-16 youth handball players. The results showed that Under-16 handball players were significantly taller than the reference group; this was not the case in the Under-14 age group. Physical fitness in handball players was significantly better than in the reference groups. Multivariate analysis of covariance (maturation and chronological age as covariates) showed that the Under-16 elite players were heavier and had greater muscle circumferences than their non-elite peers. Elite players scored significantly better on strength, speed and agility, and cardiorespiratory endurance but not on balance, upper limb speed, flexibility or upper body muscular endurance. Maturation was a significant covariate in anthropometric measures but not in physical performance. Discriminant analysis between elite and non-elite players revealed that height, running speed, and agility are important parameters for talent identification. Specific anthropometric measures, in addition to some performance measures, are useful for talent identification in youth handball.