The normative values hereby provided will enable evaluation and correct interpretation of European adolescents' fitness status.

Objective: To examine the reliability of a set of health-related physical fitness tests used in the European Union-funded Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) Study on lifestyle and nutrition among adolescents. Design: A set of physical fitness tests was performed twice in a study sample, 2 weeks apart, by the same researchers. Participants: A total of 123 adolescents (69 males and 54 females, aged 13.6 ± 0.8 years) from 10 European cities participated in the study. Measurements: Flexibility, muscular fitness, speed/agility and aerobic capacity were tested using the back-saver sit and reach, handgrip, standing broad jump, Bosco jumps (squat jump, counter movement jump and Abalakov jump), bent arm hang, 4 Â 10 m shuttle run, and 20-m shuttle run tests. Results: The ANOVA analysis showed that neither systematic bias nor sex differences were found for any of the studied tests, except for the back-saver sit and reach test, in which a borderline significant sex difference was observed (P ¼ 0.044). The Bland-Altman plots graphically showed the reliability patterns, in terms of systematic errors (bias) and random error (95% limits of agreement), of the physical fitness tests studied. The observed systematic error for all the fitness assessment tests was nearly 0. Conclusions: Neither a learning nor a fatigue effect was found for any of the physical fitness tests when repeated. The results also suggest that reliability did not differ between male and female adolescents. Collectively, it can be stated that the reliability of the set of physical fitness tests examined in this study is acceptable. The data provided contribute to a better understanding of physical fitness assessment in young people.

The Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Study aims to describe total body fat percentage and anthropometric indices of body fat distribution in European adolescents. Objective: To describe the standardization process and reliability of anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) measurements. We examined both intra-and interobserver errors for skinfolds, circumferences and BIA. Methods: For the intraobserver error assessment, first of all, 202 adolescents in the pilot study (110 boys, 92 girls, aged 13.64 ± 0.78 years) were assessed. For the second intraobserver and interobserver assessments, 10 adolescents were studied (5 boys and 5 girls). Results: The pilot study's intraobserver technical errors of measurement (TEMs) were between 0.12 and 2.9 mm for skinfold thicknesses, and between 0.13 and 1.75 cm for circumferences. Intraobserver reliability for skinfold thicknesses was greater than 69.44% and beyond 78.43% for circumferences. The final workshop's intraobserver TEMs for skinfold thicknesses and circumferences were smaller than 1; for BIA resistance TEMs were smaller than 0.1 O and for reactance they were smaller than 0.2 O. Intraobserver reliability values were greater than 95, 97, 99 and 97% for skinfold thicknesses, circumferences, BIA resistance and reactance, respectively. Interobserver TEMs for skinfold thicknesses and circumferences ranged from 1 to 2 mm; for BIA they were 1.16 and 1.26 O for resistance and reactance, respectively. Interobserver reliability for skinfold thicknesses and circumferences were greater than 90%, and for BIA resistance and reactance they were greater than 90%. Conclusions: After the results of the pilot study, it was necessary to optimize the quality of the anthropometric measurements before the final survey. Significant improvements were observed in the intraobserver reliabilities for all measurements, with interobserver reliabilities being higher than 90% for most of the measurements.

Objective: To describe self-reported physical activity (PA) patterns in the various domains (school, home, transport, leisure time) and intensity categories (walking, moderate PA, vigorous PA) in European adolescents. Furthermore, self-reported PA patterns were evaluated in relation to gender, age category, weight status category and socio-economic status (SES). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Ten European cities. Subjects: In total, 3051 adolescents (47?6 % boys, mean age 14?8 (SD 1?2) years) completed an adolescent-adapted version of the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Results: The total sample reported most PA during leisure time (485 min/week) and least PA at home (140 min/week). Boys reported significantly more school-based PA (P , 0?001), leisure-time PA (P 5 0?003), vigorous PA (P , 0?001) and total PA (P 5 0?002) than girls, while girls reported more home-based PA (P , 0?001) and walking (P 5 0?002) than boys. Self-reported PA at school (P , 0?001), moderate PA (P , 0?001), vigorous PA (P , 0?001) and total PA (P , 0?001) were significantly higher in younger age groups than in older groups. Groups based on weight status differed significantly only in leisure-time PA (P 5 0?004) and total PA (P 5 0?003), while groups based on SES differed in all PA domains and intensities except transport-related PA and total PA. Conclusions: The total sample of adolescents reported different scores for the different PA domains and intensity categories. Furthermore, patterns were different according the adolescents' gender, age, weight status and SES.

Objective: To build up sufficient knowledge of a 'healthy diet'. Here, we report on the assessment of nutritional knowledge using a uniform method in a large sample of adolescents across Europe. Design: A cross-sectional study.