Objectives(1) To develop reference values for health-related fitness in European children and adolescents aged 6–18 years that are the foundation for the web-based, open-access and multilanguage fitness platform (FitBack); (2) to provide comparisons across European countries.MethodsThis study builds on a previous large fitness reference study in European youth by (1) widening the age demographic, (2) identifying the most recent and representative country-level data and (3) including national data from existing fitness surveillance and monitoring systems. We used the Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity and fitness at population level (ALPHA) test battery as it comprises tests with the highest test–retest reliability, criterion/construct validity and health-related predictive validity: the 20 m shuttle run (cardiorespiratory fitness); handgrip strength and standing long jump (muscular strength); and body height, body mass, body mass index and waist circumference (anthropometry). Percentile values were obtained using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape method.ResultsA total of 7 966 693 test results from 34 countries (106 datasets) were used to develop sex-specific and age-specific percentile values. In addition, country-level rankings based on mean percentiles are provided for each fitness test, as well as an overall fitness ranking. Finally, an interactive fitness platform, including individual and group reporting and European fitness maps, is provided and freely available online (www.fitbackeurope.eu).ConclusionThis study discusses the major implications of fitness assessment in youth from health, educational and sport perspectives, and how the FitBack reference values and interactive web-based platform contribute to it. Fitness testing can be conducted in school and/or sport settings, and the interpreted results be integrated in the healthcare systems across Europe.

Objective: the aim of the research was to determine the differences in fitness components among children and adolescents from urban and rural areas. Design/method: A sample of 5076 school children (2877) and adolescents (2199) from urban and rural areas from the region of Strumica (Macedonia). Physical fitness is estimated with 7 tests and that: standing long jump, sit-ups, bent arm hang, handgrip, sit and reach, speedagility, shuttle run 4x10 and three-minute step test. The differences in fitness tests, anthropometric measures and body composition by place of residence were examined by one-way analysis of covariance. Results: Rural children and adolescent have lower height, body mass BMI and body fat % and had higher muscular mass % cardiorespiratory fitness and speed-agility (all p < 0.001), than urban young people. Regarding muscular fitness, the results differed depending on the fitness test selected. Rural children and adolescent had a better performance in standing long jump, handgrip strength bent arm hang while they had a lower performance in sit-ups in 30 s (all p < 0.001), compared to their urban peers. Effect size was small-medium (Cohen's d = 0.1-0.5). Conclusion: children and adolescents from the rural environment show better results in cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle fitness of the upper and lower extremities and have better coordination, speed and agility in comparison with their urban peers. The place of residence, apart from other environmental factors, should be taken into account when building a state strategy and interventions through which it will promote physical activity and health.

GONTAREV, S.; KALAC, R.; ZIVKOVIC, V.; AMETI, V. & REDJEPI, R.Anthropometrical characteristics and somatotype of young Macedonian soccer players. Int. J. Morphol., 34(1):160-167, 2016. SUMMARY:The success in sport performance is closely related to the physical condition of the sportsman. In the assessment of the physical status except physiological and fitness parameters, significant influence have the anthropometric parameters. The aim of the study was dual: to assess the changes in the anthropometric characteristics and the somatotype of young soccer players at different ages and to compare these characteristics with the general population. The analyzed measurements of 486 young soccer players who play in teams of the First national league, with an average age 15.8±1.4. The soccer players were divided into five subgroups, at age difference of 1 year. In the sample height, weight, BMI index, diameters, volumes and skin folds were measured, also the body composition and the somatotype were calculated. Boys from 14 years were lower and had less tendencies of other age groups. From 16 years onwards there were no differences in the measurements which means that the respondents gradually get the look of adult players. All skin folds for young Macedonian players (except the skin folds of the scapula) decrease with age and compared to the peers from normal population are lower. For young players in all age groups dominate the mesomorphic component, and lower values have the endomorphic component, in regards to peers in the general population. The obtained results can serve as normative anthropometric indicators for regular sports medical examinations of young players in our country, or can be used as a template for comparison of the anthropometric and somatotype information of young players at a similar level of different countries.

The association between high blood pressure, physical fi tness and fatness in adolescents Resumen Introducción: la hipertensión es un problema de la salud y es de importancia nacional. Es un factor de riesgo importante para la aparición de la aterosclerosis y enfermedades cardiovasculares, cerebrovasculares y enfermedades renales que están liderando o están entre las principales causas de mortalidad y la morbilidad como en la nuestra, también en los países más desarrollados y menos desarrollados. Objetivo: el objetivo de este estudio es analizar la relación de la aptitud cardiorrespiratoria y la obesidad, la presión arterial y la hipertensión en los adolescentes. Material y métodos: la investigación se realizó sobre una muestra de 4.501 niños y niñas de 11 a 14 años. La capacidad cardiorrespiratoria se evalúo con el uso de una prueba de paso que dura tres minutos, mientras que el porcentaje de grasa corporal se determinó con un método de impedancia bioeléctrica. La presión arterial se midió tres veces a intervalos de 60 segundos. El resultado fue el valor medio de las tres mediciones. Las mediciones se realizaron en una habitación separada con condiciones ambientales óptimas. La relación entre la hipertensión, la aptitud cardiorrespiratoria y la grasa se determina con un análisis de correlación y multinominal regresión logística. Resultados: los niños tenían una mayor presión sistólica y diastólica que las niñas. El nivel bajo de aptitud cardiorrespiratoria y el porcentaje alto de grasa corporal se asociaron independientemente con un mayor riesgo de hipertensión arterial e hipertensión para niños y niñas. La interacción se establece entre el porcentaje de grasa corporal y la forma física. Conclusión: los resultados obtenidos se deben tener en cuenta para la construcción de estrategias y recomendaciones para la mejora del estilo de vida y la salud de los adolescentes. Key words:Blood pressure. Physical fi tness. Fatness. Adolescent. AbstractIntroduction: Hypertension is a health problem that is of national importance. It is a major risk factor for the occurrence of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and renal diseases that are leading or among the leading causes of mortality and morbidity as in ours, as in the most developed and less developed countries. Objective: The purpose of this study is to analyze the relation of cardiorespiratory fi tness and obesity, blood pressure and hypertension for adolescents. Material and methods: The research was realized on a sample of 4,051 boys and girls at the age of 11 to 14 years. Cardiorespiratory fi tness was assessed by using a three minute step test, while the percentage of body fat was determined by bioelectrical impedance method. Blood pressure was measured three times at intervals of 60 seconds, and the result was the median value of the three measurements. The measurements were performed in a separate room with optimum ambient conditions. The relation between hypertension, cardiorespiratory fi tness and fat was determined by correlation and multi-nom...

ResumenIntroducción: la nutrición parenteral (NP) en la infancia es un tratamiento cuyas características son muy variables en función de la edad y la patología que presente el paciente. Material y métodos: el grupo de Estandarización y Protocolos de la Sociedad Española de Nutrición Parenteral y Enteral (SENPE) es un grupo interdisciplinar formado por miembros de la SENPE, Sociedad Española de Gastroenterología, Hepatología y Nutrición Pediátrica (SEGHNP) y Sociedad Española de Farmacia Hospitalaria (SEFH) que pretende poner al día este tema. Para ello, se ha realizado una revisión pormenorizada de la literatura buscando las evidencias que nos permiten elaborar una Guía de Práctica Clínica siguiendo los criterios del Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Resultados: este manuscrito expone de forma resumida las recomendaciones en cuanto a indicaciones, vías de acceso, requerimientos, modifi caciones en situaciones especiales, componentes de las mezclas, prescripción y estandarización, preparación, administración, monitorización, complicaciones y NP domiciliaria. El documento completo se publica como número monográfi co. Conclusiones: esta guía pretende servir de apoyo para la prescripción de la NP pediátrica. Constituye la base para tomar decisiones en el contexto de la evidencia existente. Ninguna guía puede tener en cuenta todas las circunstancias clínicas individuales. Abstract

Background: This is the first study to publish the normative reference values for assessment of the level of muscular strength through the "standing long jump" test carried out on a large sample of Macedonian school children. The normative values encompass a wide span of years (6 -18). Methods: The research was realized in a large sample of 12618 school children at the age of 6 to 18 years from Macedonia. The sample was divided in 14 groups, according to chronological age and each age group was divided into two subgroups according to the criteria of gender. For estimation of the morphologic characteristics, the following anthropometric measures have been applied: body height in standing position (cm), body weight (kg), as well as the body mass index (BMI). Children aged 6 or above were invited to take a standing long jump test. Results: Boys show statistically better results in all age categories in the standing long jump test than girls, and these differences become bigger with the increase of age, especially after the 14th year (p < 0.000). Results from the linear regressive analysis show that the constants in predicting the standing long jump are similar both in boys and in girls. However, the age coefficient in boys is two times higher than that in girls. The Body Mass Index, as a factor, influences two times more in boys in predicting the standing long jump, which indicates that the body size in boys has bigger inverse impacts on the results of the standing long jump than that in girls. Conclusion: Normative reference values shall provide proper assessment and interpretation of the level of muscular strength of the Macedonian school children in terms of the age and gender, accurate detection of progress of an individual as well as undertaking preventive measures and level of intervention.

Introducción: la nutrición parenteral (NP) en la infancia es un tratamiento cuyas características son muy variables en función de la edad y la patología que presente el paciente.

Introduction: recently there have been several new versions of equipment based on the principles of bioelectrical impedance (BIA). Therefore, it is important to know the agreement between data produced by different commercially available equipment. Objective: to verify the agreement between fat-free mass (FFM), fat mass (FM), and body fat percentage (BF%) estimated using different segmental multi-frequency BIA (Tanita ® MC-980U and InBody 770 ® ) and whole-body spectral techniques (Xitron 4200). Methods: the sample consisted of 117 adults of both sexes, aged between 18 and 28 years. Methodological procedures followed specific guidelines for each equipment model. Agreement was analyzed by the t-test for paired data, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC), and Bland-Altman plot. Results: mean estimates of FFM, FM, and BF% produced by the Tanita ® MC-980U and InBody 770 ® devices did not present statistical differences compared to the Xitron 4200 ® reference device. CCC values for FFM demonstrated magnitudes between 0.904 and 0.931, representing clinically acceptable strength of agreement, while for FM and BF% the strength of agreements was weak (< 0.90). Regarding the FFM, the bias showed underestimates of -0.98 kg to -1.69 kg, with limits of agreement between -7.32 kg and 3.94 kg. In the case of FM and BF%, overestimations were observed that reached values of 1.01 kg and 0.71%, with limits of agreement of -1.91 kg to 3.93 kg and -3.86% to 5.28%, respectively. Conclusion: FFM, FM, and BF% estimated by the Tanita ® MC-980U and InBody 770 ® devices were not individually comparable with estimates produced by the Xitron 4200 ® reference device; therefore, its replacement for diagnostic purposes and inter-or intra-subject comparisons is not recommended.