Differences in Cardiorespiratory Fitness between Chinese and Japanese Children and Adolescents

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to compare the difference in cardiorespiratory fitness between Chinese and Japanese children and adolescents. Methods: Participants comprised 9025 children and adolescents aged 7–18 years from China and Japan. Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) was measured by performance in the 20 m shuttle run test (20mSRT) and estimated maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Differences in CRF between countries were evaluated by t-tests. Centile curves for the 20mSRT and VO2max values were constructed for Chinese and Japanese children and adolescents, respectively, using the Lambda Mu and Sigma (LMS) method. Results: (1) For most of the age groups, the 20mSRT and VO2max performances among Chinese participants were lower than among Japanese participants. (2) Japanese children had the most apparent gains in P10, P50, and P90 VO2max values in primary school; however, they gradually decreased in middle school. For Chinese girls, the P10, P50, and P90 VO2max values decreased gradually with age. (3) The VO2max value among Japanese children increased; however, it decreased or remained flat among Chinese children in primary school. Conclusions: CRF among Chinese participants was lower than among Japanese participants while the VO2max value showed different trends in primary school. Effective measures should be taken to improve CRF among children and adolescents.

Levels of Physical Fitness and Weight Status in Children and Adolescents: A Comparison between China and Japan

“…In China, urban/rural status was considered when choosing schools because of the wide gap in economic development between urban and rural areas, whereas this factor was not taken into account in Japan. The detailed sampling methods are reported elsewhere [ 16 , 21 ]. Individual participants without psychiatric or physical disorders were recruited from the selected schools using stratified random cluster sampling.…”

“…A meta-analysis suggested a large decline (−5.4 per decade) in long-distance running performance from 1964 to 2009 among children in China, but only a small decline (−1.2 per decade) among children in Japan [ 15 ]. It was also reported that cardiopulmonary endurance was higher among children and adolescents in Japan than in China [ 16 ]. Furthermore, a recent study showed that adolescents in Japan outperformed those in China in terms of aerobic capacity and muscular endurance but that adolescents in China performed better than those in Japan in terms of muscular strength [ 17 ].…”

Relationship between waist circumference and cardiorespiratory fitness in Chinese children and adolescents: Results from a cross-sectional survey

“… 23 Chinese scholars demonstrated that CRF of children and adolescents was generally worse in China than in Japan. 24 In conclusion, the number of children with high waist circumference is increasing, while CRF level is decreasing. Based on the current situation, it is particularly important to explore the relationship between waist circumference and CRF.…”

Associations between Physical Fitness Index and Body Mass Index in Tibetan Children and Adolescents in Different High-Altitude Areas: Based on a Study in Tibet, China

“…For girls: Chinese, 13.7%; Japanese, 8.5%, respectively) and there was a high obesity rate (for boys: Chinese, 13.1%; Japanese, 4.3%, respectively. For girls: Chinese, 5.5%; Japanese, 1.2%, respectively); these factors were closely related [ 19 ].…”