Secular Trends in Anthropometrics and Physical Fitness of Young Portuguese School-Aged Children

Abstract

RESUMOIntrodução: Analisar as tendências seculares ao nível da antropometria e aptidão física das crianças portuguesas. Material e Métodos: Um grupo de 1819 crianças (881 rapazes e 938 raparigas) entre os 10 e os 11 anos de idade, foi avaliado no 5º e 6º ano de escolaridade durante 20 anos. A ANCOVA foi usada para analisar as variações de antropometria (índice de massa corporal, peso e altura) e aptidão física (sentar e alcançar, força abdominal, salto horizontal e corrida de velocidade) durante quatro quinquénios (1993 -1998; 1998 -2003; 2003 -2008 e 2008 -2013 (1993 -1998; 1998 -2003; 2003 -2008; 2008 -2013).Results: Secular trends showed the presence of heavier boys and girls with higher body mass index in the 5 th and 6 th grade throughout the last 20 years. There was also a presence of taller girls but just until the 3 rd quinquennial. Both boys and girls were able to perform better on the core strength test and sprint time but become less flexible over the years. Mean jumping performance remained unchanged for both genders. Discussion: The present study provides novel data on anthropometrics and physical fitness trends over the last two decades in young Portuguese children, consistent with the results reported in other developed countries. Conclusion: Evidence for the start of a positive secular trend in body mass index and in some physical fitness components over the last two decades among the Portuguese youth.

Cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in young adult Finnish men between 2003 and 2015

“…A majority of the studies monitoring muscular fitness trends over time have focused on children. Most of these studies show a decreasing trend in muscular fitness, although, similar to the present study findings, no changes have also been observed, while one study reported an increase . Furthermore, the mean sit‐up results were 37 reps/min for 18‐20 years Finnish men and 34‐38 repetitions in present 5‐10 years older study sample.…”

“…Most of these studies show a decreasing trend in muscular fitness, 10,11,[21][22][23] although, similar to the present study findings, no changes have also been observed, 24,25 while one study reported an increase. 26 Furthermore, the mean sit-up results were 37 reps/ min for 18-20 years Finnish men 7 and 34-38 repetitions in present 5-10 years older study sample. Similarly, the mean push-up performance varied between 31 and 33 reps./min in the study by Santtila et al, 7 whereas the range of mean values was 24-29 in the present study.…”

Temporal trends in muscular fitness of English 10-year-olds 1998–2014: An allometric approach

“…The magnitudes of these secular increases were broadly comparable in magnitude to those reported in other European children over the past two decades 7,9 . The combination of increases in both measures provide evidence for an overall increase in body size for children of this age which is evident from the year-olds from this affluent area 11 .…”

Resistance Exercise for the Prevention and Treatment of Pediatric Dynapenia

“…In contrast, temporal trends in muscular fitness of Dutch [69], Finnish [40], Mozambican [21], New Zealand [1], Portuguese [18] and Welsh [75] youth appear to be more stable, with sex-specific or test-specific differences on selected outcomes. For example, over a 20-year study period involving Mozambican youth the handgrip strength of females decreased whereas males increased their handgrip strength [21].…”