Jesús Mora

Field-based fitness assessment in young people: the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery for children and adolescents

The present study summarises the work developed by the ALPHA (Assessing Levels of Physical Activity) study and describes the procedures followed to select the tests included in the ALPHA health-related fitness test battery for children and adolescents. The authors reviewed physical fitness and health in youth findings from cross-sectional studies. The authors also performed three systematic reviews dealing with (1) the predictive validity of health-related fitness, (2) the criterion validity of field-based fitness tests and (3) the reliability of field-based fitness tests in youth. The authors also carried out 11-methodological studies to determine the criterion validity and the reliability of several field-based fitness tests for youth. Finally, the authors performed a study in the school setting to examine the reliability, feasibility and safety of the selected tests. The selected fitness tests were (1) the 20 m shuttle run test to assess cardiorespiratory fitness; (2) the handgrip strength and (3) standing broad jump to assess musculoskeletal fitness, and (4) body mass index, (5) skinfold thickness and (5) waist circumference to assess body composition. When there are time limits, the authors propose the high-priority ALPHA health-related fitness test battery, which comprises all the evidence-based fitness tests except the measurement of the skinfold thickness. The time required to administer this battery to a group of 20 youth by one physical education teacher is less than 2 h. In conclusion, the ALPHA fitness tests battery is valid, reliable, feasible and safe for the assessment of health-related physical fitness in children and adolescents to be used for health monitoring purposes at population level.

Assessing Muscular Strength in Youth: Usefulness of Standing Long Jump as a General Index of Muscular Fitness

Castro-Piñero, J, Ortega, FB, Artero, EG, Girela-Rejón, MJ, Mora, J, Sjöström, M, and Ruiz, JR. Assessing muscular strength in youth: usefulness of standing long jump as a general index of muscular fitness. J Strength Cond Res 24(7): 1810-1817, 2010-The purpose of the present study was to examine the association among different measures of lower body muscular strength in children, and the association between measures of lower- and upper-body muscular strength. The study population comprises 94 (45 girls) healthy Caucasian children aged 6-17 years. Children performed several lower body explosive muscular strength tests (i.e., standing long jump [SLJ], vertical jump, squat jump, and countermovement jump) and upper body muscular strength tests (i.e., throw basketball, push-ups, and isometric strength exercises). The association among the study tests was analyzed by multiple regression. The SLJ was strongly associated with other lower body muscular strength tests (R2 = 0.829-0.864), and with upper body muscular strength tests (R2 = 0.694-0.851). The SLJ test might be therefore considered a general index of muscular fitness in youth. The SLJ test is practical, time efficient, and low in cost and equipment requirements.

Percentile Values for Muscular Strength Field Tests in Children Aged 6 to 17 Years: Influence of Weight Status

Castro-Piñero, J, González-Montesinos, JL, Mora, J, Keating, XD, Girela-Rejón, MJ, Sjöström, M, and Ruiz, JR. Percentile values for muscular strength field tests in children aged 6 to 17 years: influence of weight status. J Strength Cond Res 23(8): 2295-2310, 2009-The aim of this study was to provide percentile values for 9 different muscular strength tests for Spanish children (1,513 boys and 1,265 girls) aged 6 to 17.9 years. The influence of body weight on the muscular strength level across age groups was also examined. Explosive strength was assessed by the throw ball test (upper body), standing broad jump, and vertical jump tests (lower body). Upper-body muscular endurance was assessed by push ups, bent arm hang, and pull ups tests, and abdominal muscular endurance was assessed by sit ups, curl ups in 30 seconds, and curl ups tests. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Participants were categorized according to the BMI international cut-off values as underweight, normalweight, overweight, and obese. Boys had significantly better scores than girls in all the studied tests, except in the 3 upper-body muscular endurance tests in the 6- to 7-year-old group and in the push ups test in the 8- to 9-year-old group. Underweight and normalweight individuals showed similar strength levels. Both underweight and normalweight children and adolescents had significantly higher performance than their overweight and obese counterparts in the lower-body explosive strength tests and in the push ups test in boys and bent arm hang test in both boys and girls. In conclusion, percentiles values of 9 muscular strength tests are provided. Percentiles values are of interest to identify the target population for primary prevention and to estimate the proportion of adolescents with high or low muscular strength levels. The overweight and obese groups had worse scores than their underweight and normalweight counterparts, whereas the underweight group had a similar performance to the normalweight group.

Positive health, cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness in children and adolescents.

BACKGROUND Positive health is likely a buffer against physical and mental illness. Positive health may explain some of the health benefits associated with increasing cardiorespiratory fitness and decreasing fatness in youth. We examined the association of cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness with positive health indicators in 684 (365 boys and 319 girls) Spanish children aged 6-17.9 years. METHODS Positive health indicators were self-reported using items of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children questionnaire. The study health indicators were: perceived health status, life satisfaction, quality of family relationships, quality of peer relationships and academic performance. Weight and height were measured and body mass index was computed. We also measured triceps and calf skinfolds thickness and body fat percentage was estimated. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured by the 20 m shuttle-run test. RESULTS Cardiorespiratory fitness was positively associated with life satisfaction in children and adolescents. Fatness was inversely associated with perceived health status in children and adolescents, whereas fatness was inversely associated with life satisfaction, quality of family relationships and academic performance only in children. CONCLUSION These findings suggest a link between cardiorespiratory fitness and fatness and positive health indicators, suggesting that improving both fitness and fatness could exert a favourable effect on positive health during childhood and adolescence.

Criterion-related validity of the one-mile run/walk test in children aged 8–17 years

Abstract We assessed the criterion-related validity of Curetons equation for estimating peak oxygen consumption ([Vdot]O2peak) from the one-mile run/walk test in endurance-trained children aged 8–17 years. Altogether, 66 physically active white children and adolescents (32 girls, 34 boys) completed a graded exercise test to volitional exhaustion and the one-mile run/walk test. Curetons equation was used to estimate [Vdot]O2peak, and was assessed using several error measures. Agreement between measured [Vdot]O2peak and estimated [Vdot]O2peak was analysed by the Bland and Altman method. The correlation coefficient between measured [Vdot]O2peak and one-mile run/walk time was −0.59 (P < 0.001) and that between measured and estimated [Vdot]O2peak was 0.70 (P < 0.001). The mean difference between measured and estimated [Vdot]O2peak was 10 ml · kg−1 · min−1 (95% CI = 9.2–11.8; P < 0.001). The standard error of the estimate was 3 ml · kg−1 · min−1, and the percentage error was 32%. There was a positive association between the measured and estimated [Vdot]O2peak difference and the measured and estimated [Vdot]O2peak mean, which indicates that the higher the [Vdot]O2peak the higher the error of the estimate. These findings did not change markedly when the analyses were performed by sex, age group or body mass status. These results suggest that Curetons equation systematically underestimates [Vdot]O2peak in endurance-trained children with high [Vdot]O2peak.

Associations of muscular fitness with psychological positive health, health complaints, and health risk behaviors in Spanish children and adolescents.

Padilla-Moledo, C, Ruiz, JR, Ortega, FB, Mora, J, and Castro-Piñero, J. Associations of muscular fitness with psychological positive health, health complaints and health risk behaviors in Spanish children and adolescents. J Strength Cond Res 26(1): 167–173, 2012—We examined the association of muscular fitness with psychological positive health, health complaints, and health risk behaviors in 690 (n = 322 girls) Spanish children and adolescents (6–17.9 years old). Lower body muscular strength was assessed with the standing long jump test, and upper-body muscular strength was assessed with the throw basketball test. A muscular fitness index was computed by means of standardized measures of both tests. Psychosocial positive health, health complaints, and health risk behaviors were self-reported using the items of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children questionnaire. Psychological positive health indicators included the following: perceived health status, life satisfaction, quality of family relationships, quality of peer relationships, and academic performance. We computed a health complaints index from 8 registered symptoms: headache, stomach ache, backache, feeling low, irritability or bad temper, feeling nervous, difficulties getting to sleep, and feeling dizzy. The health risk behavior indicators studied included tobacco use, alcohol use, and getting drunk. Children and adolescents with low muscular fitness (below the mean) had a higher odds ratio (OR) of reporting fair (vs. excellent) perceived health status, low life satisfaction (vs. very happy), low quality of family relationships (vs. very good), and low academic performance (vs. very good). Likewise, children and adolescents having low muscular fitness had a significantly higher OR of reporting smoking tobacco sometimes (vs. never), drinking alcohol sometimes (vs. never), and getting drunk sometimes (vs. never). The results of this study suggest a link between muscular fitness and psychological positive health and health risk behavior indicators in children and adolescents.

Percentile Values for Running Sprint Field Tests in Children Ages 6–17 Years: Influence of Weight Status

The aim of this study was to provide percentile values for six different sprint tests in 2,708 Spanish children (1,234 girls) ages 6–17.9 years. We also examined the influence of weight status on sprint performance across age groups, with a focus on underweight and obese groups. We used the 20-m, 30-m, and 50-m running sprint standing start and running start tests to assess sprint performance. We calculated body mass index (BMI) using and categorized participants according to the BMI international cut-off for underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese. Boys had significantly better scores than girls in all tests, except for the 30-m running sprint standing start and running start tests in the 6–7-year-old group. The underweight group had significantly better scores than their obese counterparts, whereas there were similar levels between underweight and normal weight individuals. The normal weight group showed a significantly better performance than their overweight and obese counterparts. Overweight boys had significantly better performance than their obese counterparts. In conclusion, the percentiles values of six running tests varied by age and gender. The findings indicated that underweight youth did not have poorer sprint performance, and the obese group had lower scores than their leaner counterparts.

Percentile values for flexibility tests in youths aged 6 to 17 years: Influence of weight status

Abstract The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of weight status on flexibility performance in Spanish youths (1475 boys and 1237 girls) aged 6–17 years, and to provide percentile values for two flexibility tests. Flexibility was assessed by the sit-and-reach and shoulder stretch tests. Participants were categorized as underweight, normal weight, overweight and obese. Girls had significantly better scores than boys in all the studied tests, except in the right-shoulder stretch test in the 6–7, 14–15 and 16–17-year-old groups, and in the left-shoulder stretch test in the 6–7, 8–9 and 16–17-year-old groups. There was not a significant positive association between weight status and flexibility assessed by the sit-and-reach test. However, overweight and obese youths had significantly lower performance than their normal-weight counterparts in the shoulder stretch test. Underweight and normal-weight individuals had similar performances for both shoulder flexibility tests. In conclusion, percentiles values of the studied flexibility tests might be of interest to estimate the proportion of youths with high or low flexibility levels, as well as to evaluate the effects of alternative interventions.