Physical Fitness Level in 9-11-Year-Old Italian Children Is Affected by Body Mass Index and Frequency of Sport Practice but Not by Peak Height Velocity and Relative Age Effect.

ABSTRACT: This study was aimed at analyzing physical fitness in 9-11-year-old children and verifying whether it is affected by body mass index (BMI), peak height velocity (PHV), quartile distribution (QD), and sport practice (SP), also considering any potential effects of sex. One thousand one hundred forty-three Italian primary school children (50.7% males) underwent anthropometric measurements (body mass, height, and BMI) and physical tests for measuring coordination (Plate Tapping, PT), handgrip strength (HandGrip, HG), lower-limb power (standing long jump, SLJ), low-back flexibility (sit-and-reach, SR), and sprint (20 m sprint, 20 m) skills. A series of analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) were conducted using age as a covariate to examine differences among subgroups for BMI, PHV, QD, and SP in rela

SUBMITTER: Varalda M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12845823 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature