Secular Trends in Physical Fitness of Peruvian Children Living at High-Altitude.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Santos C
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9958918 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Secular Trends in Physical Fitness of Peruvian Children Living at High-Altitude.
Santos Carla C Pereira Sara S Vasconcelos Olga O Tani Go G Hedeker Donald D Katzmarzyk Peter T PT Maia José J Bustamante Alcibíades A
International journal of environmental research and public health 20230212 4
The physical fitness of children is an important marker of health, and monitoring its temporal changes provides important information for developing interventions. We aimed to: (1) describe secular trends in physical fitness across age, within each sex, in Peruvian schoolchildren; and (2) verify if these trends are also present when adjusted for changes in height and weight. We sampled 1590 children (707 in 2009; 883 in 2019), aged 6-11 years. Physical fitness was assessed with four tests from t ...[more]
Similar Datasets
Project description:In Slovenia, the national SLOfit surveillance system of the somatic and motor development of children and youth has been enabling researchers to observe the developmental trends of the entire population of school-aged children since 1987. The national database currently incorporates over 7.2 million sets of measurements of eight fitness tests and three anthropometric measurements. Since 1991, as in the rest of the world, in Slovenia, there is a common perception that the physical fitness of contemporary children is in decline and below the level of the physical fitness of the previous generation's childhood fitness. Our paper examines the trends of physical fitness in 26 birth cohorts of 7-10-year-olds. The analysis shows that the secular trends of physical fitness in boys and especially in girls have been positive and that the level of physical fitness of recent birth cohorts exceeds the national average of physical fitness of the 1989-2019 period. At the same time, the analysis reveals that the distribution of physical fitness has been changing from almost normal in the cohorts born in the first half of the 1980s, toward positively skewed in the subsequent cohorts born before the year 2000, and bimodal distribution in the later cohorts, indicating growing inequality and polarization of the motor development of children.
| S-EPMC7604349 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThere is evidence that physical fitness of children and adolescents (particularly cardiorespiratory endurance) has declined globally over the past decades. Ever since the first reports on negative trends in physical fitness, efforts have been undertaken by for instance the World Health Organization (WHO) to promote physical activity and fitness in children and adolescents. Therefore, it is timely to re-analyze the literature to examine whether previous reports on secular declines in physical fitness are still detectable or whether they need to be updated.ObjectivesThe objective of this systematic review is to provide an 'update' on secular trends in selected components of physical fitness (i.e., cardiorespiratory endurance, relative muscle strength, proxies of muscle power, speed) in children and adolescents aged 6-18 years.Data sourcesA systematic computerized literature search was conducted in the electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science to locate studies that explicitly reported secular trends in physical fitness of children and adolescents.Study eligibility criteriaStudies were included in this systematic review if they examined secular trends between at least two time points across a minimum of 5 years. In addition, they had to document secular trends in any measure of cardiorespiratory endurance, relative muscle strength, proxies of muscle power or speed in apparently healthy children and adolescents aged 6-18 years.Study appraisal and synthesis methodsThe included studies were coded for the following criteria: nation, physical fitness component (cardiorespiratory endurance, relative muscle strength, proxies of muscle power, speed), chronological age, sex (boys vs. girls), and year of assessment. Scores were standardized (i.e., converted to z scores) with sample-weighted means and standard deviations, pooled across sex and year of assessment within cells defined by study, test, and children's age.ResultsThe original search identified 524 hits. In the end, 22 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. The observation period was between 1972 and 2015. Fifteen of the 22 studies used tests for cardiorespiratory endurance, eight for relative muscle strength, eleven for proxies of muscle power, and eight for speed. Measures of cardiorespiratory endurance exhibited a large initial increase and an equally large subsequent decrease, but the decrease appears to have reached a floor for all children between 2010 and 2015. Measures of relative muscle strength showed a general trend towards a small increase. Measures of proxies of muscle power indicated an overall small negative quadratic trend. For measures of speed, a small-to-medium increase was observed in recent years.LimitationsBiological maturity was not considered in the analysis because biological maturity was not reported in most included studies.ConclusionsNegative secular trends were particularly found for cardiorespiratory endurance between 1986 and 2010-12, irrespective of sex. Relative muscle strength and speed showed small increases while proxies of muscle power declined. Although the negative trend in cardiorespiratory endurance appears to have reached a floor in recent years, because of its association with markers of health, we recommend further initiatives in PA and fitness promotion for children and adolescents. More specifically, public health efforts should focus on exercise that increases cardiorespiratory endurance to prevent adverse health effects (i.e., overweight and obesity) and muscle strength to lay a foundation for motor skill learning.
| S-EPMC7846517 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Physical fitness (PF) of children and adolescents is an important resource for their future health. Population-based studies, however, rarely report secular changes of PF, although monitoring of these is crucial to deriving information for adequate interventions. This review aims to report trends in PF of children and adolescents. A literature search was conducted in PubMed in July 2019. Cohort studies published in English allowing statements to be made on trends in PF by comparing youth between the ages of four and 18 years were included. The review identified 24 studies from 16 countries meeting the inclusion criteria, with an overall sample size of more than 860,000 children and adolescents. Through a standardized quality assessment tool, we classified two studies as strong, 21 as moderate, and only one as weak. We analyzed specific secular trends separately for the five different dimensions: endurance, strength, speed, flexibility, and coordination. The majority of studies report a decline of PF over time; however, a few studies report conflicting results. Performance in endurance, strength, and flexibility decreased over time, whereas there was no consistent trend reported for speed and coordination. Overall, there is no international standard on examining and reporting changes or secular trends in PF of children and adolescents, and comparability of studies is limited due to heterogeneous conditions of conducting and analyzing PF tests. Consequently, standardized and consistent international monitoring should be implemented.
| S-EPMC7459672 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundSince the beginning of the 21st century, China's economy has experienced rapid growth, resulting in a steady improvement in its citizens' living standards. However, alongside the emergence of modern civilization-related health issues, the overall physical fitness of the population has been declining. In the final year of 2019, a global COVID-19 pandemic emerged and persisted for three years, causing a significant diminution in human physical well-being. This article aims to delve into the changes in the physical fitness of college students over the past decade and anticipates future trends.MethodsA total of 58,472 university students aged 16-23 from 16 prefecture-level cities in Anhui province were recruited for this study. Total ten physical fitness indicators were tested: body height, body weight, vital capacity, standing long jump, sit-and-reach, 50-m dash, 1000 m run and pull-up (for boys), and 800 m run and sit-ups (for girls).The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, LSD tests, and Pearson's correlations.ResultsThe overall physical fitness scores of college students ranged from 68.71 (2023) to 71.13 (2019) during the last decade, with girls consistently demonstrating superior performance in physical tests. There was a statistically significant difference in physical fitness scores between the periods of 2015-2022 and 2023 (p < 0.05). When dividing the total physical fitness scores into four levels, a noteworthy downward trend was observed in the pass grade, while the other three grades exhibited an increasing trend year by year. Compared to the year of 2019, there has been a substantial decline in the physical fitness levels of college students, along with a notable uptick of "failed" candidates, in the year of 2020.In terms of individual physical fitness, boys outperformed girls in all physical testing items except for sit-and-reach, and significant differences were observed in most years for both boys and girls. Additionally, a consistent downward trend was observed in the proportion of underweight and normal weight students, while the proportion of overweight (increased by 2.1 times) and obese (increased by 4.4 times) students showed a marked upward trend from 2014 to 2023.ConclusionsIt is imperative to allocate special focus to the profound ramifications of the three-year COVIE-19 pandemic on the physical well-being of college students. In 2024, it is anticipated that the proportion of overweight and obese college students will increase, along with a continued increase in body height and vital capacity. However, there will be a notable increase in the time taken to complete the 50-meter dash and the 1000-meter/800-meter run. Conversely, a decline is forecasted for the performance in standing long jump, sit-and-reach, and pull-ups/sit-ups exercises, with an accelerating rate of deterioration. It is crucial to promptly identify the underlying reasons for the deteriorating physical fitness among college students, particularly in relation to obesity, and to implement effective measures promptly to address this issue.
| S-EPMC11776125 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionAs a result of the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs (ART), HIV/AIDS has become a chronic disease, which has enabled children living with HIV to reach adolescence and adulthood. However, the long exposure to both the disease and ART has caused undesirable effects that compromise the physiological functioning and the quality of life of the subjects.ObjectiveTo determine the body composition, physical fitness and habitual physical activity of children and adolescents living with HIV on ART.MethodsA total of 79 subjects of both genders aged 8-14 years, living with HIV in ART, selected by convenience participated in the study. The subjects underwent anthropometric assessment, physical fitness assessment and physical activity assessment.ResultsRelative to reference norms, the values of the anthropometric indicators fell below 50th percentile (height/age = 92.4%; BMI/age 72.2%; sum of skinfolds = 51.9%; arm circumference = 63.3%). The prevalence of "low height/age" and "low weight/age" was 34.9% and 9.3%, respectively for boys, and 27.9% and 11.1%, respectively for girls. With the exception of trunk flexibility (12.3%), most subjects were considered unfit in the physical fitness tests (abdominal resistance = 76.4%; handgrip strength = 75.4%; lower limb power = 66.4%). The percentage of subjects with insufficient physical activity was 45.5% for boys and 77.8% for girls. The values for all variables were consistently and significantly lower when compared with studies done in Mozambicans boys and girls without HIV+ from both urban and rural areas.ConclusionThe subjects participants in the study living with HIV and undergoing ART had impaired growth, low physical fitness and low levels of habitual physical activity in relation to the reference values of their peers without HIV, which compromised their physiological functioning and their quality of life.
| S-EPMC9584386 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Stunting, defined as linear growth retardation, is a serious public health problem in developing countries. We aimed to (1) describe the prevalence of stunting in Peruvian youth living in three geographical regions, and to (2) determine height and physical fitness (PF) differences between stunted and normal-growth children across age and sex. We sampled 7918 subjects (7074 normal-growth and 844 stunted), aged 6-15 year, from sea-level, Amazon and high-altitude regions of Peru. PF was assessed with standardized tests, and stunting was computed following World Health Organization (WHO) standards. A two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) model was used. Results showed that stunting prevalence increased with age (from 6% at 6 year to 18.4% at 15 year in girls, and 9.3% at 6 year to 16.4% at 15 year in boys); was higher in boys (12.3%) than in girls (9.3%), and was higher in the Amazon region (25.3%), followed by high-altitude (24.3%) and sea-level (8.1%). Stunting had a negative overall impact on girls' and boys' statures. Further, the age-by-stunting interactions were statistically significant for both sexes, and significant differences in height varied to some degree across age. Stunted children performed worse in handgrip and standing long jump, but outperformed their normal-growth peers in shuttle-run (only boys), and in 12 min run. Further, significant differences in the age-by-stunting interaction occurred in all PF tests, varying to some degree across age. In conclusion, stunting significantly affects Peruvian youth's PF levels, and this influence is sex-, age- and PF test-specific.
| S-EPMC7277088 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Using the population-based data we aim to estimate the general population trends of multiple components of physical fitness of children, identify critical structural changes in these trends, and evaluate the potential changes in differences in the test scores between the children. During the entire study period, 1989-2019, median body mass index and triceps skinfold increased in both genders and all age groups. Muscular fitness, in general, showed negative trends, with some exceptions: during the post-2010 period, children were mostly experiencing the improvement of isometric strength of the upper body. The neuromuscular components of physical fitness showed positive trends, especially in girls. Cardiorespiratory fitness has been declining in all age groups until the last decade, with the largest decreases occurring before 2000. In the last decade, the trends reversed. The flexibility indicator revealed the largest differences between boys and girls, with boys mainly experiencing negative and girls mostly positive trends. The variability of the test scores mostly increased during the study period. This increasing variance suggests that-despite generally favourable trends in the last decade-children in Slovenia have been facing increasing inequalities in their development, which can potentially lead to future inequalities in health.
| S-EPMC9213534 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Recent studies on Andean children indicate a prevalence of dyslipidemia and hypertension compared to dwellers at lower altitudes, suggesting that despite similar food intake and daily activities, they undergo different metabolic adaptations. In the present study, the sphingolipid pattern was investigated in serum of 7 underweight (UW), 30 normal weight (NW), 13 overweight (OW), and 9 obese (O) Andean children by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Results indicate that levels of Ceramides (Cers) and sphingomyelins (SMs) correlate positively with biochemical parameters (except for Cers and Vitamin D, which correlate negatively), whereas sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) correlates negatively. Correlation results and LC-MS data identify the axis high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), Cers, and S1P as related to hypoxia adaptation. Specifically UW children are characterized by increased levels of S1P compared to O and lower levels of Cers compared to NW children. Furthermore, O children show lower levels of S1P and similar levels of Cers and SMs as NW. In conclusion, our results indicate that S1P is the primary target of hypoxia adaptation in Andean children, and its levels are associated with hypoxia tolerance. Furthermore, S1P can act as marker of increased risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiac dysfunction in young Andeans living at altitude.
| S-EPMC6600227 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Highland native Andeans have resided at altitude for millennia. They display high aerobic capacity (VO2max) at altitude, which may be a reflection of genetic adaptation to hypoxia. Previous genomewide (GW) scans for natural selection have nominated Egl-9 homolog 1 gene (EGLN1) as a candidate gene. The encoded protein, EGLN1/PHD2, is an O2 sensor that controls levels of the Hypoxia Inducible Factor-α (HIF-α), which regulates the cellular response to hypoxia. From GW association and analysis of covariance performed on a total sample of 429 Peruvian Quechua and 94 US lowland referents, we identified 5 EGLN1 SNPs associated with higher VO2max (L⋅min-1 and mL⋅min-1⋅kg-1) in hypoxia (rs1769793, rs2064766, rs2437150, rs2491403, rs479200). For 4 of these SNPs, Quechua had the highest frequency of the advantageous (high VO2max) allele compared with 25 diverse lowland comparison populations from the 1000 Genomes Project. Genotype effects were substantial, with high versus low VO2max genotype categories differing by ∼11% (e.g., for rs1769793 SNP genotype TT = 34.2 mL⋅min-1⋅kg-1 vs. CC = 30.5 mL⋅min-1⋅kg-1). To guard against spurious association, we controlled for population stratification. Findings were replicated for EGLN1 SNP rs1769793 in an independent Andean sample collected in 2002. These findings contextualize previous reports of natural selection at EGLN1 in Andeans, and support the hypothesis that natural selection has increased the frequency of an EGLN1 causal variant that enhances O2 delivery or use during exercise at altitude in Peruvian Quechua.
| S-EPMC6883775 | biostudies-literature
Project description:PurposeThis study aimed to determine the relationship between kinaesthesia, motor performance, fitness, and joint mobility in children.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving children from two primary schools in the South-Eastern part of Nigeria. The Beighton criteria were used to measure joint mobility. Motor performance, fitness, and kinaesthesia were measured in all the children. Spearman's rank correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between the outcomes.ResultsA total of 91 children (51.6% girls) participated in the study. The mean age of the children was 8.20 ± 1.98 years. Using a Beighton score of ≥ 6, Generalized Joint Hypermobility (GJH) was identified in a total of 35 (38.46%) children and was more prevalent in females (60.0%). Joint mobility had significant correlations with most fitness and motor performance items, but not kinaesthesia. Agility & power, and motor performance seem to be reduced if mobility is larger. Kinaesthesia was correlated with most fitness and motor performance items, indicating that better fitness and better motor performance cooccur with better kinaesthesia or vice versa.ConclusionJoint mobility may have a significant influence on fitness and motor performance in children. Hence, it may be useful for future studies to investigate how fitness and motor performance modulate the onset and progression of musculoskeletal symptoms in GJH.
| S-EPMC10591369 | biostudies-literature