Abstract
Objective: To examine the changes over time in fitness and body mass index (BMI) of children.Design: Serial cross-sectional, population-based study.Setting: Primary Schools in Liverpool, UK.Participants: A total of 15,891 children (8,108 boys; 7,783 girls), representing 55% of 9-11 year old children in the annual school cohorts between 1997/8 and 2002/3.Main outcome measures: Weight, height and derived BMI (weight/height??) adjusted for age and sex (British 1990 revised reference) using standard deviation scores (SDS). Fitness as cardio-respiratory endurance measured using the 20m multi-stage shuttle run test (20mMST).Results: 20mMST score fell in boys from 48.9 (47.9 to 49.9) in 1998/9 to 38.1 (36.8 to 39.4) in 2003/4, and in girls from 35.8 (35.0 to 36.6) to 28.1 (27.2 to 29.1) over the same period. High BMI predicted unfitness in boys and girls (P <0.0001), but more strongly in girls (P <0.001). The fall in fitness was independent of the rise in BMI (P <0.0001).Conclusion: All children have become less fit, irrespective of their BMI. Public health measures to reduce obesity among children should aim to raise fitness levels among all children, not just the obese and overweight.
| Original language | English |
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| Publication status | Published - 4 Sept 2006 |
| Event | International Congress on Obesity 2006 - Sydney Duration: 4 Sept 2006 → 8 Sept 2006 |
Conference
| Conference | International Congress on Obesity 2006 |
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| City | Sydney |
| Period | 4/09/06 → 8/09/06 |