A snapshot of Physical Education in Italian primary schools: assessing the resources available for an instrument of health promotion.

Background: Regular physical activity is crucial in preventing chronic diseases. International health authorities recommend that children and adolescents engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day to achieve health benefits. Offering regular exercise opportunities to young people can promote the development of healthy lifestyles. In 2021, a new regu-lation introduced up to two compulsory hours of Physical Education per week in Italy and established that Physical Education should be entrusted to adequately trained teachers. The present study aimed to assess, from the perspective of the new teachers, the resources available for Physical Education in Italian primary schools. Methods: A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted among primary school Physical Education teachers during the year 2022-2023. Their opinion about the school resources were analyzed in light of their demographic characteristics and work experience. Results: Out of the 118 participating teachers, 96 (81.3%) reported the presence of a gym in their school. Participants expressed satisfaction with the size and windows of the gym, particularly for the schools of the North, as well as the adequacy of outdoor spaces. However, lower levels of satisfaction for locker rooms and gym small equipment emerged, especially among those teachers with less work experience. Conclusions: The introduction of the Physical Education teacher figure in Italian primary schools was an important step for health promotion in our country. However, some aspects related to the structural resources should be considered in future policies.

Nordic Walking Improves Cardiometabolic Parameters, Fitness Performance, and Quality of Life in Older Adults With Type 2 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of Nordic walking (NW) on cardiometabolic health, physical performance, and well-being in sedentary older adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: Fifteen subjects with T2D (female, 5; male, 10; age, 65 ± 6.2 years [mean ± standard deviation]; body mass index, 27.3 ± 4.9 kg/m2 [mean ± standard deviation]) were enrolled in a 6-month NW training program. The fasting glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin levels, lipid profile (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressures were measured before and after the intervention. Participants' quality of life (Short-Form Health Survey) and physical fitness (6-minute walking test) were also evaluated. RESULTS: Compared with baseline, NW significantly improved the fasting glucose level (103.5 ± 18.5 vs 168.7 ± 37.7 mg/dL, P = .01), SBP (121.8 ± 12.2 vs 133 ± 14.4 mm Hg, P = .02), physical fitness (759.88 ± 69 vs 615.5 ± 62.6 m, P < .001), and both mental health (54.5 ± 4.4 vs 45.7 ± 5.6, P < .01) and physical health (49.8 ± 4.7 vs 40.3 ± 5.9, P < .01). The levels of glycosylated hemoglobin (6.15% ± 0.8% vs 6.4% ± 1%, P = .46), total cholesterol (162.2 ± 31.2 vs 175.5 ± 28.8 mg/dL, P = .13), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (95.2 ± 24.2 vs 106.3 ± 32.3 mg/dL, P = .43), and triglycerides (135.5 ± 60.8 vs 127.6 ± 57.4 mg/dL, P = 0.26) improved without reaching significance. CONCLUSION: NW training improved the glycemic levels, SBP, physical fitness, and perception of quality of life in older adults with T2D. NW represents a suitable complementary strategy to improve the global health status in this population.

European fitness landscape for children and adolescents: updated reference values, fitness maps and country rankings based on nearly 8 million test results from 34 countries gathered by the FitBack network.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To develop reference values for health-related fitness in European children and adolescents aged 6-18 years that are the foundation for the web-based, open-access and multilanguage fitness platform (FitBack); (2) to provide comparisons across European countries. METHODS: This study builds on a previous large fitness reference study in European youth by (1) widening the age demographic, (2) identifying the most recent and representative country-level data and (3) including national data from existing fitness surveillance and monitoring systems. We used the Assessing Levels of PHysical Activity and fitness at population level (ALPHA) test battery as it comprises tests with the highest test-retest reliability, criterion/construct validity and health-related predictive validity: the 20 m shuttle run (cardiorespiratory fitness); handgrip strength and standing long jump (muscular strength); and body height, body mass, body mass index and waist circumference (anthropometry). Percentile values were obtained using the generalised additive models for location, scale and shape method. RESULTS: A total of 7 966 693 test results from 34 countries (106 datasets) were used to develop sex-specific and age-specific percentile values. In addition, country-level rankings based on mean percentiles are provided for each fitness test, as well as an overall fitness ranking. Finally, an interactive fitness platform, including individual and group reporting and European fitness maps, is provided and freely available online (www.fitbackeurope.eu). CONCLUSION: This study discusses the major implications of fitness assessment in youth from health, educational and sport perspectives, and how the FitBack reference values and interactive web-based platform contribute to it. Fitness testing can be conducted in school and/or sport settings, and the interpreted results be integrated in the healthcare systems across Europe.

Do maturation, anthropometrics and leg muscle qualities influence repeated change of direction performance in adolescent boys and girls?

The ability to change direction rapidly is a key fitness quality especially in invasive sports where young players perform approximately 300 changes of direction in a game. There is currently limited understanding of how anthropometric characteristics and maturation status influence change of direction ability in adolescent. Therefore, the purpose of this investigation is to assess the influence of anthropometrics and maturation status on change of direction ability in young people. The study involved 706 adolescents (367 girls) aged 14-19-year-old attending the same high school in Northern Italy. Stature, body mass, seated height and leg length were measured to determine the anthropometrics and maturation status of the participants. Repeated change of direction ability (10 × 5 m shuttle run test), lower limb power and muscle strength were evaluated using field tests from the Eurofit test battery. Maturity offset was calculated separately for boys and girls, in accord with the equation proposed by Mirwald. Preliminary analysis with 10 × 5 m as a dependent variable and sex and PHV as a fixed factor, suggests a significant difference between sex (p < 0.001; d = 0.35) but not with PHV (p = 0.986; d = 0.000) and interaction PHV × sex (p = 0.836; d = 0.000). Our results suggested that repeated change of direction performance was influenced by anthropometrics, maturation and muscle qualities in adolescent boys and girls.

Trends in means and distributional characteristics of cardiorespiratory endurance performance for Italian children (1984-2010).

Cardiorespiratory endurance (CRE) is an important health marker. The aim of this study was to examine temporal trends of CRE performance for Italian children between 1984 and 2010. Using a repeated cross-sectional study design, 5303 CRE test results were available for 2520 children aged 11-13 years from a single Northern Italian middle-high school between 1984 and 2010. CRE was measured as 1000-m and 12-min run test performance. With adjustments for BMI, temporal trends in means were estimated using linear regression, with trends in distributional characteristics described visually and estimated as the ratio of coefficients of variation (CVs). There was a significant small increase in BMI (effect size (ES) [95%CI]: 0.40 [0.32, 0.48]) over the entire period. When adjusted for BMI, there were significant small to moderate declines in mean running speed (ES [95%CI]: 1000-m, - 0.34 [-0.39, - 0.29]); 12-min, - 0.65 [-0.70, - 0.60]). Declines were larger for boys compared to girls. Variability substantially increased over time (ratio of CVs: range, 1.7-2.9), with larger declines in children with low running speed compared to children with average or high running speed. Our findings may be important to public health because low CRE is significantly related to current and future health.

Acute Effects of Self-Correction on Spine Deviation and Balance in Adolescent Girls with Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a three-dimensional deformity of spine and trunk with a higher incidence in girls. AIS alters and reduces postural control and balance. Self-correction movement (SCM) is a well-known non-invasive approach to ameliorate spine curve in AIS subjects. We aimed to evaluate the effects of SCM on the spine and on the balance of adolescents with AIS with a new non-invasive instrumentation. Methods: A total of 38 girls with AIS were recruited. To evaluate the acute effects of SCM and the oscillations of center of pressure (COP), we used LiDAR technology combined with a stabilometric platform to evaluate both changes in spinal curves and balance at the same time. Two tests were carried out simultaneously using the two instruments: before the execution of SCM, in the spontaneously assumed position of each subject (SP) and after the execution of SCM, during the achieved position (SC). Sway area, COP medio-lateral and antero-posterior directions, eccentricity of the ellipse and vertebral lateral deviation were recorded. The two conditions were compared with a Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: In general, all measures showed lower values in SC condition (p < 0.05), except the variation along the Y axis. Conclusions: Thanks to objective measured data, the therapists observed real-time changes during the performance of SCM, appreciating its efficacy on curve correction.

Speed agility trends in children according to growth.

BACKGROUND: Speed agility is considered as the whole assessment of speed of movement, agility and coordination. The 10x4m test has been broadly used to evaluate physical fitness and overall health in children of developmental ages. A myriad of studies have investigated the ecology of speed agility (SA). However, body dimensions are rarely appraised, and this is a weakness because body shapes are affected by growth. AIM: This study aimed to model SA-specific allometric equations, and develop an approach objectively predictive for performance while controlling for maturity through age at peak height velocity (agePHV). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 7317 (3627 girls) children aged 8-11 years were SA-tested. Multiplicative models with allometric body-size components, agePHV, and categorical differences, were implemented to evaluate SA performance. RESULTS: Model 1 accounted for body-size and shape only, whereas Model 2 included agePHV and Model 3 considered standing broad jump (SBJ) as a surrogate marker for explosive strength. An ectomorphic dominance was revealed across all the models. CONCLUSION: The explosive strength resulted in influencing SA per height-to-weight ratio. Further, positive exponent of agePHV suggested that the late maturers were likely to show better SA performances. Predictive equations modelled on developmental factors are fundamental to scrutinise performances as valuable health and fitness outcomes in childhood.

BMI and inverted BMI as predictors of fat mass in young people: a comparison across the ages.

Background: The use of body mass index (BMI) could lead to over/under estimation of fat mass percentage (FM%). An alternative index (inverted BMI, iBMI) has been proposed as a better estimator of FM% in adults, while its practical feasibility in children and adolescents has not been fully investigated.Aim: To examine if iBMI can better estimate FM% than BMI in children/adolescents.Subjects and methods: Height, weight, and triceps and subscapularis skinfolds were measured in 6686 schoolchildren aged 11-14-years-old. BMI and iBMI (squared height/weight) were calculated; FM% was estimated by skinfold thicknesses. The Pearson correlation coefficient and the coefficient of determination were obtained to test the best regression model between the indexes and FM%.Results: FM% was linearly related to both indexes with R2 values that were overall > 0.7. No significant differences among the R2 values were found (p value = .2, ANOVA).Conclusion: BMI persists as a robust index for health surveillance screening in children/adolescents, being very intuitive and ready-to-use. Inverted BMI may be more accurate within a cohort of adults who experience only ponderal modifications, directly implicated in the variation of FM. In conclusion, the BMI remains a quick, handy and intuitive predictor of FM%.

Ultrasonographic and Myotonometric Evaluation of the Shoulder Girdle After an Isokinetic Muscle Fatigue Protocol.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate supraspinatus tendon thickness, acromiohumeral distance (AHD), and stiffness/creep measures of the shoulder girdle in overhead asymptomatic athletes in muscle fatigue conditions. DESIGN: Observational, case series study. SETTING: Biomechanics and motion analysis lab. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four male overhead volleyball (n = 8), handball (n = 8), and tennis (n = 8) athletes. All subjects were without shoulder injury history. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The subjects were tested for supraspinatus tendon thickness (in short and long axis), AHD using ultrasound scans and stiffness/creep of upper trapezius, infraspinatus, anterior and posterior deltoid, and pectoralis major using the myotonometer device before and immediately after a fatigue protocol. INTERVENTION: The fatigue protocol consisted of 3 sets of 32 maximum isokinetic concentric contractions performing shoulder internal and external rotation at isokinetic speed of 120°/s. RESULTS: A significant increase in supraspinatus tendon thickness (both in short and long axis) (P = .045 and P = .01, respectively) and a reduction in AHD (P = .01) were found after an isokinetic protocol. The stiffness increased significantly in upper trapezius (P ≤ .01), infraspinatus (P = .003), posterior deltoid (P = .047), and pectoralis major (P = .01), whereas the creep showed a significant decrement for upper trapezius (P = .001) and infraspinatus (P = .003). CONCLUSION: The present study has demonstrated the postexercise fatigue in overhead athletes. The increase of stiffness (reduction of muscle creep) and tendon thickness (simultaneous to the reduction of AHD) may indicate rotator cuff overloading as a primary intrinsic tendon pathology process.

Identifying the optimal body shape and composition associated with strength outcomes in children and adolescent according to place of residence: An allometric approach.

The purpose of the study was to identify the optimal body shape and composition associated with physical fitness levels of children living in urban and rural areas of Italy. A total of 7102 children (11-14 years) were assessed for weight, height, percentage body fat (FM%), sit-and-reach flexibility (SAR), standing broad jump (SBJ) and sit-ups (SUP). A multiplicative allometric model, Y = a · massk1 · heightk2 ·Îµ, was used to predict the physical outcome variables Y = SBJ and SUP. The model was expanded to incorporate FM% and SAR as follows Y = a · massk1 · heightk2 · FM%k3 · exp(b· FM% + c· SAR) ·Îµ. Note that FM% was incorporated as a "gamma function" that allows an initial growth, and subsequent decline in Y as FM% increases in size. Although having an ectomorph body shape appears advantageous, being too thin appears detrimental to the strength outcomes. Being flexible would also benefit physical fitness levels. Finally, our results indicate that ursban children aged 11-14 have superior strength outcomes compared with rural children, having controlled for differences in body shape and composition, a finding that may be associated with rural environments having fewer exercise facilities compared with urban conurbations.

Energy Cost of Continuous Shuttle Running: Comparison of 4 Measurement Methods.

Ciprandi, D, Lovecchio, N, Piacenza, M, Limonta, E, Esposito, F, Sforza, C, Zago, M. Energy cost of continuous shuttle running: Comparison of 4 measurement methods. J Strength Cond Res 32(8): 2265-2272, 2018-Assessing runs with frequent turns (shuttle run) is a viable option to evaluate the energy cost associated with sport-specific high-intensity intermittent activities. To date, no study investigated the extent to which the computation of energy cost of exercise is affected by the following factors: procedure and duration of oxygen uptake measurement during exercise, oxygen uptake measurement during recovery, estimation of the anaerobic alactic contribution, consideration of respiratory exchange ratio (RER) in the computation, and exercise intensity. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to determine whether these factors may lead to different estimations of the energy cost of locomotion. Twenty-six healthy young men participated in two 5-m shuttle-run trials at an average speed of 50 and 75% of their maximal aerobic velocity, respectively. Oxygen uptake and lactate concentration were measured before, during, and after the trials. Results revealed that different methods of computing the energy cost of 5-m shuttle run returned significantly different results, in particular at high intensity levels. The largest significant difference found between methods was lower than 10%. This suggests that for the most accurate computation of the workload, the contribution of the anaerobic alactic mechanisms and the influence of the RER cannot be neglected. These findings might help sport scientists and conditioning trainers in identifying the exercise conditions in which including all the metabolic components are required for an accurate computation of athletes' energy expenditure. In turn, exercise conditions would be defined where the computation could be conveniently simplified without worsening results reliability.

lower limbs kinematic assessment of the effect of a gym and hydrotherapy rehabilitation protocol after knee megaprosthesis: a case report.

[Purpose] To quantitatively assess the effect of a personalized rehabilitation protocol after knee megaprosthesis. [Subject and Methods] The gait patterns of a 33-year-old male patient with knee synovial sarcoma were assessed by a computerized analysis before and after 40 rehabilitation sessions. [Results] The rehabilitation protocol improved the gait pattern. After rehabilitation, hip flexion was nearly symmetric, with normalized affected limb hip flexion, and improved ankle flexion. Ankle in/eversion was asymmetric and did not improve after physiotherapy. Before physiotherapy, the hip flexion on the affected side anticipated the movement but nearly normalized in the follow-up assessment. Hip abduction range of motion increased, with wider movements and good balance. Knee range of motion nearly symmetrized, but maintained an anticipated behavior, without shock absorption at heel-strike. [Conclusion] Instrumental gait analysis allowed us to gain evidence about the training and how to expand rehabilitative interventions to improve efficacy. In particular, we recommend quadriceps and gastrocnemius eccentric contraction training (to improve the shock absorption phase, preventing early failures of the prosthesis); one-leg standing performance (to improve the support phase of the affected limb); adductor strength training (to aid in hip control during the swing phase); and peroneus strength training (to increase ankle joint stabilization).

Stair ascent and descent in assessing donor-site morbidity following osteocutaneous free fibula transfer: a preliminary study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate gait kinematic parameters during stair ascent and descent after fibula free flap removal for facial reconstruction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients who underwent facial reconstruction with fibula free flap removal ascended and descended 3 standard steps. Their movements were recorded by a motion analyzer; gait kinematic parameters were obtained and compared with those calculated in 8 control subjects. RESULTS: Stride time, percentage of swing, and support phases did not differ among healthy and operated limbs and control subjects (Kruskal-Wallis, P > .05). No significant differences were found for hip and knee movements, pelvis rotation and tilt, and body center of mass displacements. During stair descent, the patients had significantly larger pelvis inclinations than the control subjects (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: No functional limitations during stair performance were found. The only significant difference could indicate a minor control of the pelvis and should be used to define specific rehabilitative interventions.

Urban and rural fitness level: comparison between Italian and Croatian students.

The goal of this study was to investigate the differences in physical fitness in relation to urban or rural living environment and between two countries: Italy and Croatia. Over 14,000 students were tested during physical education (PE) lessons. Croatian students were taller and heavier than Italian students, with women achieving better results in flexibility. Urban students were fitter in abdominal strength than rural students. Age seemed to be the major factor influencing the performance. This study's results indicate a trend: urban students performed "indoor" tests better than rural students; the opposite may be true for rural students. Living environment, socio-economic-status, or cultural correlation differences could be decreased during school experiences. Thus, PE programs could train all people toward an adequate, age-based fitness level.

Squat exercise to estimate knee megaprosthesis rehabilitation: a pilot study.

[Purpose] This study evaluated a specific rehabilitation protocol using a half squat after total knee reconstruction with distal femur megaprosthesis and tibial allograft-prosthesis composite. [Subject and Methods] Squat execution was recorded by a three-dimensional system before and after a specific rehabilitation program on a 28-year-old patient. Squat duration, body center of mass trajectory, and vertical range of motion were determined. Step width and joint angles and symmetry (hip flexion, extension, and rotation, knee flexion, and ankle dorsal and plantar flexion) were estimated. Knee and hip joint symmetry was computed using a bilateral cyclogram technique. [Results] After rehabilitation, the squat duration was longer (75%), step width was similar, and vertical displacement was higher. Hip flexion increased by over 20%, and ankle dorsiflexion diminished by 14%. The knee had the highest symmetry gain (4.1-3.4%). Angle-angle plot subtended areas decreased from 108° to 40°(2) (hip) and from 204° to 85°(2) (knee), showing improvement in movement symmetry. [Conclusion] We concluded that the squat is an effective multifactorial exercise to estimate rehabilitation outcomes after megaprosthesis, also considering that compressive and shear forces are minimal up to 60-70° of knee flexion.

Is change of direction influenced by motor competencies? A possible response from a MOBAK-based study in Italian schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: Change of direction (COD) ability requires higher motor control capacity and helps children improve individual motor skills. Likewise, basic motor competencies (BMC) are relevant during child maturation and may interleave with COD ability. This study aimed to investigate the possible individual determinants between the COD ability and the BMC, cognitive skills, and anthropometrics characteristics in Italian primary school children aged 6 to 11. METHODS: Children of both sexes (N.=221) were recruited from primary schools (grade 1 to 5) of Northwestern Italy. COD was assessed by 10×5 m Shuttle Run Test; motor coordination by the Motor Coordination (Motorische Basiskompetenzen, MOBAK) 1-6 test battery, whereas Trail Making Test was used to assess cognitive performance. RESULTS: A stepwise linear regression indicated that motor competencies level - assessed by the MOBAK Test - is the most fitting dimension describing COD performance for girls, with the highest R2 in Grade 5 (SEE=0.56); and the lowest SEE in Grade 5 (SEE=1.44); moreover, for boys the highest in Grade 3 (SEE=0.52) and the lowest SEE in Grade 4 (SEE=1.30). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the biunivocal relationship between COD and BMC, and the need for physical education teachers and trainers to stimulate both, during growth.

Inter-Trial Rest Interval Affects Learning Throwing Skills among Adolescents.

Newly acquired motor skills can be critically driven by different rest periods during practice. Specifically, in the initial stages of motor skill acquisition, the interval between individual trials plays a pivotal role in facilitating effective motor performance, such as in the case of throwing. The objective of this research was to determine the optimal inter-trial rest period promoting efficient motor performance, focusing on two specific motor task actions. In a randomized counterbalanced cross-over research design 169 high-school students aged 14 were studied (M = 150; F = 19). In one block, participants performed 10 basketball free throws with a short rest interval (< 5 s) and 10 other throws with a long rest interval (∼50-60 s). In a second block, they threw a regular size tennis ball into a 1-m diameter circle on the floor at 6.75 m, again throwing 10 times with a short inter-trial rest interval and 10 times with a long inter-trial rest interval. The order of the rest intervals within each block was randomized and counterbalanced. With a repeated measures two-way analysis of variance, greater accuracy seemed to be associated with short intra-set rest intervals as there were significant main effects of both conditions (F1,167 = 368.0, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.271) and resting time (F1,167 = 18.6, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.192) and no significant interaction "condition by time". Fast practice was efficient independently of the complexity of the throwing task, suggesting robust support for schema theory.

Customized Multichannel Measurement System for Microbial Fuel Cell Characterization.

This work presents the development of an automatic and customized measuring system employing sigma-delta analog-to-digital converters and transimpedance amplifiers for precise measurements of voltage and current signals generated by microbial fuel cells (MFCs). The system can perform multi-step discharge protocols to accurately measure the power output of MFCs, and has been calibrated to ensure high precision and low noise measurements. One of the key features of the proposed measuring system is its ability to conduct long-term measurements with variable time steps. Moreover, it is portable and cost-effective, making it ideal for use in laboratories without sophisticated bench instrumentation. The system is expandable, ranging from 2 to 12 channels by adding dual-channel boards, which allows for testing of multiple MFCs simultaneously. The functionality of the system was tested using a six-channel setup, and the results demonstrated its ability to detect and distinguish current signals from different MFCs with varying output characteristics. The power measurements obtained using the system also allow for the determination of the output resistance of the MFCs being tested. Overall, the developed measuring system is a useful tool for characterizing the performance of MFCs, and can be helpful in the optimization and development of sustainable energy production technologies.

Technical Differences over the Course of the Match: An Analysis of Three Elite Teams in the UEFA Champions League.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the evolution of technical performance indicators over the course of football matches in the UEFA Champions League. Three elite football teams were the sample of the present study and were analyzed throughout four consecutive seasons within the previously mentioned competition. Data from 15 min periods were collected from Wyscout and elaborated. The effects of match location and competition stage were analyzed on nine technical indicators, including ball possession and variables related to offense and goal scoring. The effects of independent variables were assessed both independently and combined. The results showed a significant increase in the frequency of occurrence and accuracy of most of the parameters towards the end of the match. The effect of match location was generally significant with higher rates for teams playing at home. Differences were noted between the two stages of the competition with higher values in the technical indicators registered during the group stage. The existence of significant differences between the initial and final periods of football games was suggested by the results. The so-called home advantage was confirmed. Different team approaches between longer stages (e.g., group stage) and elimination games (i.e., knockout phase) were suggested by the results.

Are anthropometric characteristics powerful markers to predict the Cooper Run Test? Actual Caucasian data.

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is a powerful marker of cardiovascular health, especially in youth. Several field tests can provide accurate measurement of CRF, the Cooper Run Test (CRT) is generally preferred by physical education (PE) teachers and trainers. The CRT performance in adolescents has been compared to reference distance values, gender and age but the differences among the anthropometric characteristics of youth has not been evaluated. For these reasons, the aim of this study was to develop reference standards for CRT and evaluate possible correlations between biometric measurements and athletic performance. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved a total of 9,477 children (4,615 girls) aged 11-14 years, freely recruited from North Italian middle schools. Mass, height and CRT performances were assessed in the morning during PE classes as scheduled (mornings-Monday to Friday). The anthropometric measures were collected at least 20 min before the CRT run test. Results: We found a better CRT result in boys (p < 0.001), however a smaller SD in girls suggested a more homogeneous aerobic performance for girls (i.e., 371.12 m vs 282.00 m). In addition, the Shapiro-Wilk test showed a low p-value (p < 0.001) but the effect size (0.031 for boys and 0.022 for girls) was small enough that the correction on this parameter allows a practical assumption of normality for the distributions. A visual homoskedastic distribution in both sexes is evident for both body mass index (BMI), mass and VO2 peak with respect to CRT results. In addition, there were low linear correlation coefficients for both BMI, mass and VO2 peak compared to the CRT results, with a R2 < 0.5 for every covariate. The only visual heteroskedastic distribution was observed in regression between distance in CRT and age at peak high velocity. Conclusions: Our findings suggested that anthropometric characteristics are not powerful markers to predict Cooper Run Test results in a well-mixed, unpolarized and unbiased pool of middle school boys and girls. PE teachers and trainers should prefer endurance tests over the use of indirect formulas to predict performance.