Reliability of field-based fitness tests in youth.

The objective of this systematic review was to study the reliability of the existing field-based fitness tests intended for use with children and adolescents. The medical electronic databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS and SPORTS DISCUS were screened for papers published from January 1990 to December 2009. Each study was classified as high, low or very low quality according to the description of the participants, the time interval between measurements, the description of the results and the appropriateness of statistics. 3 levels of evidence were constructed according to the number of studies and the consistency of the findings. 32 studies were finally included in the present review. The reliability of tests assessing cardiorespiratory fitness (9 studies), musculoskeletal fitness (12 studies), motor fitness (3 studies), and body composition (10 studies) was investigated. Although some fitness components warrant further investigation, this review provides an evidence-based proposal for most reliable field-based fitness tests for use with children and adolescents: 20-m shuttle run test to measure cardiorespiratory fitness; handgrip strength and standing broad jump tests to measure musculoskeletal fitness; 4×10 m shuttle run test for motor fitness; and height, weight, BMI, skinfolds, circumferences and percentage body fat estimated from skinfold thickness to measure body composition.

Role of cardiorespiratory fitness on the association between physical activity and abdominal fat content in adolescents: the HELENA study.

We examined the role of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) on the association between physical activity (PA) and abdominal fat content in adolescents. Abdominal fat content was measured by waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at 3 regions (R1, R2, and R3). PA and CRF were assessed by accelerometry and the 20 m-shuttle run test, respectively. Vigorous PA was inversely associated with waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio (ß from -0.149 to -0.197; p<0.05). In both CRF groups (i. e., low and high), vigorous and moderate-to-vigorous PA (also average PA in the low CRF group) were inversely associated with abdominal fat (i. e., R1, R2 and R3; ß from -0.146 to -0.244; p<0.05). This association did not differ according to CRF group (P for interaction >0.05), yet the percentage of variance in abdominal fat content, when assessed by DXA, explained by PA was slightly higher in adolescents with low CRF (3-8%) compared to those with high CRF (2-4%). The findings indicate that there is not a clear interaction effect of CRF in the association between PA and abdominal fat in adolescents, yet slightly stronger association was observed in the low fit group.

Assessing health-related fitness tests in the school setting: reliability, feasibility and safety; the ALPHA Study.

The aim of this study was to determine the reliability, feasibility and safety of a health-related fitness test battery administered by Physical Education (PE) teachers in the school setting. Six PE teachers, from three primary schools and three secondary schools, assessed twice (7 days apart) the 20 m shuttle run, handgrip and standing long jump tests, as well as weight, stature, triceps and subscapular thickness and waist circumference in 58 children (age: 6-11 yr) and 80 adolescents (age: 12-18 yr). Feasibility and safety were assessed by researches by means of direct observation. Significant inter-trial differences were found for the standing long jump test (3.8+/-12.7 cm, P<0.05) and for stature (0.73+/-0.8 cm, P<0.001) in children, and for waist circumference in both children and adolescents (-0.82+/-1.2 cm and -0.35+/-0.8 cm respectively, P=0.001). The feasibility and safety items assessed presented a successful answer. Therefore, the results indicate that health-related fitness tests administered by PE teachers are reliable, feasible and safe to be performed in the school setting.

Influencia de los cambios en la dieta sobre el perfil lipídico y los niveles de apoproteinas A-1 y B / Influence of changes in the diet on the lipid profile and levels of apolipoproteins A-1 and B

Objetivos. El objetivo del presente trabajo es conocer la influencia que las modificaciones importantes en la dieta tipo mediterráneo, propia de nuestro medio, pueden tener sobre los lípidos plasmáticos y niveles de lipoproteínas. Material y métodos.- Se han de diferenciar los sujetos en función del sexo y se estudiará la influencia de las dietas especialmente abundantes en vegetales (dietas vegetarianas), en productos ricos en grasas saturadas y colesterol (dieta rica en carne y productos de origen animal) o abundantes en ácidos grasos de la serie n-3 (dieta rica en pescados y otros productos marinos). Resultados y conclusiones.- Los sujetos ovolactovegetarianos no muestran diferencias en cuanto a perfil lipídico, niveles de apo A1 y B o índices de riesgo con respecto a los sujetos que ingieren una dieta convencional de tipo mediterráneo (dieta mixta variada), mientras que los sujetos lactovegetarianos presentan niveles más bajos tanto de apo B como de apo A1 , por lo que su índice de riesgo apo B/apo A1 no es mucho más favorable. Los sujetos que ingieren una dieta abundante en carne y productos derivados, presentan niveles más altos de apo B, colesterol total y triglicéridos, así como peores índices de riesgo. Por último los sujetos con una dieta abundante rica en pescado apenas si modifican el perfil lipídico o niveles de apo A1 o apo B en relación con los sujetos que siguen una dieta mixta (AU)

Aim The aim of the study was to know the possible influence that important changes in the Mediterranean diet of our environment have on plasma lipid and lipoproteins levels. Material and methods.- Subjects were divided according to sex, and the influence of diets specially rich in vegetables (vegetarian diets), saturated fats and cholesterol (diets rich in meat and animal product), or n-3 fatty acids (diets rich in fish and other seafood products) was studied. Results. Conclusions.- According to our results, no differences were found in the lipid profile, apo A1 and B levels or risk indexes between ovolactovegetarians and subjects consuming the traditional Mediterranean diet (mixed diet); whereas lactovegetarians presented lower levels of apo B and apo A1 so that their risk index apo B/apo A1 was not much more favourable. Subjects consuming a diet rich in meat and derived products showed higher levels of apo B, total cholesterol and triglycerides, as well as, risk indexes less favourable. Finally, subjects following an affluent diet rich in fish did not almost modify their lipid profile or levels of apo A1, or apo B compared to those consuming a mixed diet (AU)

Comunicación: medicina del pasado, del presente y del futuro / Communication: past, present and future medicine

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