LAUSR

BACKGROUND A high level of physical fitness is of major importance for cardiovascular health in children and adolescents. The main objective of this study was to describe the evolution of physical fitness levels among children in northern France. The secondary objective was to situate the physical fitness of these children with regard to preexisting French standards, assessing their condition at two time points over 3 years. METHODS The study presents a longitudinal design, with data collection when the children were 8 then 11 years old. All in all, 516 children (254 boys) aged 7.7±0.4 years (in 2010) and 10.9±0.4 years (in 2013) participated in the 3-year study. Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, speed and agility were assessed. For each physical fitness measurement, the condition of each child was evaluated (in terms of percentiles) in 2010 and then in 2013 in comparison with national standards. The 2010 and 2013 percentiles were then compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS Between 2010 and 2013, muscular strength, agility and cardiorespiratory endurance decreased in both sexes (P<0.01). A significant decrease in all aspects of physical fitness was found in children of normal weight (P<0.05). Among children of normal weight in 2010 who had, by 2013, become overweight or obese, a significant decrease was noted in cardiorespiratory fitness and coordination/agility test scores (P<0.05). Among children who were overweight in 2010 but of normal weight in 2013, only the coordination/agility test performances decreased significantly (P<0.05). As for those who were overweight or obese in 2010 and whose weight status had not changed in 2013, all aspects of their physical fitness levels had significantly decreased (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that the physical fitness of French youth in the Hauts-de-France region decreased significantly between childhood and early adolescence. They underline the importance of introducing and/or developing a health promotion curriculum in French schools in view of improving the overall health and physical condition of preteens and teens.