The role of childhood physical fitness on physical activity in mid-adulthood: A longitudinal study - 02/10/14
Résumé |
Introduction |
The development of various physical fitness (PF) traits such as strength, flexibility, aerobic power and body composition during childhood are thought to influence lifetime physical activity. This paper investigates the role of adolescent PF on mid-adulthood physical activity (PA) in a group of children followed from 7 to 40 years of age.
Methods |
Participants were drawn from the Saskatchewan Growth and Development Study (SGDS); 207 boys, aged 7years at study entry and 149 girls age 7 to 15years at study entry were assessed annually from 1963 to 1973. In mid-adulthood (40years of age), 110 individuals (67 males and 43 females) had assessments of PA. Participants were grouped by their adolescent PF (low, average, high), based on mean PF z-scores obtained from measures during childhood. The composite PF score was calculated from five equally weighted age categorized component z-scores: aerobic power, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility/fitness performance and body composition. In mid-adulthood PA was assessed using a questionnaire developed from the Paffenbarger Physical Activity and the Seven-Day Physical Activity questionnaires. An adult PA z-score was calculated. Adult PA scores were compared across adolescent PF groups (Anova) (α=0.05).
Results |
There were no significant differences in adult PA z-scores between childhood PF groups (–0.02±1.5, –0.2±1.2 and 0.2±1.1 for low, average and high PF groups respectively). The correlation between childhood PF z-scores and adult PA z-scores was r=0.01, P>0.05.
Conclusion |
Although it has been postulated that PF in childhood may influence PA in middle age, this is not supported by the present data set. Although, it is possible that the sample was too homogeneous both in childhood and middle age, an alternative conclusion is that PA is related to cumulative physical fitness throughout life and not just during childhood.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : Physical activity, Longitudinal, Adulthood
Plan
Vol 29 - N° S
P. S38 - octobre 2014 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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