TITLE:
Physical Fitness across 11- to 17-Year-Old Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study in 2267 Austrian Middle- and High-School Students
AUTHORS:
Klaus Greier, Clemens Drenowatz, Gerhard Ruedl, Werner Kirschner, Peter Mitmannsgruber, Carla Greier
KEYWORDS:
Motor Development, Sports Performance, Puberty, Youth, Strength, Power, Endurance, Speed, Agility, Flexibility, Balance
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.9 No.4,
November
4,
2019
ABSTRACT: Puberty is a critical period in the development of physical fitness. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to examine the development of various components of physical fitness in Austrian adolescents between 11 and 17 years of age.A total of 2267 (51% male) adolescents from 18 secondary schools in Western Austria provided valid data. Following anthropometric measurements, participants performed the German motor test, which consists of 8 test items that assess speed, power, strength, endurance, agility, balance, and flexibility. Differences in physical fitness by age and sex were examined via a 2 by 7 MANOVA.In general, fitness improved between the ages11 and 13 years in boys and girls. After the age of 13, physical fitness remained relatively stable in girls, while there was a continuous increase in physical fitness in boys, except for flexibility, which remained stable. Accordingly, boys performed better than girls, except for flexibility, which was better in girls. No sex difference occurred for balance.Biological changes (e.g. changes in sex hormones, body composition), contribute to significant gains in strength and endurance throughout adolescence, particularly in boys. In girls, increases in physical fitness were less pronounced and were generally limited after the age of 13. This may also reflect behavioral changes and emphasizes the importance of continued promotion of physical activity and sports, particularly in girls.