Rural–Urban Differences in Physical Fitness and Overweight Prevalence of Children and Adolescents from Central South China

Abstract

Purpose: This present study aims to determine the rural–urban differences in physical fitness and overweight prevalence among children and adolescents from Central South China. Methods: All the original parameters of physical fitness indicators for 216,718 participants aged from 7 to 15 years old were obtained from the website of the Chinese National Student Physical Fitness Database and were analyzed by SPSS. Results: (1) Children and adolescents from rural areas were observed to have a more adverse physical fitness ratio, and the urban–rural differences were identified in each physical fitness indicator. (2) Rural areas had a higher overweight prevalence (p < 0.01). When compared to urban cities, overweight students from rural towns measured a significantly poorer cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness in primary school (p < 0.05), while the result in middle school was showed the opposite. (3) Rural–urban residence and sex were the moderately correlated factors for muscular fitness among overweight students. Conclusions: Urban children and adolescents in central south China had an overall healthier profile than their rural peers, particularly in overweight groups. The government and related functional departments should take the factors of rural–urban residence and sex of students into consideration when building a state strategy and interventions to promote physical activity and health.