PHYSICAL FITNESS OF BOYS PERTAINING TO UNDERWEIGHT, OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY

Abstract

Together with the changing socio-economic status of the Polish society, differences in the nutritional status of children and youth and their lower physical fitness levels are becoming more noticeable. The aim of this research was to define changes that occurred over a 10-year period regarding physical fitness of boys with proper weight-height proportions and of their underweight, overweight and obese counterparts. In 2004/05, somatic features and physical fitness were examined in 16116 and 9507 boys, respectively, aged 10-18. Ten years later somatic features and physical fitness assesmensts were repeated in 6972 and 6834 boys aged 10 to 18. The participants performed Eurofit tests and their body height and body mass were measured in order to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI). The ten-year differences in physical fitness were expressed on a T point scale, while their extent was estimated with the Student’s t-test for independent data. The frequency of occurrence of underweight and overweight was expressed in percentage values and verified with the use of the χ² test.  In the analysed decade, an increase in the frequency of occurrence of both overweight and serious underweight was noted. It resulted in a lower level of physical fitness in children and youth belonging to the aforementioned groups. The most serious negative changes were noted in boys aged 13-15. It can be concluded that unless remedial programmes are implemented, the young generation will experience biological deterioration in the decades to come, which may result in an epidemic of lifestyle diseases in younger and younger individuals.