Aptidão fi ́sica relacionada a saúde em adolescentes brasileiros residentes em áreas de médio/baixo índice de desenvolvimento humano

Abstract

Objective Evaluating health-related, physical fitness (HRPF) in adolescents from a town having a medium/low Human Development Index (HDI). Methods This was a descriptive study involving 627 adolescents (266 boys and 361 girls) from public schools aged 14 to 17. Anthropometric measurements were obtained and the students were given motor tests analysed according to the cut-off points suggested by US Physical Best fitness standards (1988). Results Low physical fitness was observed amongst the students being studied, thereby presenting a health risk in terms of flexibility (40.8%), muscle strength/endurance (98.5%) and cardio respiratory fitness (35.4%); 25% of the students did not fulfil the body composition criteria. Overall classification in the three motor tests revealed a high percentage of students from both genders (boys: 99.6% and girls: 100%) who did not fulfil the pre established criteria for having a satisfactory level of physical fitness. Conclusion The results indicated that implementing intervention aimed at the school-age population having poor HRPF is of fundamental importance.