Normative values of cardiorespiratory fitness in Croatian children and adolescents

Sagat, Peter (author), Štefan, Lovro (author), Petrić, Vilko (author), Štemberger, Vesna (author), Blažević, Iva (author)

Although defining normative values of cardiorespiratory fitness have been the topic of many Western societies, little evidence has been provided for less developed countries like Croatia. Since cardiorespiratory fitness rapidly declines in Croatian children and adolescents, the newly established normative values would help health-related professionals and physical education teachers to detect ‘talented’ groups and direct them towards sport and ‘risky’ groups for planning special interventions. Therefore, the main purpose of the study was to determine normative reference values of cardiorespiratory fitness. A total of 1,612 children and adolescents aged 7–14 years (mean±SD; age 9.7±2.4 years; stature 151.0±17.6 cm; body mass 45.1±19.1 kg; 52.5% girls) participated in this cross-sectional study. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed by the Maximal multistage 20-m shuttle run test and the performance was expressed as the number of stages. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO$_2$max) was estimated by equations. Smoothed percentile curves were calculated. Boys outperformed girls in the maximal number of levels achieved after the 20-m shuttle run test and in the VO$_2$max values at each age category. In boys, a gradually higher level of performance between ages 11 and 14 was observed, while in girls the values started to rise after the age of 8. Our study provides one of the first sex- and age-specific normative values for cardiorespiratory fitness assessed by the 20-m shuttle run test in Croatian children and adolescents.

• Language: English
• Keywords: physical fitness, children, adolescents, schools, Croatian people, physical activity, age groups, child health
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: 11 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 18, no. 4, art. e0284410
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-159124
• UDC: 796
• ISSN on article: 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284410
• COBISS.SI-ID: 201027587
• Publication date in RUL: 01.07.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: PloS one
• Publisher: PLOS
• ISSN: 1932-6203
• COBISS.SI-ID: 2005896

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: SSDRL