The main aim of this research is the examination of the secular trends in the physical fitness of children and youths around the world, and the indentification of secualr trends in coordination and balance of 7- to 18-year-old children and youths between 1983/84, 1993/94, 2003/04 and 2013/14. The findings of foreign studies were compared to the existing slovenian studies and to the results of our research. Only the changes in physical fitness in children and youths over a longer period of time, i.e. at least ten years, were examined, both for the literature review and the report.
Present dissertation is relying on the ACDSi study, which was only used for the data of the following; tests coordination, rapid alternating movements of the hands and balance. For wich four tests were used: polygon backwards test, 20-s plate tapping test, 20-s drumming test and flamingo balance test.The data of the assessments were processed with the SPSS program. Statistically significant differences between the generations were determined with the analysis of varience (ANOVA) and the post-hoc tests (Tuckey post-hoc). For the measurements completed in a single year the following numbers of subjects were considered: 14,698 for the polygon backwards test, 17,048 for the 20-s plate tapping test, 17,028 for the 20-s dramming test and 11,280 for the flamingo balance test.
Upon analysing the data, it was evident that between the years 1983/84 and 1993/94 there were statistically significant differences in polygon backwards in the majority of the age groups, in both males and females. In this same period, the trend was positive especially in the younger age groups. In the period between 1993/94 and 2003/04 we did not foud any significant differences for either of the sexes. In the last recorded period, another positive change was reported for the female groups. Between the years 1993/94 and 2003/04, we have registered a positive trend in the majority of the age groups for both sexes during the 20-s drumming test. In the majority of the female age groups the positive trend continued in the period between 2003/04 and 2013/14. Similar finidings were observed after the analysis of the measurment activity 20-s plate tapping test; in the period 1993/94 to 2003/04 there were statistically significant differences in the majority of the age groups, regardless of the gender. In this period the trend was positive. When observing balance, the statistically significant differences were at the lowest. The trend here was negative for five different male age groups and two separate female age groups.
The dissertation can be beneficial especially in raising the awarness in teachers, parents, medical doctors, social workers and sports professionals of the meaning of children's locomotor efficiency when it comes to coordination and balance, and their positive and negative changes in the different time periods; only on the basis of these, different programs and interventions can be launched.
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