Reliability of Field-Based Fitness Tests in Youth

E. G. Artero; V. España-Romero; J. Castro-Piñero; F. B. Ortega; J. Suni; M. J. Castillo-Garzon; J. R. Ruiz

doi:10.1055/s-0030-1268488

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Int J Sports Med 2011; 32(3): 159-169
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1268488

Review

Reliability of Field-Based Fitness Tests in Youth

E. G. Artero¹ ^, ² , V. España-Romero¹ ^, ² , J. Castro-Piñero³ ^, ⁴ , F. B. Ortega¹ ^, ³ , J. Suni⁵ , M. J. Castillo-Garzon¹ , J. R. Ruiz¹ ^, ³

¹EFFECTS-262 Research Group, Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Granada, Spain
²Department of Exercise Science, University of South Carolina, USA
³Department of Biosciences and Nutrition at NOVUM, Unit for Preventive Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Sweden
⁴Department of Physical Education, School of Education, University of Cádiz, Spain
⁵UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland

Further Information

Publication History

accepted after revision November 02, 2010

Publication Date:
16 December 2010 (online)

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Abstract

The objective of this systematic review was to study the reliability of the existing field-based fitness tests intended for use with children and adolescents. The medical electronic databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS and SPORTS DISCUS were screened for papers published from January 1990 to December 2009. Each study was classified as high, low or very low quality according to the description of the participants, the time interval between measurements, the description of the results and the appropriateness of statistics. 3 levels of evidence were constructed according to the number of studies and the consistency of the findings. 32 studies were finally included in the present review. The reliability of tests assessing cardiorespiratory fitness (9 studies), musculoskeletal fitness (12 studies), motor fitness (3 studies), and body composition (10 studies) was investigated. Although some fitness components warrant further investigation, this review provides an evidence-based proposal for most reliable field-based fitness tests for use with children and adolescents: 20-m shuttle run test to measure cardiorespiratory fitness; handgrip strength and standing broad jump tests to measure musculoskeletal fitness; 4×10 m shuttle run test for motor fitness; and height, weight, BMI, skinfolds, circumferences and percentage body fat estimated from skinfold thickness to measure body composition.

Key words

children - adolescents - testing - repeated measurements

References

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Correspondence

Dr. Enrique Garcia Artero

University of Granada

Department of Physiology

Av. Madrid s/n

18012 Granada

Spain

Phone: +34/958/24 35 40

Fax: +34/958/24 90 15

Email: artero@ugr.es