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
-
1
Alricsson M, Harms-Ringdahl K, Werner S.
Reliability of sports related functional tests with emphasis on speed and agility in young athletes.
Scand J Med Sci Sports.
2001;
11
229-232
-
2
Atkinson G, Nevill AM.
Statistical methods for assessing measurement error (reliability) in variables relevant to sports medicine.
Sports Med.
1998;
26
217-238
-
3
Atwater SW, Crowe TK, Deitz JC, Richardson PK.
Interrater and test-retest reliability of two pediatric balance tests.
Phys Ther.
1990;
70
79-87
-
4
Beets MW, Pitetti KH.
Criterion-referenced reliability and equivalency between the PACER and 1-mile run/walk for high school students.
Measur Phys Educ Exer Sci.
2006;
3
S21-S33
-
5 Bouchard C, Blair SN, Haskell WL. Why study physical activity and health?. In: Bouchard C, Blair SN, Haskell WL, (eds) Physical Activity and Health. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Books; 2007: 3-22
-
6 Bouchard C, Sheppard RJ. Physical activity, fitness, and health: the model and key concepts. In: Bouchard C, Shephard RJ, Stephens T, eds Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics Books; 1994: 77-88
-
7
Bruton A, Conway JH, Holgate ST.
Reliability: what is it, and how is it measured?.
Physiotherapy.
2000;
86
94-99
-
8
Castro-Pinero J, Artero EG, Espana-Romero V, Ortega FB, Sjostrom M, Suni J, Ruiz JR.
Criterion-related validity of field-based fitness tests in youth: a systematic review.
Br J Sports Med.
2010;
44
934-943
-
9
Cotten DJ.
An analysis of the NCYFS II Modified Pull-up Test.
Res Q Exerc Sport.
1990;
61
272-274
-
10
Currell K, Jeukendrup AE.
Validity, reliability and sensitivity of measures of sporting performance.
Sports Med.
2008;
38
297-316
-
11
Espana-Romero V, Artero EG, Jimenez-Pavon D, Cuenca-Garcia M, Ortega FB, Castro-Pinero J, Sjostrom M, Castillo-Garzon MJ, Ruiz JR.
Assessing health-related fitness tests in the school setting: reliability, feasibility and safety; the ALPHA Study.
Int J Sports Med.
2010;
31
490-497
-
12
España-Romero V, Artero EG, Santaliestra-Pasias AM, Gutierrez A, Castillo MJ, Ruiz JR.
Hand span influences optimal grip span in boys and girls aged 6 to 12 years.
J Hand Surg Am.
2008;
33
378-384
-
13
Essendrop M, Maul I, Laubli T, Riihimaki H, Schibye B.
Measures of low back function: a review of reproducibility studies.
Clin Biomech.
2002;
17
235-249
-
14
Gutin B, Litaker M, Islam S, Manos T, Smith C, Treiber F.
Body-composition measurement in 9–11-y-old children by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, skinfold-thickness measurements, and bioimpedance analysis.
Am J Clin Nutr.
1996;
63
287-292
-
15
Hannibal NS, Plowman SA, Looney MA, Brandenburg J.
Reliability and validity of low back strength/muscular endurance field tests in adolescents.
J Phys Act Health.
2006;
3
S78-S89
-
16
Hartman J, Looney M.
Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced reliability and validity of the back-saver sit-and-reach.
Meas Phys Educat Exerc Sci.
2003;
7
71-87
-
17
Hopkins WG.
Measures of reliability in sports medicine and science.
Sports Med.
2000;
30
1-15
-
18
Janz KF, Nielsen DH, Cassady SL, Cook JS, Wu YT, Hansen JR.
Cross-validation of the Slaughter skinfold equations for children and adolescents.
Med Sci Sports Exerc.
1993;
25
1070-1076
-
19
Kollath JA, Safrit MJ, Zhu W, Gao LG.
Measurement errors in modified pull-ups testing.
Res Q Exerc Sport.
1991;
62
432-435
-
20
Li AM, Yin J, Yu CC, Tsang T, So HK, Wong E, Chan D, Hon EK, Sung R.
The six-minute walk test in healthy children: reliability and validity.
Eur Respir J.
2005;
25
1057-1060
-
21
Liu NY, Plowman SA, Looney MA.
The reliability and validity of the 20-meter shuttle test in American students 12 to 15 years old.
Res Q Exerc Sport.
1992;
63
360-365
-
22
Mahar MT, Parker CR, Rowe DA.
Agreement among three field tests of aerobic capacity.
Res Q Exerc Sport.
1997;
68
A-54
-
23
Mahar MT, Rowe DA, Parker CR, Mahar FJ, Dawson DM, Holt JE.
Criterion-referenced and norm-referenced agreement between the mile run/walk and PACER.
Meas Phys Educat Exerc Sci.
1997;
1
245-258
-
24
Meusel D, Ruiz JR, Ortega FB, Hagstromer M, Bergman P, Sjostrom M.
Assessing Levels of Physical Activity in the European Population – the ALPHA project.
Selección.
2007;
16
9-12
-
25
Molenaar HM, Zuidam JM, Selles RW, Stam HJ, Hovius SE.
Age-specific reliability of two grip-strength dynamometers when used by children.
J Bone Joint Surg Am.
2008;
90
1053-1059
-
26
Moreno LA, Joyanes M, Mesana MI, Gonzalez-Gross M, Gil CM, Sarria A, Gutierrez A, Garaulet M, Perez-Prieto R, Bueno M, Marcos A, Group AS.
Harmonization of anthropometric measurements for a multicenter nutrition survey in Spanish adolescents.
Nutrition.
2003;
19
481-486
-
27
Moreno LA, Rodriguez G, Guillen J, Rabanaque MJ, Leon JF, Arino A.
Anthropometric measurements in both sides of the body in the assessment of nutritional status in prepubertal children.
Eur J Clin Nutr.
2002;
56
1208-1215
-
28
Mueller WH, Kaplowitz HJ.
The precision of anthropometric assessment of body fat distribution in children.
Ann Hum Biol.
1994;
21
267-274
-
29
Nagy E, Vicente-Rodriguez G, Manios Y, Beghin L, Iliescu C, Censi L, Dietrich S, Ortega FB, De Vriendt T, Plada M, Moreno LA, Molnar D.
Harmonization process and reliability assessment of anthropometric measurements in a multicenter study in adolescents.
Int J Obes (Lond).
2008;
32
(Suppl 5)
S58-S65
-
30
Ortega FB, Artero EG, Ruiz JR, Vicente-Rodriguez G, Bergman P, Hagstromer M, Ottevaere C, Nagy E, Konsta O, Rey-Lopez JP, Polito A, Dietrich S, Plada M, Beghin L, Manios Y, Sjostrom M, Castillo MJ.
Reliability of health-related physical fitness tests in European adolescents. The HELENA Study.
Int J Obes (Lond).
2008;
32
(Suppl 5)
S49-57
-
31
Ortega FB, Ruiz JR, Castillo MJ, Sjostrom M.
Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence: a powerful marker of health.
Int J Obes (Lond).
2008;
32
1-11
-
32
Paineau D, Chiheb S, Banu I, Valensi P, Fontan JE, Gaudelus J, Chapalain V, Chumlea C, Bornet F, Boulier A.
Comparison of field methods to estimate fat mass in children.
Ann Hum Biol.
2008;
35
185-197
-
33
Patterson P, Bennington J, De La Rosa T.
Psychometric properties of child- and teacher-reported curl-up scores in children ages 10–12 years.
Res Q Exerc Sport.
2001;
72
117-124
-
34
Patterson P, Rethwisch N, Wiksten D.
Reliability of the trunk lift in high school boys and girls.
Meas Phys Educat Exerc Sci.
1997;
1
145-151
-
35
Pitetti KH, Fernhall B, Figoni S.
Comparing two regression formulas that predict VO2 peak using the 20-m shuttle run for children and adolescents.
Ped Exerc Sci.
2002;
125-134
-
36
Pritchard T, O’Bryant H.
An alternative to the full sit-up testing for middle school students.
Phys Educator.
2001;
58
42-51
-
37
Rikli RE, Petray C, Baumgartner TA.
The reliability of distance run tests for children in grades K-4.
Res Q Exerc Sport.
1992;
63
270-276
-
38
Rodriguez G, Moreno LA, Blay MG, Blay VA, Fleta J, Sarria A, Bueno M.
Body fat measurement in adolescents: comparison of skinfold thickness equations with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
Eur J Clin Nutr.
2005;
59
1158-1166
-
39
Romain BS, Mahar MT.
Norm-referenced and criterion-referenced reliability of the push-up and modified pull-up.
Meas Phys Educat Exerc Sci.
2001;
5
67-80
-
40
Rothwell PM.
Analysis of agreement between measurements of continuous variables: general principles and lessons from studies of imaging of carotid stenosis.
J Neurol.
2000;
247
825-834
-
41
Ruiz JR, Castro-Pinero J, Artero EG, Ortega FB, Sjostrom M, Suni J, Castillo MJ.
Predictive validity of health-related fitness in youth: a systematic review.
Br J Sports Med.
2009;
43
909-923
-
42
Ruiz JR, Espana-Romero V, Ortega FB, Sjöström M, Castillo MJ, Gutierrez A.
Hand span influences optimal grip span in male and female teenagers.
J Hand Surg Am.
2006;
31
1367-1372
-
43
Stoddard SA, Kubik MY, Skay C.
Is school-based height and weight screening of elementary students private and reliable?.
J Sch Nurs.
2008;
24
43-48
-
44
Taylor HL, Buskirk E, Henschel A.
Maximal oxygen intake as an objective measure of cardio-respiratory performance.
J Appl Physiol.
1955;
8
73-80
-
45
Tong TK, Fu FH, Chow BC.
Reliability of a 5-min running field test and its accuracy in VO2max evaluation.
J Sports Med Phys Fitness.
2001;
41
318-323
-
46
Vegelin AL, Brukx LJ, Waelkens JJ, Van den Broeck J.
Influence of knowledge, training and experience of observers on the reliability of anthropometric measurements in children.
Ann Hum Biol.
2003;
30
65-79
-
47 Vincent J. Statistics in Kinesiology. Champaign (IL): Human Kinetics Books; 1994
-
48 Welk GJ, Meredith MD. Fitnessgram/Activitygram Reference Guide. Dallas, TX: The Cooper Institute; 2008
-
49
WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group
.
Reliability of anthropometric measurements in the WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study.
Acta Paediatr Suppl.
2006;
450
38-46
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
