Health-related physical fitness levels of elementary school children ages 5-9.
National health goals include an increase in the physical activity and physical fitness of school-age children by the year 2000. To assess current fitness levels in the state of Maine, more than 8,000 public school students, ages five through nine, were assessed using a nationally known (American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance) health-related physical fitness test. Maine students were then compared with a national norm group on (1) the one-mile walk/run (minutes:seconds), (2) skinfold thickness (centimeters), (3) one-minute timed sit-ups (number performed correctly), and (4) the sit and reach test for flexibility (centimeters). Generally, Maine boys and girls scored higher than the norms on the sit-up, sit and reach, and one-mile walk/run; however, they had significantly larger skinfold thicknesses. Implications for assessment of health-related fitness in this age group were discussed.
Lehnhard
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HR
College of Education, Health, Physical Education and Recreation, University of Maine, Orono 04469.
Lehnhard
R A
RA
Butterfield
S A
SA
Beckwith
D M
DM
Marion
S F
SF
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008281:Maine; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012737:Sex Factors; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D014481:United States