Relationships among fitness, body composition, and physical activity.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to examine the associations of physical activity and body composition with cardiorespiratory fitness in eighth grade girls.


METHODS
A random sample of 1440 eighth grade girls at 36 schools participated in this cross-sectional investigation, which represented an ethnically and geographically diverse group. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using a modified physical work capacity test on a cycle ergometer that predicted workload at a heart rate of 170 beats.min. Physical activity was assessed over 6 d in each girl using an accelerometer and body composition was estimated from body mass index and triceps skinfolds using a previously validated equation. Pearson correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to determine the relationships among fitness, physical activity, and body composition.


RESULTS
Significant linear relationships among cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, and physical activity were found. The combination of fat and fat-free mass along with racial group and a race by fat-free-mass interaction accounted for 18% (R) of the variation in physical fitness. Adding moderate-to-vigorous physical activity to the regression model increased the R to 22%. Black girls had somewhat lower fitness levels (P < 0.05) especially at higher levels of fat and fat-free mass than other racial/ethnic groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Physical activity, fat-free mass, and the interaction between fat-free mass and racial group are significantly associated with cardiorespiratory fitness in adolescent girls.
Lohman
Timothy G
TG
Department of Physiology, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. lohman@u.arizona.edu
Ring
Kimberly
K
Pfeiffer
Karin
K
Camhi
Sarah
S
Arredondo
Elva
E
Pratt
Charlotte
C
Pate
Russ
R
Webber
Larry S
LS
D000293:Adolescent; D001741:Black or African American; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D018670:Monitoring, Ambulatory; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D044465:White People