title: Socioeconomic status influences physical fitness in European adolescents independently of body fat and physical activity: the HELENA study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The influence of socioeconomic status on health-related fitness is not clear.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the influence of socioeconomic status on health-related fitness in adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3,259 adolescents (15.0 +/- 1.3 y) from the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence Cross-Sectional Study (HELENA-CSS) participated in the study. Socioeconomic status was assessed by the family affluence scale (FAS). Speed-agility, muscular strength and cardiorespiratory fitness were assessed. Covariates included total body fat, physical activity and pubertal status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adolescents with high FAS had significantly higher fitness levels than their peers of lower FAS categories except for speed-agility and handgrip in boys. Overall, the associations observed presented a medium to large effect size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that socioeconomic status is positively associated with physical fitness in European adolescents independently of total body fat and habitual physical activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Human Performance, Faculty of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences-INEF, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain. davidjimenez@ugr.es
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jiménez Pavón
authors.forename: F P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: España Romero
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: García Artero
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moliner Urdiales
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gómez Martínez
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vicente Rodríguez
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Manios
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Béghin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Répasy
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sjöstrom
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: González Gross
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Castillo
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005060:Europe; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014504:Urban Health