title: Physical fitness in rural and urban children and adolescents from Spain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to examine the differences in fitness components between rural and urban Spanish children and adolescents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sample of 2569 school children (1068) and adolescents (1501) from urban and rural areas from the region of Aragón (Spain). Physical fitness was assessed by 7 tests: 20 m shuttle run, speed shuttle run, sit and reach, standing long jump, handgrip strength, bent arm hang and sit-ups in 30s (s). Differences (in fitness and anthropometry) by place of residence were examined by one-way analysis of covariance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rural young people had higher cardiorespiratory fitness, but lower speed-agility and flexibility than urban young people (all p<0.001; mean differences=1.5 mL/kg per min, 0.4s and 0.9 cm respectively). Regarding muscular fitness, rural young people had a better performance in handgrip strength (mean difference=0.8 kg), bent arm hang (mean difference=2.3s), and a lower performance in sit-ups in 30s (mean difference=0.9s) (all p<0.001), compared to their urban peers. Rural young people had a lower body mass, body mass index (BMI) and sum of skinfolds (all p<0.05; mean differences=1.1 kg, 0.3 kg/m(2) and 4.9 mm respectively) than their urban peers. Effect size was small-medium (Cohen's d=0.1-0.3).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rural Spanish children and adolescents had overall a healthier profile than their urban peers in terms of cardiorespiratory fitness, upper- and lower-limb muscular fitness and adiposity, while they performed worse in speed-agility and flexibility. The place of residence should be taken into account when implementing effective interventions to promote physical activity and health.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Education and Sport, School of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Palma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chillón
authors.forename: Francisco B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Ortega
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ferrando
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Casajus
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology; D000293:Adolescent; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness; D012420:Running / Q000502:physiology; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*