title: Associations between health-related physical fitness and obesity in Taiwanese youth.
abstract: This study examined associations between four health-related physical fitness measures and obesity in Taiwanese youth aged 10-18 years. Data from 13,500 school-aged youth were randomly selected from the "School Physical Fitness Database" of Taiwan by sex and age. Variables examined were height, body mass and performance on modified sit-and-reach (flexibility), bent-leg sit-up (abdominal muscular strength/endurance), standing long jump (lower body explosive strength) and distance run/walk (cardiorespiratory endurance). Adjusted logistic regression analyses were performed. Increased odds of being obese with decreased fitness levels were observed for lower body explosive strength and cardiorespiratory endurance in both sexes. The highest odds of being obese was found in the least fit quintile of cardiorespiratory endurance compared with the most fit quintile both in boys (Odds ratio, OR = 10.44; 95% confidence interval (CI), 7.94-13.73) and girls (OR = 5.40; 95% CI, 3.90-7.47). These findings suggest that in addition to cardiorespiratory fitness, lower body explosive strength is also associated with childhood and adolescent obesity.
authors.affiliation: a Waseda University , Graduate School of Sport Sciences , Saitama , Japan.
authors.forename: Yung
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Shao-Hsi
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Stensel
authors.forename: Jui-Fu
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Liang-Tsai
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Yoshio
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D035002:Lower Extremity; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement; D053580:Muscle Strength; D016017:Odds Ratio; D063766:Pediatric Obesity; D010807:Physical Endurance; D010809:Physical Fitness; D013624:Taiwan