title: Cardiorespiratory fitness in children: a simple screening test for population studies.
abstract: Cardiorespiratory fitness is one measure of body functions, and its assessment should play an important role in the activities associated with the promotion of physical activity as an important component of a healthy lifestyle. This study aimed to develop a reference system of the mean post-exercise heart rate (HRmean post-ex) after a 3-min step test for use in screening the cardiorespiratory fitness of 6- to 12-year-old children. The study included 14,501 children ages 6-12 years from primary schools in Gdansk. The participants were subjected to the 3-min Kasch Pulse Recovery Test (KPR Test). The reference range for the classification of cardiorespiratory fitness was developed on the basis of the age-specific percentile distribution of HRmean post-ex in 6- to 9- and 10- to 12-year-old children. This study showed that the 3-min KPR Test is easy to perform and well tolerated by school-age children. As such, it can constitute a useful tool for health promoters and educators. The presented age- and gender-specific reference range of HRmean post-ex enables the assessment and monitoring of submaximal exercise-induced changes in the cardiovascular system and, consequently, the physical fitness of a given individual.
authors: Center for Promotion of Children's Health and Fitness, ul. Kołobrzeska 61, 80-397, Gdansk, Poland, jankowm@wp.pl.
authors: Marek
authors: M
authors: Jankowski
authors: Aleksandra
authors: A
authors: Niedzielska
authors: Michał
authors: M
authors: Brzezinski
authors: Józef
authors: J
authors: Drabik
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002648:Child; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology; D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*