title: Six-year changes in body mass index and cardiorespiratory fitness of English schoolchildren from an affluent area.
abstract: We compared values of body mass index (BMI) and cardiorespiratory fitness (20 m shuttle-run test) of n=157 boys and n=150 girls aged 10-11 measured in 2014 with measures from 2008 and 1998. Boys' fitness was lower (d=0.68) in 2014 than 2008, despite a small (d=0.37) decline in BMI. Girl's BMI changed trivially (d=0.08) but cardiorespiratory fitness was lower (d=0.47) in 2014 than 2008. This study suggests fitness is declining at 0.95% per year, which exceeds the 0.8% rate of decline we reported between 1998 and 2008 and is double the global average of 0.43%. Declines in fitness were independent of changes in BMI suggesting continued reductions in English children's habitual physical activity levels.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Sports and Exercise Science, School of Biological Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, Essex, UK.
authors.forename: G R H
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Sandercock
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Obesity Research and Management, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ogunleye
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voss
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012143:Respiratory Physiological Phenomena; D012574:Schools; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors