title: Physical activity and physical fitness in obese, overweight, and normal-weight children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to assess the differences between physical activity and physical fitness in obese, overweight, and normal-weight children.
  
  
  METHODS
  The cross-sectional study was accomplished using cluster sampling method at 3 Lithuanian schools. An analysis of anthropometric data for 532 Lithuanian children was performed. Height, weight, waist and hip circumferences, and skinfold thickness were measured. Body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and body fat percentage were calculated. The Youth Physical Activity Questionnaire and a 6-min walk test (6MWT) were administered to evaluate physical activity and physical fitness. Maximal oxygen consumption was calculated to assess the children's aerobic capacity. Correlations among anthropometric data, 6MWT-walked distance, and moderate-vigorous physical activity duration were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that 20.1% of the studied children were obese or overweight. They engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity 22.4 min less per day and walked 50.9 m less on average during a 6-min test than normal-weight children. Physical fitness parameters correlated with daily moderate-vigorous physical activity duration and with most of the children's anthropometric parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obese and overweight children were less physically active and had lower physical fitness than normal-weight children. The findings underline the need for interventions to increase physical activity and improve fitness in obese and overweight children.
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Juozas
authors: J
authors: Raistenskis
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Aurelija
authors: A
authors: Sidlauskiene
authors: Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipeda University, Klaipeda, Lithuania.
authors: Birute
authors: B
authors: Strukcinskiene
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Dokuz Eylül University, İzmir, Turkey.
authors: Serpil
authors: S
authors: Uğur Baysal
authors: Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania.
authors: Raimondas
authors: R
authors: Buckus
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity; D050177:Overweight; D010809:Physical Fitness
keywords: Physical activity; children; obesity; overweight; physical fitness