title: [Physical fitness levels in French adolescents: The BOUGE program].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A high level of physical fitness is associated with cardiovascular health in adolescents. The aims of this study were to assess the levels of physical fitness of French adolescents and to determine the prevalence of these adolescents below the minimum level of cardiorespiratory fitness needed to guarantee future favorable cardiovascular profile.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 12,082 French children and adolescents (5975 boys, 6107 girls) aged to 9 from 16 years. Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscular endurance, speed, flexibility and speed agility were tested. The associations of physical fitness measures with adolescent's characteristics were analyzed using Student t test, one-way ANOVA, or Pearson correlations as appropriate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Boys were physically fitter than girls, expected for flexibility (P<0.0001). Subjects of normal weight adolescents had significantly better results than overweight or obese adolescents (P<0.05 for all comparisons), but also in comparison with underweight adolescents for muscular endurance, flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness test (P<0.05). Our findings indicate that, on the basis of cardiorespiratory fitness, 16% of French boys and 7.7% of French girls have a risk of future cardiovascular disease (P<0.0001). This subgroup also performed poorly in all other tests of physical fitness used (P<0.0001). Aerobic fitness decreased significantly with the age (r=-0.168 for boys; r=-0.261 for girls).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that the physical fitness of French adolescents must be improved to help protect against cardiovascular disease in adulthood, especially in boys. The study showed also a dramatically decrease of the cardiorespiratory fitness during the adolescence period. Developing and introducing a health promotion curriculum in the French schools is suggested to improve health and physical fitness.
authors: U995, Lille Inflammation Research International Center (LIRIC), Inserm, CHU de Lille, université de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; Centre d'investigation clinique, CIC 1403, université de Lille, Inserm, CHU de Lille, 59000 Lille, France. Electronic address: jeremy.vanhelst@chru-lille.fr.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Vanhelst
authors: U995, Lille Inflammation Research International Center (LIRIC), Inserm, CHU de Lille, université de Lille, 59000 Lille, France; Centre d'investigation clinique, CIC 1403, université de Lille, Inserm, CHU de Lille, 59000 Lille, France.
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Béghin
authors: EA 2694, santé publique : épidémiologie et qualité des soins, université de Lille, CHU de Lille, 59000 Lille, France.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Drumez
authors: Centre d'investigation clinique, CIC 1403, université de Lille, Inserm, CHU de Lille, 59000 Lille, France.
authors: J-B
authors: JB
authors: Baudelet
authors: EA 2694, santé publique : épidémiologie et qualité des soins, université de Lille, CHU de Lille, 59000 Lille, France.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Labreuche
authors: Nutritional Epidemiology Research Unit, Paris 13 University, Sorbonne Paris cité, 93000 Bobigny, France.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Chapelot
authors: Laboratoire LACES, université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Mikulovic
authors: Fédération nationale mutualité française, 75015 Paris, France.
authors: Z
authors: Z
authors: Ulmer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000067697:Adolescent Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006292:Health Priorities; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010806:Physical Education and Training / Q000458:organization & administration; D010807:Physical Endurance; D010809:Physical Fitness; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
keywords: Adolescents; Cardiovascular risk; Condition physique; Health; Physical fitness; Risque cardiovasculaire; Santé