Analysis of the associations between directly measured physical activity and physical fitness in preadolescents: contextualizing the influence of urban vs. Rural living environments

Damir Sekulič; Jelena Rodek; Petra Rajkovic Vuletic

doi:10.52165/kinsi.31.1.35-51

Authors

Damir Sekulič University of Split, Faculty of Kinesiology, Split, Croatia
Jelena Rodek University of Split, Faculty of Kinesiology, Split, Croatia
Petra Rajkovic Vuletic University of Split, Faculty of Kinesiology, Split, Croatia; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Kinesiology, Zagreb, Croatia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.52165/kinsi.31.1.35-51

Keywords:

prepuberty, sociodemographic factors, motor capacities, cardiovascular endurance, anthropometrics

Abstract

There is an evident lack of investigations in which associations between PA and PF were simultaneously evaluated in urban- and rural-living children. This study aimed to investigate the gender-specific associations between directly measured PA and various measures of PF in urban and rural children. The participants were 126 children aged 9--11 years (49 girls) from elementary schools in southern Croatia. In addition to age, gender (male, female), living environment (urban, rural), and anthropometrics (body mass, height, and BMI), the variables included accelerometer-derived PA indices (obtained by GeneActic triaxial accelerometers) and PF tests (evaluating jumping power capacity, upper-body- and abdominal-strength, mobility, flexibility, and aerobic endurance). Vigorous PA was related to jumping power, upper body strength and aerobic endurance in urban boys (Pearson’s R = 0.34–0.36, p < 0.05) and with upper body strength in rural boys (R = 0.41, p < 0.05). The number of steps performed daily was associated with jumping power in urban girls (R = 0.42, p < 0.05) and with abdominal strength in rural girls (R = 0.42, p < 0.05). Vigorous PA was associated with jumping power (R = 0.44, p < 0.05), upper body strength (R = 0.39, p < 0.05), and aerobic endurance (R = 0.39, p < 0.05) in urban girls and with jumping power (R = 0.61, p < 0.05), abdominal strength (R = 0.45, p < 0.05), and aerobic endurance (R = 0.40, p < 0.05) in rural girls. Socioeconomic differences, cultural norms, and parental views on PA in urban and rural communities may explain the varying relationships between PA and PF observed in urban and rural boys. Further longitudinal studies are needed to establish clear cause‒effect relationships between PA and PF.

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