The PROFITH group lead an International Consensus on Fitness Testing in Youth – YFIT
Researchers from the PROFITH group lead an International Consensus on the most important fitness tests for children and adolescents
In this international consensus, four fitness tests have been identified as the most relevant worldwide for children and adolescents: the 20-meter shuttle run (beep test), handgrip strength, standing long jump, and body mass index (BMI).
More than 85% of international experts agreed that these tests are the most valid, reliable, and health-related, as children who run and jump further and have higher grip strength tend to have better physical and mental health, and a higher academic performance.
This consensus paves the way toward a standardized and global evaluation of fitness in youth, helping to identify those who need it most and guiding public health policies to prevent chronic diseases and improve population health.
Reference:
Ortega, F. B., Zhang, K., Cadenas-Sanchez, C., Tremblay, M. S., Jurak, G., Tomkinson, G. R., Ruiz, J. R., Keller, K., Nyström, C. D., Sacheck, J. M., Pate, R., Weston, K. L., Kidokoro, T., Poon, E. T., Wachira, L. M., Ssenyonga, R., Gomes, T. N. Q. F., Cristi-Montero, C., Fraser, B. J., Niessner, C., … Delphi Fitness Expert Group (2024). The Youth Fitness International Test (YFIT) battery for monitoring and surveillance among children and adolescents: A modified Delphi consensus project with 169 experts from 50 countries and territories. Journal of sport and health science, 14, 101012. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2024.101012
