Objective: To report sex- and age-specific physical fitness levels in European adolescents.Methods: A sample of 3428 adolescents (1845 girls) aged 12.5–17.49 years from 10 European cities in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece (an inland city and an island city), Hungary, Italy, Spain and Sweden was assessed in the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence study between 2006 and 2008. The authors assessed muscular fitness, speed/agility, flexibility and cardiorespiratory fitness using nine different fitness tests: handgrip, bent arm hang, standing long jump, Bosco jumps (squat jump, counter movement jump and Abalakov jump), 4×10-m shuttle run, back-saver sit and reach and 20-m shuttle run tests.Results: The authors derived sex- and age-specific normative values for physical fitness in the European adolescents using the LMS statistical method and expressed as tabulated percentiles from 10 to 100 and as smoothed centile curves (P₅, P₂₅, P₅₀, P₇₅and P₉₅). The figures showed greater physical fitness in the boys, except for the flexibility test, and a trend towards increased physical fitness in the boys as their age increased, whereas the fitness levels in the girls were more stable across ages.Conclusions: The normative values hereby provided will enable evaluation and correct interpretation of European adolescents' fitness status.

Background We examined: (i) the usefulness of the International Fitness Scale (IFIS) to correctly rank adolescents into physical fitness levels; (ii) the capacity of the IFIS for predicting cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk; and (iii) the reliability of the IFIS in adolescents. Methods The study comprised 3059 adolescents (aged 12.5–17.5 years) from nine European countries (HELENA study). Blood samples were collected in one-third of the participants (randomly selected, n = 981). Test–retest reliability of the IFIS was studied in a separate sample of 277 adolescents. Physical fitness—cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), muscular fitness (MF), speed–agility (SP–AG), flexibility and overall fitness—was self-reported using 5-point Likert-scale questions (1 = very poor, 5 = very good) and measured using standard field-based tests. The CVD risk factors measured included total/central adiposity indices and mean arterial pressure, total and high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance (HOMA) and C-reactive protein. Results Analysis of covariance showed that adolescents reporting better fitness had higher measured fitness levels for all the variables studied (all P < 0.001), regardless of gender, age and weight status. Adolescents reporting very good overall fitness, CRF and SP–AG had a healthier cardiovascular profile in eight out of nine CVD risk factors studied. Perfect agreement (same test–retest answer) was observed in 65% of the adolescents and perfect-acceptable agreement (same answer or ±1) in 97% of the adolescents. Conclusions (i) The IFIS is able to correctly rank adolescents according to their measured physical fitness levels; (ii) adolescents reporting a good/very good overall fitness, CRF or SP–AG have a more favorable cardiovascular profile; and (iii) The IFIS is reliable in adolescents.

Andgrip strength in adolescents. The criterion-related validity and reliability of the Jamar, DynEx, and TKK dynamometers were also analyzed. A total of 66 adolescents aged 12 to16 years performed the handgrip strength test with the elbow extended and flexed at 90°. The validity and reliability of the Jamar, DynEx, and TKK dynamometers was analysed by using known weights. The highest score was obtained when the test was performed with the elbow in full extension and when using the TKK dynamometer. The criterion-related validity analyses showed a systematic bias of −1.92, −1.43, and 0.49 kg for the Jamar, DynEx, and TKK dynamometers, respectively (all p < 0.05). The reliability analyses revealed a systematic bias of 0.23, 0.26, and 0.02 kg in the Jamar, DynEx, and TKK dynamometers, respectively (all p > 0.05). Performing the handgrip strength test with the elbow extended appears the most appropriate protocol to evaluate maximal handgrip strength in adolescents when using the TKK. In addition, the TKK dynamometer appears to provide the highest criterion-related validity and reliability. The present study provides useful and relevant information indicating which elbow position, and which type of dynamometer, yield maximal handgrip strength in adolescents....