HABITUAL PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY AND HEALTH-RELATED PHYSICAL-FITNESS IN 4TH-GRADE CHILDREN

Objective.-To examine the relationship between habitual physical activ ity and components of health-related physical fitness in children. Des ign.-Cross-sectional survey with correlational analysis. Setting.-Seve n public elementary schools in a suburban southern California city. Pa rticipants.-Five hundred twenty-eight healthy fourth-grade children (2 74 boys and 254 girls), 85% of whom were non-Hispanic whites. Ninety-e ight percent of eligible students participated. Interventions.-None. M easurements/Main Results.-Results of six measures of physical activity in children (monitoring by accelerometer, parent report, and child se lf-reports of weekday activity, weekend activity, and summer involveme nt in activity classes and youth sports) were combined in a physical a ctivity index. This index of habitual physical activity was examined i n relation to measures of five components of health-related fitness: t he mile run, skin-fold tests, pull-ups, sit-ups, and the sit-and-reach test. The physical activity index was significantly associated with a ll five fitness components. The canonical correlation was .29. Conclus ion.-Active children appear to engage in a sufficient variety of activ ities to enhance multiple components of health-related fitness.