PHYSICAL-ACTIVITY - RELATIONS TO FIELD AND TECHNICAL INDICATORS OF PHYSICAL-FITNESS FOR BOYS AND GIRLS AGED 9-15

Physical activity measures for a large, nationally representative samp le of Australian boys and girls aged 9, 12, and 15 were related to mul tiple dimensions of physical fitness. Physical activity during a one-w eek period was only modestly related to physical fitness. However, rel ations tended to be higher for length of time multiplied by METs (METs - min-day-1) than for time alone, time multiplied by perceived effort , or MFTs - min-day-1 multiplied by effort, whereas time multiplied by effort did no better than time alone. Relations tended to be nonlinea r in that progressively higher levels of activity had less positive as sociations with physical fitness. The pattern and size of the relation s were consistent across scores for boys and girls aged 9 to 15. Self- report measures of typical and recent (within one week) physical activ ity both contributed to the prediction of physical fitness, indicating that both aspects of physical activity are important.