Physical fitness and sport activity of children and adolescents: Methodological aspects of a regional survey

Measurement of physical fitness and physical activity in children and adole scents raise a lot of methodological issues, explaining the scarcity of sur veys in European countries and in Switzerland. This article exposes the des ign and the methods used in a survey on physical fitness, physical activity and health conducted in a region of Switzerland, and discuss the choice of the instruments and the quality control procedure selected to measure phys ical activity and physical fitness. The survey was conducted in a sample of 3540 students 9-19 years-old and included a battery of physical fitness te sts, anthropometrics, measurements and a self-report questionnaire on physi cal activity, sports activity and lifestyles. An ancillary study in a sub s ample assessed daily physical activity with a pedometer, dietary in-take wi th a 3-day dietary record, serum lipids and nutritional status. Some result s are displayed as example. Quality control techniques are exposed and the choice of the instrument to assess physical fitness, physical activity, spo rts, and dietary intake are discussed. Local reference tables are now avail able for fitness tests and the practicability of fitness testing has been d emonstrated in physical education. The research process has induced the sen sitisation of schools toward health promotion through physical activity.