Aim. To investigate whether health-related physical fitness components are associated with total and central body fat in preschool children.
Methods. A total of 403 preschool children aged 3 to 5 years (57.8% boys; n = 71, 133 and 199 for 3, 4 and 5 years-olds respectively) participated in the study. Health-related physical fitness was measured by means of the handgrip strength, the standing long jump tests (i.e. muscular strength); the 4x10m shuttle run and the one-leg stance tests (i.e. motor fitness); and the PREFIT 20m shuttle run test (i.e. cardiorespiratory fitness). Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were measured and used as markers to total and central body fat, respectively.
Results. There was an association between all health-related physical fitness test and BMI (ß = -7.892 ± 1.117, ß = -0.020 ± 0.006, ß = 0.154 ± 0.065, ß = -0.034 ± 0.011 for the handgrip strength/body weight, standing long jump, 4x10m shuttle run and PREFIT 20m shuttle run tests, respectively, all P≤0.019), except for one-leg stance (ß = -0.007 ± 0.004, P = 0.06) after adjusting for sex and age. Similarly, there as a significant association of handgrip strength/body weight (ß = -18.972 ± 2.563), standing long jump (ß = -0.072 ± 0.014), 4x10m shuttle run (ß = 0.652 ± 0.150) and PREFIT 20m shuttle run tests (ß = -0.102 ± 0.025) with WC (all P≤0.001), except for one-leg stance (ß = -0.012 ± 0.009, P = 0.156) after adjusting for sex, age and height.
Conclusions. The present study extends previous findings in older children and adolescents showing an association of health-related physical fitness components, mainly muscular strength, cardiorespiratory fitness, and the 4x10m shuttle run test (i.e. motor fitness) and total and central body fat in preschool children. Fitness assessment should be introduced in future epidemiological and intervention studies in preschool children because it seems to be an important factor determining health.
Corresponding author. borjamt@correo.ugr.es
