OBJECTIVE To determine the changes in percentage of body fat, cardiovascular fitness, and insulin levels during the 3-month summer break in overweight children enrolled in a school-based fitness program. STUDY DESIGN Overweight middle-school children were randomized to a lifestyle-focused physical education class (treatment) or standard physical education class (control) for 1 school year (9 ...

The present study investigated the relationship between regular sport participation (soccer) and vigilance performance. Two groups of male and female adolescents differentiated in terms of their sport participation (athletes, n = 39, and non-athletes, n = 36) took part in the study. In one session, participants performed the Leger Multi-stage fitness test to estimate their aerobic fitness level...

Aim. To examine the efficacy of a six-month Kung Fu (KF) program on physical fitness in overweight/obese adolescents. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to the KF or sham exercise (Tai Chi, TC) control group. Physical measurements in cardiovascular fitness and muscle fitness occurred at baseline and after 6 months of training thrice weekly. Results. Twenty subjects were recruited. One sub...

We assessed joint associations of cardiorespiratory fitness and diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), or both with all-cause mortality. High-fitness eliminated mortality risk in diabetes (P<0.001) and halved risk of death in diabetes/CVD (P<0.001). Fitness was a potent effect modifier in the association of diabetes and CVD to mortality.

Two groups of sedentary older adults, participating in either a lifestyle physical activity intervention (LIFE, n = 60) or a structured exercise intervention (STRU, n = 60), were compared with a control group (CO, n = 66) in terms of physical fitness and cardiovascular risk factors. Participants in LIFE were stimulated to integrate physical activity into their daily routines and received an ind...

BACKGROUND The Cooper Institute established new criterion-referenced standards for the body composition and cardiovascular fitness standards for the FITNESSGRAM(®) program. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences in the achievement of standards and classification agreement between the old and new standards. METHODS Fitness data were collected during the 2009-2010 schoo...