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BMC Pediatrics
Published in: BMC Pediatrics 1/2019

Open Access 01-12-2019 | Obesity | Research article

Muscle fitness and its association with body mass index in children and adolescents aged 7–18 years in China: a cross-sectional study

Authors: Huijing He, Li Pan, Jianwei Du, Feng Liu, Yuming Jin, Jingang Ma, Li Wang, Pengben Jia, Zhiping Hu, Guangliang Shan

Published in: BMC Pediatrics | Issue 1/2019

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Abstract

Background

The present study was the first one aimed to investigate the current muscle fitness and its associated factors among children and adolescents in mainland China.

Methods

From Nov 2013 to Jul 2014, 2283 children and adolescents aged 7–18 were recruited in Hainan and Shaanxi Provinces in China by cross-sectional design. Information on anthropometry and muscle fitness, measured by hand grip strength (GS), vertical jump (VJ) and sit-and-reach (SR), were collected. Analysis of covariance was performed by using general linear regression models to identify the association between BMI and muscle fitness.

Results

The means of GS, VJ and SR in boys were 22.30 ± 11.55 kg, 22.93 ± 6.80 cm and 3.58 ± 7.31 cm, respectively, and in girls were 16.61 ± 6.87 kg, 18.11 ± 4.08 cm and 7.18 ± 5.72 cm, respectively. GS (from 8.26 kg in the 7–8-year-old group to 27.91 kg in the 17–18 group) and SR (from 1.75 cm in the-8-year-old group to 10.12 cm in the 17–18 group) increased with age (both p for trend < 0.001). Boys had higher GS and VJ, but significantly lower SR than girls in each age group (p < 0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, residential areas and study regions, GS increased with elevated BMI (compared with normal weight group, the regression coefficient for thinness and overweight/obesity were − 2.997(95%CI: −3.693 to − 2.301) and 1.220 (95%CI: 0.285 to 2.155), respectively. With the p values less than 0.001 and 0.011, respectively). For VJ, there was no difference found between normal weight group and overweight/obesity group (p = 0.550), but the thinness group had the lowest performance (regression coefficient = − 2.681, 95%CI from − 3.965 to − 1.397, p < 0.001). For SR, compared with normal weight group, the regression coefficients for thinness and overweight/obesity were − 1.313(95%CI: −2.228 to − 0.399) and − 1.623(95%CI: −3.216 to − 0.030) respectively, both p < 0.05.

Conclusions

Increased body weight may have a positive association with isometric muscle strength measured by grip strength, but a negative one with strength of lifting the body. Sex difference was also found in the performance of flexibility.
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Metadata
Title
Muscle fitness and its association with body mass index in children and adolescents aged 7–18 years in China: a cross-sectional study
Authors
Huijing He
Li Pan
Jianwei Du
Feng Liu
Yuming Jin
Jingang Ma
Li Wang
Pengben Jia
Zhiping Hu
Guangliang Shan
Publication date
01-12-2019
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Pediatrics / Issue 1/2019
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2431
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12887-019-1477-8

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