Physical performance, physical activity, and body mass index in Italian adolescents

To investigate the relationship between physical performance and physical activity levels (PAL) in a sample of Italian adolescents. Fitness tests of standing long jump (SLJ), 20m sprint, 2-kg medicine-ball throw (MBT), and 10x 5 m shuttle run were administered to 244 subjects (12.41.2 years). PAL was assessed by 7-day recall using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C; Crocker et al., 1997). Results: Boys showed higher mean activity scores and better performances on all fi tness tests than girls (p0.001). Normal-weight subjects, as compared to obese peers, reported higher scores on the PAQ-C (p0.05), and better performances on weight-bearing tasks than overweight and obese subjects (p<0.001). Better performances on tests requiring propulsion or lifting of the body mass were significantly (p<0.001) related to higher PAL (r =0.27-0.39) and lower BMI (r=0.27-0.37). Conclusions. Findings confirm that obese children show poorer performances on weight-bearing tasks and lower PAL than normal-weight peers.