Physical Fitness Levels in Korean Adolescents: The National Fitness Award Project

BACKGROUND: Although physical fitness in adolescents has been widely studied, there is the lack of information regarding developmental patterns of various youth fitness components. The LMS (L=skewness, M=median curve, and S=coefficient of variation) statistical method has been utilized to develop growth percentiles for height and weight as well as for fitness in the US and Europe countries. The purpose of this study was to develop age- and sex-specific smoothed percentile curves for fitness using the LMS method in Korean adolescents aged 13–18 years. METHODS: A sample of 14,794 adolescents (7,688 boys and 7,106 girls) who participated in the National Fitness Award Project in 2013 and 2014 was analyzed. The components were cardiorespiratory fitness (20-m PACER), muscle strength (handgrip strength), muscle endurance (partial curl-up, 30-s endurance jump), and flexibility (sit and reach). Age- and sex-specific smoothed percentile curves were calculated for fitness using the LMS method. RESULTS: Age- and sex-specific smoothed percentile curves (5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th) were presented for each fitness component. Except for flexibility, fitness levels were higher in boys than in girls. In general, performance in fitness components, except for partial curl-ups, increased with age in boys. However, in girls, performance in fitness components, except for partial curl-ups, slightly increased or remained stable. CONCLUSION: This study presented age- and sex-specific fitness percentile curves for Korean adolescents aged 13–18 years. This material might be useful in understanding and evaluating the fitness status of Korean adolescents.