Relationship between Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity with Health-Related Physical Fitness Indicators among Pakistani School Adolescents: Yaali-Pak Study

BACKGROUND: The current study is the foremost study exploring the relationships between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and health-related physical fitness indicators among 12–16-year-old adolescents of the South Punjab region of Pakistan. METHODS: The researcher adopted the cross-sectional research design for the study. A total of 2970 participants (1477 boys and 1493 girls) aged adolescents from South Punjab, Pakistan, completed health-related physical fitness indicators measuring strength, endurance, and aerobic capacity through a hand-grip strength test, modified pull-up test, plank test, and 20-m shuttle run test, and physical activity were subjectively assessed by International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF). Linear regression models were used to explore the between moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) with health-related physical fitness indicators. RESULTS: Positive associations were observed between hand-grip strength (p < 0.001), modified pull-up (p < 0.001), plank exercise (p < 0.001), and 20-m shuttle run test (p < 0.001), with MVPA. The gender-specific comparison also indicated a significant (p < 0.001) and positive relationship. The results revealed that as MVPA increases, body composition, muscular strength, core muscular endurance, and aerobic capacity could improve in both genders. CONCLUSIONS: MVPA appears to be an effective and reliable predictor of health-related physical fitness among school adolescents.