Tracking of physical fitness components in boys and girls from the second to sixth grades

The purpose of this study was to examine the tracking of field-assessed fitness components in boys and girls from the second to sixth grades. A total of 857 children (448 boys and 409 girls) from 11 urban schools were tested in grade 2; 565 children (297 boys and 268 girls) were tested again in grade 6. Only subjects who had completed all fitness tests on the two occasions were included in the analysis (n = 319: 203 boys and 116 girls). Fitness tests included a 600-m run, a flying-start sprint, the standing long jump, and a medicine ball throw. Additionally, subjects performed a skill task that involved slalom dribbling of a basketball. Baseline scores in grade 2 were correlated (Spearman Rank Order) with scores attained in grade 6. Boys had significantly (P < 0.05) better scores in all fitness tests compared with girls in both grades. Tracking of fitness components over the 4-year period in both sexes varied between 0.36 and 0.66. Tracking was consistently lower in girls than in boys, perhaps reflecting their earlier maturation. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 13:65–70, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Basketball · Fitness test · Hum · Multi-stage fitness test · Physical fitness · Physical therapy · Sprint · Tracking (education) · Children's Physical and Motor Development · Demography · Medicine · Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet · Psychology · Sports Performance and Training