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Original research
Trends in physical fitness among Lithuanian adolescents aged 11–17 years between 1992 and 2022
  1. Arunas Emeljanovas1,2,
  2. Brigita Mieziene1,2,
  3. Tomas Venckunas2,
  4. Justin J Lang3,4,5,
  5. Grant R Tomkinson5
  1. 1Department of Physical and Social Education, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania
  2. 2Institute of Sport Science and Innovations, Lithuanian Sports University, Kaunas, Lithuania
  3. 3Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  4. 4School of Epidemiology and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  5. 5Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), Allied Health and Human Performance, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Professor Grant R Tomkinson; grant.tomkinson{at}unisa.edu.au

Abstract

Background Physical fitness is an excellent marker of general health and performance. We aimed to calculate trends in physical fitness among Lithuanian adolescents between 1992 and 2022.

Methods Using a repeated cross-sectional design, body size and physical fitness data for 17 918 Lithuanian adolescents (50.3% female) aged 11–17 years were collected in 1992, 2002, 2012 and 2022. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated from measured height and body mass, with BMI z-scores (zBMI) calculated using WHO growth curves. Physical fitness was measured using the Eurofit test battery, with results converted to z-scores using European norms. With adjustment for zBMI, trends in mean fitness levels were calculated using general linear models. Trends in distributional characteristics were visually described and calculated as the ratio of SDs.

Results We found significant large declines (standardised effect size (ES) ≥ 0.80) in 20-m shuttle run and bent arm hang performance, and significant small declines (ES=0.20–0.49) in standing broad jump, plate tapping, sit-and-reach and sit-ups performance. In contrast, we found a significant moderate improvement (ES=0.50–0.79) in flamingo balance performance and a significant negligible improvement (ES<0.20) in 10×5-m shuttle run performance. Poorer trends were observed in low performers (below the 20th percentile) compared with high performers (above the 80th percentile).

Conclusion Health-related fitness (ie, cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness) levels have declined among Lithuanian adolescents since 1992, particularly among those with low fitness. National health promotion policies are required to improve current trends.

  • ADOLESCENT
  • HEALTH STATUS
  • HEALTH PROMOTION
  • POLICY
  • EXERCISE

Data availability statement

Data are available upon reasonable request. The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the first author upon reasonable request.

https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2024-223072

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    Data availability statement

    Data are available upon reasonable request. The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the first author upon reasonable request.

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors Concept and design: AE, BM, TV and GRT. Acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content; final approval of the manuscript; agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved: all authors. Statistical analysis: JJL and GRT. Drafting of the manuscript: GRT. Guarantor: GRT.

    • Funding This project received funding from the Research Council of Lithuania (LMTLT), agreement No MIP-22-45. The financial sponsors played no role in the study design; the collection, analysis and interpretation of data; the writing of the manuscript; and the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

    • Disclaimer The content and views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

    • Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.