ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the trends of prevalence of excellent health status and physical fitness among Chinese Han students aged 13 to 18 years from 1985 to 2014.@*METHODS@#In the study, 738 523 students aged 13 to 18 years were extracted from the 1985 to 2014 Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health. Height, weight, vital capacity and indicators of physical fitness were measured for each student. According to National Standards for Students' Physical Health (2014 Revision), students meeting an overall score ≥ 90.0 were considered to be of excellent health status and physical fitness. We used the Chi-square test to compare the differences in prevalence of excellent health status and physical fitness among different subgroups and draw maps of regional distribution of prevalence by using ArcGIS.@*RESULTS@#From 1985 to 2014, the average height, weight, and BMI for Chinese Han students aged 13 to 18 years increased consistently, while the average vital capacity and indicators of physical fitness fluctuated largely. The overall prevalence of excellent health status and physical fitness increased from 2.7% in 1985 to 4.4% in 1995, dropped consistently to 1.1% in 2005, rebounded 0.6 percentage points in 2010, and increased to 2.2% in 2014. In each survey year, the prevalence for the boys was always higher than for the girls (P<0.001), the prevalence for middle school students aged 13 to 15 years was always higher than for high school students aged 16-18 years (P<0.001), and the prevalence for students in eastern region was higher than in western and central regions (P<0.001). In 1985 and 1995, the prevalence in certain provinces in eastern and central regions was <1%. In 2005, almost half provinces (14/30) had a prevalence <1%. In 2014, provinces in eastern coastal areas had relatively high prevalence of excellent health status and physical fitness in students aged 13 to 18 years, while provinces in central and western regions had relatively low prevalence.@*CONCLUSION@#A fluctuating trend of the prevalence of excellent health status and physical fitness has been observed among Chinese Han students aged 13 to 18 years during the past three decades. There is great difference between the current prevalence of excellent health status and physical fitness and the goal of Outline of the Healthy China 2030 Plan, thus, the effective interventions and strategies for promoting students' physical activity and physical fitness are urgently needed in China.
Subject(s)
Adolescent , Female , Humans , Male , China , Health Status , Physical Fitness , Prevalence , StudentsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the situation of physical fitness among Chinese Han students in 2014, so as to develop the guideline of physical activity regarding to the targeted students and to provide bases for the improvements of students' physical fitness.@*METHODS@#Subjects were from 2014 Chinese National Surveys on Students' Constitution and Health (CNSSCH). In this survey, 212 401 Han students aged 7-18 years participated and the measurement of physical fitness completed. The qualified rates of indicators regarding to physical fitness were evaluated based on "National Students Constitutional Health Standards" (2014 revised edition). Logistic regression was used to assess the association between the indicators of pull ups (boys) and endurance run (boys and girls) and influencing factors.@*RESULTS@#In 2014, among the boys, the qualified rates of pull ups and endurance run were 18.7% and 76.6% respectively, while the qualified rate of endurance run was 80.6% among the girls. These two indicators were the weak items of physical fitness among the Chinese Han students. There was regional difference in the qualified rates of physical fitness, and the students in Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces had higher qualified rates. Logistic regression showed that the urban students (OR=0.67), the students with malnutrition (OR=0.76), overweight (OR=0.32) or obesity (OR=0.12) were less likely to be qualified to pull ups; the students who had physical activity more than 1 h per day (OR=1.31) was more likely to be qualified to pull ups. The influencing factors of endurance run showed the similar pattern, in addition, the students with enough physical education (PE) were more likely to be qualified to endurance run, while the students with "Squeeze" or "no" PE class were less likely to be qualified to endurance run.@*CONCLUSION@#The pull ups and endurance run have become the weak items of the physical fitness among primary and secondary school students in our national and provincial levels. Based on ensuring physical exercise time and PE curriculum and class hours, as well as improving students' nutrition, we should also strengthen the rational design of physical exercise and ensure the balanced development of various items so as to improve the overall development of students' physical fitness.