Correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in adolescents in northern Mozambique: influence of age, sex and nutritional status
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v79.118682Keywords:
Adolescence, cardiorespiratory fitness, body composition, nutritional status, body mass indexAbstract
Introduction: Cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition are central components of physical health in adolescents, and those with higher cardiorespiratory fitness tend to have better body composition, suggesting a relationship between these variables.
Objective: To analyze the magnitude of the correlation between cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in adolescents in northern Mozambique.
Methodology: This is an observational, cross-sectional, and correlational study, whose sample consisted of 919 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years. Cardiorespiratory fitness was estimated by maximum oxygen consumption using the 20-meter shuttle run test; body composition was assessed using the body mass index, and the magnitude of correlation was calculated using Pearson's correlation test.
Results: A statistically significant negative correlation (P < 0.05) was found in female adolescents, varying with age (r = -0.189 to -0.355) and with body mass index classification (r = -0.230 to -0.544).
Discussion: Similar results have been found in other studies, but in both sexes, although with a smaller sample size in this age group. In a study conducted on overweight and obese adolescents, the magnitude of the correlation was greater than that of the present study.
Conclusion: Cardiorespiratory fitness shows a significant, moderately weak negative correlation with body composition in female adolescents in northern Mozambique. The strength of this relationship tends to form an inverted U-shaped pattern with advancing age, being more pronounced in underweight adolescents.
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