Trends in physical fitness among 12-year-old children in urban and rural areas during the social transformation period in China
Abstract
Aims To investigate the 29-year (1985-2014) trends in body dimensions and physical fitness test performances among 12-year-old Chinese children living in urban and rural areas.Methods The data were from the findings of seven cross-sectional surveys from the Chinese National Survey on Students' Constitution and Health. In the seven surveys, there were 34,238; 11,664; 17,485; 18,057; 19,254; 17,962; and 17,906 children, respectively. Anthropometric measurements and physical fitness performances of 12-year-old Chinese children living in rural and urban areas were analyzed. Polynomial models were used to analyze trends in test performances. Analysis of variance was used to assess the urban-rural differentials.Results The height and weight of both urban and rural children substantially increased from 1985 to 2014. Urban children were taller and heavier than rural children. A slight narrowing of the urban-rural differential in height was observed. The disparity in weight increased from 1985 to 2000 and decreased thereafter. Urban children performed better in most of the physical fitness tests examined, such as standing long jump, 50-m run, and sit-ups. The urban-rural disparity decreased from 1985 to 2014 in 50-m run, standing long jump, and sit-up score; the largest difference in 10 × 50 m run and pull-up score was observed in 2000 and 2005, respectively.Conclusions There was a general decline in physical fitness in both urban and rural children after 2000. Urgent, targeted actions need to be taken by public health policy officials and parents to maintain or improve the physical fitness of children.
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There is a general downward trend in daily physical activity lasting 60 min or more among Chinese school students.
“with a general downward trend15”
From Physical activity and health in Chinese children and adolescents: expert consensus statement (2020) (2020) · cites this paper as [15]
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- Authors
- Ao, D., Wu, F., Yun, C.-F., & Zheng, X.-Y.
- Affiliations
- Peking University (CN)
- Venue
- Journal of Adolescent Health
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2019-02
- Volume
- 64
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 250-257
- ISSN
- 1054-139X (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2900180673
- Cited by
- 39
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 5
- FWCI
- 3.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Adolescent Health (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2017M610676)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Physical Education and Training Studies
- Keywords
- physical fitness, children, urban-rural disparities, anthropometry, secular trends, social change, Chinese children, standing long jump, sit-ups, pull-ups
- MeSH terms
- Body Height, Body Weight, Child, China, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Physical Fitness, Rural Population, Urban Population, Exercise
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