Sex differences in FITNESSGRAM® health risk based on aerobic capacity and body composition among urban public elementary school children

- Many urban elementary school children failed to meet FITNESSGRAM fitness standards.
- 70% of girls and 42% of boys did not meet aerobic capacity fitness standards.
- 53% of girls and 30% of boys did not meet percent body fat fitness standards.
- Only 34% of youth met fitness criteria for aerobic capacity and body composition.
- Poor fitness among minority girls, in particular, poses future health threats.

Children residing in urban, low-resource neighborhoods may be at increased risk for poor aerobic fitness and obesity. The objective of this collaborative project with an urban public school district was to quantify the combination of poor aerobic capacity and high percent body fat using FITNESSGRAM® Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ) standards among urban, predominantly Black, public elementary school boys and girls. Measurements of aerobic capacity with the 20-m Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test and body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis were completed on 1,775 fourth and fifth grade students in 45 public elementary schools in St. Louis, Missouri during three school years (2012-2015). Our findings reveal that a higher proportion of girls than boys failed to meet the HFZ for aerobic capacity (70.1% vs. 42.3%), percent body fat (53.0% vs. 29.9%), and the combination of aerobic capacity and percent body fat (44.4% vs. 21.8%, all P < 0.001). These results highlight the importance of addressing modifiable, lifestyle-related health risks among urban minority children, particularly girls.