Physical fitness reference standards in Macedonian children and adolescents: the MAKFIT study

Background: physical fitness is a powerfull indicator of the health coindition in childhood, adolescence and adulthood. This research is performed in order to determine the age and gender stratified reference values for healthy physical fitness for Macodonian children and adolescents and to identify signicicant gender differences. Methods: a descriptive cross-sectional and population-based study examined the physical fitness among a random and large national representative sample of schoolchildren aged six to 14 years in Macedonia. A sample of 9,241 children and adolescents (4,716 boys and 4,525 girls) was assessed by the EUROFIT fitness test battery. The LMS statistical method was used. Results: smoothed gender and age-specific percentiles for the physical fitness tests in boys and girls aged six to 14 years are reported and expressed as both tabulated and curves values (P-5, P-10, P-25, P-50, P-75, P-90, P-95). Figures showed greater physical fitness levels in boys, except for the sit-and-reach test, in which girls performed slightly better. There was also a trend towards increased physical fitness levels as the age increased in both boys and girls. Conclusion: the percentile values provided will enable the correct interpretation and monitoring of fitness status of Macedonion children.