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Differences in cardiovascular fitness of Italian high-school adolescents according to different physical activity levels assessed by IPAQ-A: a cross-sectional study

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Abstract

Purpose This study wants to examine gender’s differences in cardiovascular fitness according to different physical activity categories (high category–moderate category) assessed by IPAQ-A if exists a relationship between cardiovascular fitness and total physical activity, walking, moderate and vigorous physical activity and if cardiovascular fitness in high category and moderate category respects the guidelines for metabolic health in adolescents.

Methods

307 adolescents (15–17 years) were assessed in cardiovascular fitness by Léger test (VO2max) and physical activity level by self-reported questionnaire (IPAQ-A).

Results

Males have showed higher VO2max than females (p < 0.0005). In males, significant differences were found in VO2max in high category compared to moderate category (p < 0.0005), whereas in females, no differences were found. Males have higher VO2max than females in high category (p < 0.0005) and in moderate category (p < 0.0005). No gender’s differences were found in physical activity level. In males and females, small-to-moderate correlations were found between VO2max and total physical activity, moderate, and vigorous physical activity. 75.8% of males and 63.8% of girls have VO2max lower than cutoff for low cardiovascular fitness. In high category, 69% of males and 57.1% of girls and 87.1% of males and 67.7% of females in moderate category do not respect this cutoff.

Conclusion

Adolescents present low cardiovascular fitness levels, exposing themselves to the cardiovascular disease’s risk. Small-to-moderate correlations were found between physical activity and cardiovascular fitness. It is necessary to adopt strategies to improve physical activity in young people. IPAQ-A presents some limits to identify PAL in young people.

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Acknowledgements

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy

    Andrea Piccinno & Dario Colella

  2. Department of Human Movement and Sport Sciences, University of Rome “Foro Italico”, Rome, Italy

    Andrea Piccinno & Dario Colella

Authors
  1. Andrea Piccinno
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  2. Dario Colella
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Correspondence to Andrea Piccinno.

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All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Piccinno, A., Colella, D. Differences in cardiovascular fitness of Italian high-school adolescents according to different physical activity levels assessed by IPAQ-A: a cross-sectional study. Sport Sci Health 13, 149–155 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-016-0326-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-016-0326-5

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