Health-related physical fitness among schoolchildren in Lithuania: A comparison from 1992 to 2002

Aim: Socioeconomic transformation over the previous decade may have created a less active lifestyle and a decline in fitness among Lithuanian children. The aim of this study was to analyse the differences in health-related fitness among 12-, 14-, and 16-year-old Lithuanian boys and girls from 1992 to 2002. Methods: The height and weight of the children were measured, and the Eurofit test battery was used to analyse the children's fitness. For the analyses of differences, 2,009 children aged 12 ( n=697), 14 ( n=733), and 16 (n=579) years were tested. Results: Boys and girls of all three age groups performed better in the sit and reach test (12.4 - 19.8%, p < 0.001) and in the 20 m shuttle run test (30.0 - 46.0%, p < 0.001) but did fewer sit-ups ( 3.5 - 7.3%, p < 0.05) in 1992 compared with the results in 2002. The girls' performance was better in the long broad jump test (4.9 - 5.5%, p < 0.001) in 1992 than in 2002. These differences were not significantly influenced by weight, body mass index (BMI), and height+ BMI''. Conclusions: There was a marked decrease in aerobic fitness and flexibility and a slight increase in abdominal muscle endurance among Lithuanian schoolchildren. Leg muscular power decreased slightly in girls but remained unchanged in boys. A decrease in daily physical activity is the most likely contributing factor to the decrease in aerobic fitness and flexibility and PE reform has not been able to compensate for this effect.