Assessment pf physical fitness of 8 and 9-year-old children from Szczecin,Poland, involved in the obesity prevention program - pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Increasing incidence of excess weight and poor physical fitness of children validates the need for preventive actions. The Szczecin municipality (gmina Szczecin) runs the "Odważna ósemka" ("The Brave Eight") program - Prevention of excess weight and obesity in 8 and 9-year-old children attending elementary school in Szczecin, Poland.

AIM: The assessment of physical fitness as well as the prevalence and intensity of excess body weight and blood pressure rates among the 8 and 9-year-old children attending elementary school in Szczecin, Poland.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between 6th December 2016 and 3rd December 2017, 3407 8 and 9-year-old children were examined (1757 girls and 1650 boys). BMI (Body Mass Index) as well as WHR (Waist Hip Ratio) were calculated. All the children were assessed according to criteria established by the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). The examination included basic anthropometric measurements, such as: body height and weight, waist and hip circumference, blood pressure, body constitution analysis, and physical fitness assessment.

RESULTS: Excess body weight was diagnosed in 822 patients, which is 24.1% of the examined population. 369 patients were diagnosed with elevated blood pressure (10.8%). Very poor physical fitness - test abandoned before the completion (HR>180/min), was diagnosed in 151 children (4.5%), very poor physical fitness was diagnosed in 234 children (7%), poor physical fitness was diagnosed in 827 children (24.9%), sufficient physical fitness was diagnosed in 961 children (29.2%), good physical fitness was diagnosed in 650 children (19.5%), very good physical fitness was diagnose in 428 children (12.8%) and excellent in 70 children (2.1%).

CONCLUSION: The fact of unsatisfactory physical fitness and excess body weight in children from Szczecin is unsettling. There is ceratainly a need for preventive measures in the broad sense.