Effects of a 12-week School Physical Fitness Program on Peak VO₂, Body Composition and Blood Lipids in 7 to 9 Year Old Children

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of an in-school, 12-week physical fitness program on certain coronary heart disease risk factors in 7 to 9 year old children. Eleven boys and girls were assigned to a special 25 min per day, 4 days per week fitness program (experimental group). The control group participated in the regular 1 day per week physical education program (N = 12). All children completed an incremental maximum bicycle test before and after the program. A 20-ml blood sample was drawn for blood lipid analysis, and percent body fat was predicted from bone diameters and circumferences pre- and post-training. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) employed to assess post-training differences between the groups for the VO2 max test, body composition measures, and blood lipid variables revealed no significant (P > 0.05) training effects for any of the measures. However, one child in the experimental group classified as a type IV hyperlipidemic had a normal post-training classification that did not occur in the type IV control. The results of this study reveal that a maturity-related factor determines, in part, a child's potential for physiologic alterations to occur consequent to physical training.