Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.15516/cje.v24i2.4496
Secular Trends of Motor Abilities and BMI among Adolescents from 1998 to 2018
Mateja Kunješić Sušilović
; Faculty of Teacher Education University of Zagreb Savska cesta 77, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marijana Hraski
orcid.org/0000-0003-2100-2745
; Faculty of Teacher Education University of Zagreb Savska cesta 77, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Jozo Sušilović
; High School Garešnica Kolodvorska ulica 6, 43280 Garešnica, Hrvatska
Abstract
Continuous observation of the state and trend in adolescents’ physical fitness and
BMI (body mass index) is a major indicator of health and well-being sustainability
in youth. Because of that, the main goal of this study is to determine secular changes
in anthropometric characteristics and some motor abilities of adolescents over
a period of 20 years. The research included a total of 177 high school students,
15-16 years old. The first measurement was conducted in 1998 and involved
89 students (63 girls and 26 boys), and the second measurement was conducted in
2018 and involved 88 students (53 girls and 35 boys). Body height and body weight
of all participants were measured. Additional tests were performed to asses motor
skills: standing long jump (explosive strength), sit and reach (flexibility), sit ups
(repetitive strength) and polygon backward (coordination). T-test with descriptive
statistics was used to determine the differences between two generations and
between genders. The present study indicates no statistically significant difference
in anthropometric characteristics among adolescents during the last 20 years.
The boys and girls aged 15 and 16 measured in 2018 are slightly taller, heavier,
and the BMI is almost the same as in the generation measured in 1998. In terms
of motor abilities between the generations of adolescents measured in 1998 and
2018, no negative trend was found except in flexibility, where subjects measured
20 years ago showed statistically better results.The results of this research indicate
that the promotion of free play and exercise, the opportunities to participate in
organized sports and the quality implementation of physical education classes
are very important for contributing to the improvement of motor abilities and
maintaining positive anthropometric characteristics in adolescents population.
Keywords
anthropometric characteristics; boys and girls; transversal research
Hrčak ID:
280645
URI
Publication date:
15.7.2022.
Visits: 1.077 *