RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS AMONG 13-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENTS
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Jun 24, 2025
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Darko Stojanović
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7837-5783
Vladimir Momčilović
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8761-9169
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7837-5783
Vladimir Momčilović
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8761-9169
Abstract
This study aimed to examine sex differences in physical fitness and body composition, and to explore the relationship between body composition and physical fitness among 13-year-old adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 80 adolescents (42 girls, 38 boys; mean age 13.47 ± 0.28 years) from an urban primary school in Niš, Serbia. Physical fitness was assessed using the Eurofit battery: Sit-and-Reach, Standing Long Jump, Handgrip Strength, 30-Second Sit-Ups, 10×5 m Shuttle Run, and the 20-Meter Shuttle Run. Body composition was measured via bioelectrical impedance (body fat percentage - BF%) and skinfold caliper (sum of five skinfolds - Σ5SF). Independent t-tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple regressions were performed separately by sex. Boys significantly outperformed girls in muscular strength, explosive power, speed, and aerobic capacity (p < .001), while girls had higher flexibility (p = 0.035) and BF% (p < .001). Σ5SF and BF% were negatively correlated with most fitness tests, especially shuttle run, long jump, and sit-ups. BMI showed weaker and inconsistent associations but was positively linked to handgrip strength, particularly in boys. Regression analyses identified Σ5SF and BF% as stronger predictors of physical fitness outcomes than BMI, with sex-specific patterns. Excess adiposity adversely affects physical fitness in adolescents, with stronger predictive value for BF% and skinfolds than for BMI. These findings support the use of direct body composition measures and emphasize the need for sex-sensitive approaches in adolescent fitness monitoring and physical education.
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Keywords
adiposity, association, Eurofit test battery, body fat mass, cardiorespiratory fitness
References
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14. Joensuu, L., Syväoja, H., Kallio, J., Kulmala, J., Kujala, U. M., & Tammelin, T. H. (2018). Objectively measured physical activity, body composition and physical fitness: Cross-sectional associations in 9- to 15-year-old children. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(6), 882–892. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1457081
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16. Kyle, U. G., Bosaeus, I., De Lorenzo, A. D., Deurenberg, P., Elia, M., Manuel Gómez, J., Lilienthal Heitmann, B., Kent-Smith, L., Melchior, J. C., Pirlich, M., Scharfetter, H., M W J Schols, A., Pichard, C., & ESPEN (2004). Bioelectrical impedance analysis-part II: utilization in clinical practice. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 23(6), 1430–1453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2004.09.012
17. Lohman, T. G., Ring, K., Pfeiffer, K., Camhi, S., Arredondo, E., Pratt, C., Pate, R., & Webber, L. S. (2008). Relationships among fitness, body composition, and physical activity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(6), 1163-1170. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318165c86b
18. Mendoza-Muñoz, M., Adsuar, J. C., Pérez-Gómez, J., Muñoz-Bermejo, L., Garcia-Gordillo, M. Á., & Carlos-Vivas, J. (2020). Influence of Body Composition on Physical Fitness in Adolescents. Medicina, 56(7), 328. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56070328
19. Minasian, V., Marandi, S. M., Kelishadi, R., & Abolhassani, H. (2014). Correlation between Aerobic Fitness and Body Composition in Middle School Students. International journal of preventive medicine, 5(Suppl 2), S102–S107. https://doi.org/10.4103/2008-7802.157666
20. Moliner-Urdiales, D., Ruiz, J. R., Vicente-Rodriguez, G., Ortega, F. B., Rey-Lopez, J. P., España-Romero, V., Casajús, J. A., Molnar, D., Widhalm, K., Dallongeville, J., González-Gross, M., Castillo, M. J., Sjöström, M., Moreno, L. A., & HELENA Study Group (2011). Associations of muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness with total and central body fat in adolescents: the HELENA study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(2), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2009.062430
21. Nuzzo, J. L. (2024). Sex differences in sit-and-reach flexibility in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis [Pre-print]. SportRxiv. https://doi.org/10.51224/SRXIV.445
22. Puszczałowska-Lizis, E., Kaźmierczak, M., Omorczyk, J., Lizis, S., Lenková, R., & Pieniądz, K. (2023). Sex-related differences in the physical fitness of adolescents aged 16 to 18 years. Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences, 33(103), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0053.7363
23. Raghuveer, G., Hartz, J., Lubans, D. R., et al. (2020). Cardiorespiratory fitness in youth: An important marker of health. Circulation, 142(7), e101–e118. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000866
24. Stojanović, D., & Branković, N. (2018). Association between body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness of adolescents. Facta Universitatis, Series: Physical Education and Sport, 16(2), 297-308. https://doi.org/10.22190/FUPES181003026S
25. Szmodis, M., Szmodis, I., Farkas, A., Mészáros, Z., Mészáros, J., & Kemper, H. C. G. (2019). The Relationship between Body Fat Percentage and Some Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Characteristics in Pre- and Peripubertal Boys. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(7), 1170. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071170
26. Telford, R. M., Telford, R. D., Olive, L. S., Cochrane, T., & Davey, R. (2016). Why are girls less physically active than boys? Findings from the LOOK longitudinal study. PloS One, 11(3), e0150041. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150041
27. Tomkinson, G. R., Carver, K. D., Atkinson, F., Daniell, N. D., Lewis, L. K., Fitzgerald, J. S., Lang, J. J., & Ortega, F. B. (2018). European normative values for physical fitness in children and adolescents aged 9-17 years: results from 2 779 165 Eurofit performances representing 30 countries. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(22), 1445–14563. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098253
28. Tomkinson, G. R., Léger, L. A., Olds, T. S., & Cazorla, G. (2003). Secular trends in the performance of children and adolescents (1980-2000): an analysis of 55 studies of the 20m shuttle run test in 11 countries. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 33(4), 285–300. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200333040-00003
29. World Health Organization. (2022). Global status report on physical activity 2022. Geneva, Switzerland: Author. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240059153
30. Yu, S., Lin, L., Liang, H., Lin, M., Deng, W., Zhan, X., Fu, X., & Liu, C. (2022). Gender difference in effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on flexibility and stiffness of hamstring muscle. Frontiers in physiology, 13, 918176. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.918176
2. Agata, K., & Monyeki, M. A. (2018). Association Between Sport Participation, Body Composition, Physical Fitness, and Social Correlates Among Adolescents: The PAHL Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(12), 2793. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122793
3. Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences (2nd ed.). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers.
4. Dewi, R. C., Rimawati, N., & Purbodjati, P. (2021). Body mass index, physical activity, and physical fitness of adolescence. Journal of Public Health Research, 10(2), 2230. https://doi.org/10.4081/JPHR.2021.2230
5. Donncha, C. M.,, Watson, A. W. S., McSweeney, T., & O'Donovan, D. J. (1999). Reliability of Eurofit physical fitness items for adolescent males with and without mental retardation. Adapted Physical Activity Quarterly, 16(1), 86–95. https://doi.org/10.1123/apaq.16.1.86
6. Eston, R., & Relly, T. (2009). Kinanthropometry and Exercise Physiology Laboratory Manual. Tests, Procedures and Data: Volume 1: Anthropometry, 3rd ed. Routledge: London, UK, pp. 32–35. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203868744
7. Ferreira, G. O. C., Ferrari, G., Langer, R. D., Cossio-Bolaños, M., Gómez Campos, R., Lázari, E., & de Moraes, A. M. (2024). Phase angle and its determinants among adolescents: Influence of body composition and physical fitness level. Scientific Reports, 14, Article 62546. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-62546-6
8. Galan-Lopez, P., Ries, F., Gisladottir, T., Domínguez, R., & Sánchez-Oliver, A. J. (2018). Healthy lifestyle: Relationship between Mediterranean diet, body composition and physical fitness in 13 to 16-years old Icelandic students. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15(12), 2632. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122632
9. Gjonbalaj, M., Morina, B., Gontarev, S., & Georgiev, G. (2022). Health-related physical fitness is associated with total and central body fat in children aged 6 to 10 years. Teorìâ ta Metodika Fìzičnogo Vihovannâ, 22(3), s117-s123. https://doi.org/10.17309/tmfv.2022.3s.16
10. Grgic, J. (2023). Test–retest reliability of the EUROFIT test battery: a review. Sport Sciences for Health, 19, 381–388. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-022-00936-x
11. Guthold, R., Stevens, G. A., Riley, L. M., & Bull, F. C. (2020). Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants. Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 4(1), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2
12. Hopkins, W. G., Marshall, S. W., Batterham, A. M., & Hanin, J. (2009). Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 41(1), 3–13. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e31818cb278
13. Joensuu, L., Kujala, U. M., Kankaanpää, A., Syväoja, H. J., Kulmala, J., Hakonen, H., Oksanen, H., Kallio, J., & Tammelin, T. H. (2021). Physical fitness development in relation to changes in body composition and physical activity in adolescence. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 31(2), 456–464. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13847
14. Joensuu, L., Syväoja, H., Kallio, J., Kulmala, J., Kujala, U. M., & Tammelin, T. H. (2018). Objectively measured physical activity, body composition and physical fitness: Cross-sectional associations in 9- to 15-year-old children. European Journal of Sport Science, 18(6), 882–892. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1457081
15. Kasović, M., Štefan, L., & Petrić, V. (2021). Secular trends in health-related physical fitness among 11–14-year-old Croatian children and adolescents from 1999 to 2014. Scientific Reports, 11, 11039. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90745-y
16. Kyle, U. G., Bosaeus, I., De Lorenzo, A. D., Deurenberg, P., Elia, M., Manuel Gómez, J., Lilienthal Heitmann, B., Kent-Smith, L., Melchior, J. C., Pirlich, M., Scharfetter, H., M W J Schols, A., Pichard, C., & ESPEN (2004). Bioelectrical impedance analysis-part II: utilization in clinical practice. Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland), 23(6), 1430–1453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2004.09.012
17. Lohman, T. G., Ring, K., Pfeiffer, K., Camhi, S., Arredondo, E., Pratt, C., Pate, R., & Webber, L. S. (2008). Relationships among fitness, body composition, and physical activity. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 40(6), 1163-1170. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318165c86b
18. Mendoza-Muñoz, M., Adsuar, J. C., Pérez-Gómez, J., Muñoz-Bermejo, L., Garcia-Gordillo, M. Á., & Carlos-Vivas, J. (2020). Influence of Body Composition on Physical Fitness in Adolescents. Medicina, 56(7), 328. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina56070328
19. Minasian, V., Marandi, S. M., Kelishadi, R., & Abolhassani, H. (2014). Correlation between Aerobic Fitness and Body Composition in Middle School Students. International journal of preventive medicine, 5(Suppl 2), S102–S107. https://doi.org/10.4103/2008-7802.157666
20. Moliner-Urdiales, D., Ruiz, J. R., Vicente-Rodriguez, G., Ortega, F. B., Rey-Lopez, J. P., España-Romero, V., Casajús, J. A., Molnar, D., Widhalm, K., Dallongeville, J., González-Gross, M., Castillo, M. J., Sjöström, M., Moreno, L. A., & HELENA Study Group (2011). Associations of muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness with total and central body fat in adolescents: the HELENA study. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 45(2), 101–108. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2009.062430
21. Nuzzo, J. L. (2024). Sex differences in sit-and-reach flexibility in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis [Pre-print]. SportRxiv. https://doi.org/10.51224/SRXIV.445
22. Puszczałowska-Lizis, E., Kaźmierczak, M., Omorczyk, J., Lizis, S., Lenková, R., & Pieniądz, K. (2023). Sex-related differences in the physical fitness of adolescents aged 16 to 18 years. Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences, 33(103), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0053.7363
23. Raghuveer, G., Hartz, J., Lubans, D. R., et al. (2020). Cardiorespiratory fitness in youth: An important marker of health. Circulation, 142(7), e101–e118. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000866
24. Stojanović, D., & Branković, N. (2018). Association between body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness of adolescents. Facta Universitatis, Series: Physical Education and Sport, 16(2), 297-308. https://doi.org/10.22190/FUPES181003026S
25. Szmodis, M., Szmodis, I., Farkas, A., Mészáros, Z., Mészáros, J., & Kemper, H. C. G. (2019). The Relationship between Body Fat Percentage and Some Anthropometric and Physical Fitness Characteristics in Pre- and Peripubertal Boys. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(7), 1170. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16071170
26. Telford, R. M., Telford, R. D., Olive, L. S., Cochrane, T., & Davey, R. (2016). Why are girls less physically active than boys? Findings from the LOOK longitudinal study. PloS One, 11(3), e0150041. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150041
27. Tomkinson, G. R., Carver, K. D., Atkinson, F., Daniell, N. D., Lewis, L. K., Fitzgerald, J. S., Lang, J. J., & Ortega, F. B. (2018). European normative values for physical fitness in children and adolescents aged 9-17 years: results from 2 779 165 Eurofit performances representing 30 countries. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 52(22), 1445–14563. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-098253
28. Tomkinson, G. R., Léger, L. A., Olds, T. S., & Cazorla, G. (2003). Secular trends in the performance of children and adolescents (1980-2000): an analysis of 55 studies of the 20m shuttle run test in 11 countries. Sports Medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 33(4), 285–300. https://doi.org/10.2165/00007256-200333040-00003
29. World Health Organization. (2022). Global status report on physical activity 2022. Geneva, Switzerland: Author. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240059153
30. Yu, S., Lin, L., Liang, H., Lin, M., Deng, W., Zhan, X., Fu, X., & Liu, C. (2022). Gender difference in effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching on flexibility and stiffness of hamstring muscle. Frontiers in physiology, 13, 918176. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2022.918176
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Stojanović, D., & Vladimir Momčilović. (2025). RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BODY COMPOSITION AND PHYSICAL FITNESS AMONG 13-YEAR-OLD ADOLESCENTS. Physical Education and Sport Through The Centuries, 12(1), 77–88. https://doi.org/10.5937/spes2501077S
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