ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MUSCULAR FITNESS AND PHYSICAL HEALTH STATUS AMONG CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS FROM BOGOTA, COLOMBIA

Objective: epidemiological and experimental evidence suggest the role of muscular strength has been increasingly recognized in the prevention of chronic disease in early life, and features of the cardiometabolic disease have also been negatively associated with muscle strength in adulthood. The aim of this study was to examine whether the association between muscular fitness and physical health status among children and adolescents from Bogota, Colombia. Methods: cross-sectional study in 921 schoolchildren aged 8-11 years from Bogota, Colombia. A muscular fitness score (MFS) was measured using handgrip strength and standing long jump and vertical jump. Each of these variables was standardized as follows: standardized value = (value = mean)/SD. The muscle fitness score was calculated as the mean of the three standardized scores. MFS was recoded into quartiles Q1 (low fitness) to Q4 (high fitness). The body mass index (BMI), skinfold thickness, waist and hip circumference, body composition by bioimpedance (BIA), blood pressure and self-declaration sexual maturation were measured such as indicators associated with future cardiovascular events. Results: the average age was 13.0 +/- 2.6 years. Participants with Q4 (high fitness), show a better physical health status (BMI, blood pressure, body fat and waist circumference (BMI, blood pressure, body fat and waist circumference, p[linear X-2] = 0.01). Individuals with Q1 and Q3 (low fitness) had 4.06 times (95 %CI 2.60 to 6.34; p = 0.043) risk of excess body fat and 1.57 times (95%CI 1.02 -1.89; p = 0.020) risk of abdominal obesity. Conclusion: our results show that muscle fitness is associated with better physical health status. The testing of muscle strength at early ages should be included in health-monitoring systems.