Associations between Self-Perceived and Desired Health-Related Physical Fitness in Spanish Children

Health-related physical fitness (HRPF) has emerged as an important marker of health among children. It is usually defined as a multidimensional construct consisting of cardiorespiratory endurance; muscular strength and endurance; and flexibility. Currently, health policies are aimed at getting children to increase their HRPF levels. Understanding the relationship between the perceived and the desired levels of fitness can be important to avoid the abandoning of physical activity practice. We analyzed the associations between the self-perceived and the desired health-related physical fitness. A modified version of the self-perceived HRPF questionnaire was completed by 330 children (148 girls, mean age: 10.78 +/- 0.67 years, and 182 boys, mean age: 10.82 +/- 0.61 years). Fitness was measured through tests selected from the Eurofit battery. The questions regarding desired HRPF showed moderate internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha: 0.671) and good test-retest reliability (ICC: 0.761). In general, children shared a desire to improve their self-perceived HRPF. Those who perceived themselves as already being fit were the ones who showed the strongest desire for achieving higher HRPF levels.