First graders in Germany are fitter than previously suspected

Experts analyzed the results of fitness tests in first graders

More and more children are overweight. This is often attributed to a lack of movement. The researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) investigated how athletic elementary school students are and how good their general fitness was. Over a period of ten years, the experts analyzed the results of first-year fitness tests.

The physicians of the Technical University of Munich examined in their current study, how athletic first graders are. The researchers wanted to find out whether a lack of readiness for sports in first graders leads to overweight. The scientists published the results of their study in the English-language journal "Frontiers in Pediatrics".

Contrary to the expectations of many experts, children have not become less sporty over the past decade. (Image: Robert Kneschke / fotolia.com)

No significantly worse results

The results of the study show that students did not lose strength within ten years. The speed and speed of the students studied increased even during this period. In boys, however, could be found that the stamina worsened over time.

The results of previous investigations should be questioned

"Contrary to the generally negative tenor of previous studies, we were able to show that in the first ten years, there was no deterioration in terms of sports motor performance in the past ten years," explains author Filip Mess, professor of sports and health didactics at the Technical University Munich in a press release. For this reason, previous studies may be questioned.

Experts analyze the data of more than 5,000 first-graders

The scientists analyzed a set of fitness tests for their study. The data included a total of 5,001 first graders. In the period between the year 2006 and the year 2015, about 500 first graders per year were investigated in the Baden-Baden region. The project involved all 18 elementary schools in the region.

Which tests did the first graders have to do??

The tests examined, for example, how first graders completed a 6-minute run (endurance performance), how many pushups they were able to perform (strength), how fast they completed a sprint over 20 meters (speed), and how well they did during practice Balance sections (balance ability). "In these four tests, there was a detectable worsening only in the endurance performance of boys. In girls, however, this remained constant. Speed ​​and balance have even improved with both sexes, "explains Dr. Sarah Spengler.

Previous research design is susceptible to bias

There is a big difference in the current study on previous research projects. All examinations were performed every ten years. However, most projects used only two measurement times. These can be, for example, at a distance of two years. Unfortunately, such a research design is very susceptible to bias. For example, one year a class with completely unsportsmanlike students could be investigated. Next year, a generally very athletic class could be examined.

All primary schools in the region participated in the study

There is another feature of the project that could have led to more accurate results. All of the 18 elementary schools in the region were involved in the study. This should lead to the exclusion of distortions caused by a too large proportion of urban or regional participants. "The data are representative of the Baden-Baden region," says Professor Mess.

Are the results transferable to the whole of Germany??

However, the regional selection available in the study can also lead to a limitation of the results, the experts explain. Surely the long-term study has a higher significance than the previous research, but the data collected can not be easily transferred to the whole of Germany. Baden-Baden is a rather prosperous and rural region and other regions of Germany could show different results.

Sports motor examinations should be done at every primary school in Hessen

The results of the study should lead to future studies on the long-term development of children's motor performance using similar research designs. The scientists suggest that so-called sport motor examinations are carried out for all primary school children in Hesse.

Healthy children later become healthy adults

"We were able to show that in the four tests, only the boys significantly deteriorated in endurance performance. Nevertheless, this should not be a reason for pat on the back. Because the data does not say that the children's services are actually good. They just did not get any worse, "explains Dr. Spengler. Sufficient exercise in children continues to be a major challenge as it helps to turn children into healthy adults later on. (As)