Physical fitness and fatness among Omani schoolboys: a pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To study the applicability of simple field measurements of physical fitness in a sample of Omani boys and their relationships to selected variables. Methods: Two field measures of physical fitness—the time to complete 1.6–km run/walk and the sum of 5 skin fold thicknesses—were correlated with personal and family physical activity–related and other variables in a sample of 109 Omani boys aged 9–11 years. Results: Obesity in parents, especially in the mother, showed significant correlation with both fitness measures. The waist/buttocks ratio showed no significant correlation with the 1.6–km time. The number of siblings and siblings sharing a room, number of T.V–watching hours and the number of servants in the family showed no correlation with the chosen fitness indices. Conclusion: The results of this pilot study indicate that simple field fitness tests can be used in children and they can yield valuable information related to physical fitness. The same protocol used in this study could be applied to a national study in Oman.