European Youth Losing Strength and Flexibility
Children and adolescents in Europe are not reaching adequate levels of physical fitness, according to a new study.
Researchers from the University of Zaragoza found that since 1990, there has been a decline in health-related fitness indicators.
The results, published in the journal Sports Medicine – Open, describe changes in key physical health indicators: muscle strength, flexibility, body composition, and cardiorespiratory endurance.
These components are crucial for the health of this generation, and the authors state that “we are missing an important opportunity that will be difficult to regain.”
The study analyzed data from 417,362 participants aged 6 to 16 from 20 European countries, covering the period from 1965 to 2023.
Upper body muscle strength has generally declined since the 1970s, with indicators falling again after a brief period of stability from 1980 to 2000. Lower body muscle strength, assessed through jump tests, increased until the 1980s but has since steadily decreased.
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The team also recorded a consistent linear decline in body fat mass; this trend is often underestimated when relying solely on body mass index (BMI).
The worst dynamics were noted for flexibility, which has shown a continuous decline that accelerated since 2000.
Regarding cardiorespiratory endurance, the authors noted that after a prolonged decline, recent data suggest that this indicator may have stabilized from 2015 to 2023.
However, researchers warn that levels remain below those recorded in previous decades.
“These results highlight the need to intensify efforts to promote physical activity through government institutions,” the researchers stated in a press release.
The Importance of Physical Fitness from an Early Age
Physical fitness is an important health indicator in childhood and adolescence. Cardiorespiratory endurance and healthy body composition in childhood are associated with a more favorable cardiovascular profile and reduced mortality risk later in life.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that children and adolescents engage in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily, including muscle and bone-strengthening exercises at least three times a week.
However, over 75% of European adolescents do not meet these recommendations.
According to WHO, insufficient physical activity accounts for approximately 6% of the disease burden related to ischemic heart disease, 7% related to type 2 diabetes, 10% related to breast cancer, and 10% related to colorectal cancer.
Additionally, insufficient physical activity contributes to 9.0% of premature deaths, 7.2% of total mortality, and 7.6% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases.
