Associations between self-rated health with cardiorespiratory fitness and obesity status among adolescent girls.

BACKGROUND

The main goal of this study was to analyze the associations between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and body mass index (BMI) with self-rated health (SRH) of adolescent girls.

METHODS

This was a cross-sectional study of 533 adolescents girls, aged from 10 to 18 years old. CRF was predicted by maximal multistage 20-m shuttle-run test according to procedures described from FITNESSGRAM. Girls' obesity status was classified according to International Obesity Task Force and Self-rated health (SRH) was assessed by questionnaire.

RESULTS

The findings showed that among adolescent girls 23.2% had negative SRH. Girls who were classified as unfit were more likely to report negative SRH in both univariate logistic (OR: 3.05; CI: 1.91-4.87; P < .05) and multivariate (OR: 2.93; CI: 1.82-4.72; P < .05) regression analyses compared with their fit peers. Obese girls were more likely to report negative SRH (OR: 2.30; CI: 1.14-4.62; P < .05) compared with their normal-weight counterparts. However such association was lost in multivariate analyses suggesting an effect of CRF.

CONCLUSIONS

Negative perception of health was associated with lower CRF and weight status although such association it is mediated by CRF condition.