Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin-Panel Delphi Study

Justin J Lang^{1

2

3}, Kai Zhang^{4

5}, César Agostinis-Sobrinho⁶, Lars Bo Andersen⁷, Laura Basterfield⁸, Daniel Berglind⁹, Dylan O Blain¹⁰, Cristina Cadenas-Sanchez¹¹, Christine Cameron¹², Valerie Carson¹³, Rachel C Colley¹⁴, Tamás Csányi^{15

16}, Avery D Faigenbaum¹⁷, Antonio García-Hermoso¹⁸, Thayse Natacha Q F Gomes¹⁹, Aidan Gribbon²⁰, Ian Janssen^{21

22}, Gregor Jurak²³, Mónika Kaj²⁴, Tetsuhiro Kidokoro²⁵, Kirstin N Lane²⁶, Yang Liu^{27

28}, Marie Löf^{29

30}, David R Lubans³¹, Costan G Magnussen^{32

33

34

35}, Taru Manyanga³⁶, Ryan McGrath^{37

38}, Jorge Mota³⁹, Tim Olds^{40

41}, Vincent O Onywera⁴², Francisco B Ortega^{11

43}, Adewale L Oyeyemi⁴⁴, Stephanie A Prince^{45

46}, Robinson Ramírez-Vélez^{18

47

48}, Karen C Roberts⁴⁵, Lukáš Rubín^{49

50}, Jennifer Servais²⁰, Diego Augusto Santos Silva⁵¹, Danilo R Silva^{19

52}, Jordan J Smith³¹, Yi Song⁵³, Gareth Stratton⁵⁴, Brian W Timmons^{4

55}, Grant R Tomkinson^{40

56}, Mark S Tremblay^{4

57

58}, Stephen H S Wong⁵⁹, Brooklyn J Fraser³⁵

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, 785 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K9A 0K9, Canada. justin.lang@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
² School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. justin.lang@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
³ Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. justin.lang@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
⁴ Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵ School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁶ Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipeda University, Klaipeda, Lithuania.
⁷ Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences. Western, Norway University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway.
⁸ Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
⁹ Department of Global Public Health and Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine (CES), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
¹⁰ Institute of Management and Health, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Wales, UK.
¹¹ PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity" Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
¹² Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
¹³ Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹⁴ Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Physical Education Theory and Methodology, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary.
¹⁶ Faculty of Primary and Pre-School Education, ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
¹⁷ Kinesiology and Health Science, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA.
¹⁸ Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
¹⁹ Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
²⁰ Centre for Population Health Data, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
²¹ School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
²² Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
²³ Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
²⁴ Hungarian School Sport Federation, Budapest, Hungary.
²⁵ Research Institute for Health and Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
²⁶ School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
²⁷ School of Physical Education and Sport Training, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
²⁸ Shanghai Research Center for Physical Fitness and Health of Children and Adolescents, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
²⁹ Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
³⁰ Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
³¹ Centre for Active Living and Learning, College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
³² Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³³ Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
³⁴ Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
³⁵ Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
³⁶ Division of Medical Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada.
³⁷ Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA.
³⁸ Fargo VA Healthcare System, Fargo, ND, USA.
³⁹ Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto (FADEUP), Porto, Portugal.
⁴⁰ Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁴¹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁴² Department of Physical Education, Exercise and Sports Science, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁴³ Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
⁴⁴ Department of Physiotherapy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
⁴⁵ Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, 785 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K9A 0K9, Canada.
⁴⁶ School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁴⁷ Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca (UCEVA), Túlua, Colombia.
⁴⁸ CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
⁴⁹ Department of Physical Education and Sport, Technical University of Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic.
⁵⁰ Institute of Active Lifestyle, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
⁵¹ Sports Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
⁵² Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁵³ Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
⁵⁴ Applied Sport Technology Exercise and Medicine Research Centre, Faculty Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Wales, UK.
⁵⁵ Child Health and Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁵⁶ Department of Education, Health and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
⁵⁷ Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵⁸ Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵⁹ Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

PMID: 36001291
PMCID: PMC9399984
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-022-01752-6

Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin-Panel Delphi Study

Justin J Lang et al. Sports Med. 2023 Feb.

. 2023 Feb;53(2):549-564.

doi: 10.1007/s40279-022-01752-6. Epub 2022 Aug 24.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, 785 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K9A 0K9, Canada. justin.lang@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
² School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada. justin.lang@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
³ Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada. justin.lang@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
⁴ Healthy Active Living and Obesity Research Group, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵ School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁶ Faculty of Health Sciences, Klaipeda University, Klaipeda, Lithuania.
⁷ Department of Sport, Food and Natural Sciences. Western, Norway University of Applied Science, Bergen, Norway.
⁸ Population Health Sciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
⁹ Department of Global Public Health and Centre for Epidemiology and Community Medicine (CES), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
¹⁰ Institute of Management and Health, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, Wales, UK.
¹¹ PROFITH "PROmoting FITness and Health Through Physical Activity" Research Group, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), Department of Physical and Sports Education, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
¹² Canadian Fitness and Lifestyle Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
¹³ Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹⁴ Health Analysis Division, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Physical Education Theory and Methodology, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary.
¹⁶ Faculty of Primary and Pre-School Education, ELTE, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
¹⁷ Kinesiology and Health Science, The College of New Jersey, Ewing, NJ, USA.
¹⁸ Navarrabiomed, Hospital Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Navarra Institute for Health Research (IdiSNA), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
¹⁹ Department of Physical Education, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil.
²⁰ Centre for Population Health Data, Statistics Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
²¹ School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
²² Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
²³ Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
²⁴ Hungarian School Sport Federation, Budapest, Hungary.
²⁵ Research Institute for Health and Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
²⁶ School of Exercise Science, Physical and Health Education, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada.
²⁷ School of Physical Education and Sport Training, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
²⁸ Shanghai Research Center for Physical Fitness and Health of Children and Adolescents, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
²⁹ Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
³⁰ Department of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
³¹ Centre for Active Living and Learning, College of Human and Social Futures, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
³² Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
³³ Research Centre of Applied and Preventive Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
³⁴ Centre for Population Health Research, Turku University Hospital, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
³⁵ Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia.
³⁶ Division of Medical Sciences, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada.
³⁷ Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Sciences, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND, USA.
³⁸ Fargo VA Healthcare System, Fargo, ND, USA.
³⁹ Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL), Faculty of Sports, University of Porto (FADEUP), Porto, Portugal.
⁴⁰ Alliance for Research in Exercise, Nutrition and Activity (ARENA), University of South Australia, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
⁴¹ Murdoch Children's Research Institute, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
⁴² Department of Physical Education, Exercise and Sports Science, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya.
⁴³ Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.
⁴⁴ Department of Physiotherapy, University of Maiduguri, Maiduguri, Nigeria.
⁴⁵ Centre for Surveillance and Applied Research, Public Health Agency of Canada, 785 Carling Ave, Ottawa, ON, K9A 0K9, Canada.
⁴⁶ School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁴⁷ Facultad de Ciencias de la Educación, Unidad Central del Valle del Cauca (UCEVA), Túlua, Colombia.
⁴⁸ CIBER of Frailty and Healthy Aging (CIBERFES), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
⁴⁹ Department of Physical Education and Sport, Technical University of Liberec, Liberec, Czech Republic.
⁵⁰ Institute of Active Lifestyle, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
⁵¹ Sports Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
⁵² Faculty of Health Science, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁵³ Institute of Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, National Health Commission Key Laboratory of Reproductive Health, Peking University, Beijing, China.
⁵⁴ Applied Sport Technology Exercise and Medicine Research Centre, Faculty Science and Engineering, Swansea University, Wales, UK.
⁵⁵ Child Health and Exercise Medicine Program, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
⁵⁶ Department of Education, Health and Behavior Studies, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND, USA.
⁵⁷ Department of Pediatrics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵⁸ Department of Health Sciences, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
⁵⁹ Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong.

PMID: 36001291
PMCID: PMC9399984
DOI: 10.1007/s40279-022-01752-6

Abstract

Background: The measurement of physical fitness has a history that dates back nearly 200 years. Recently, there has been an increase in international research and surveillance on physical fitness creating a need for setting international priorities that could help guide future efforts.

Objective: This study aimed to produce a list of the top 10 international priorities for research and surveillance on physical fitness among children and adolescents.

Methods: Using a twin-panel Delphi method, two independent panels consisting of 46 international experts were identified (panel 1 = 28, panel 2 = 18). The panel participants were asked to list up to five priorities for research or surveillance (round 1), and then rated the items from their own panel on a 5-point Likert scale of importance (round 2). In round 3, experts were asked to rate the priorities identified by the other panel.

Results: There was strong between-panel agreement (panel 1: r_s = 0.76, p < 0.01; panel 2: r_s = 0.77, p < 0.01) in the priorities identified. The list of the final top 10 priorities included (i) "conduct longitudinal studies to assess changes in fitness and associations with health". This was followed by (ii) "use fitness surveillance to inform decision making", and (iii) "implement regular and consistent international/national fitness surveys using common measures".

Conclusions: The priorities identified in this study provide guidance for future international collaborations and research efforts on the physical fitness of children and adolescents over the next decade and beyond.

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Figures

**Fig. 1**
Flow chart depicting the participant retention across all three rounds of the twin-panel Delphi study

**Fig. 2**
Top 10 international priorities for physical fitness research and surveillance among children and adolescents identified by international experts in fitness

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Ortega FB, Ruiz JR, Castillo MJ, Sjöström M. Physical fitness in childhood and adolescence: a powerful marker of health. Int J Obes (Lond) 2008;32(1):1–11. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0803774. - DOI - PubMed
1. Park, R. J. Measurement of physical fitness: a historical perspective. In Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Monograph Series. Washington, DC: HHS, Public Health Service; 1989.
1. Quetelet A. Sur l'homme et le d’equipement de ses faculte. Paris: Bachelier; 1835.
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1. Quételet A. Sur l'homme et le développement de ses facultés, 2 volumes. Paris: Bachelier; 1835.

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Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin-Panel Delphi Study

Affiliations

Top 10 International Priorities for Physical Fitness Research and Surveillance Among Children and Adolescents: A Twin-Panel Delphi Study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

References

MeSH terms