[Physical activity and physical performance in children and adolescents]

Research and general experience regarding the importance of physical activity in adults on various parameters such as performance ability and weight control is often extrapolated to be valid for children and adolescents.

This article is a brief review of research on physical activity level and performance ability in children and adolescents.

Findings regarding physical activity level and physical fitness are reviewed.

The absence of reference material which goes 20-30 years back in time as well as contradictive findings on whether changes in social structure have caused a reduction in physical activity, makes it difficult to draw conclusions. The relationship between physical activity and physical fitness is not clear. Growth per se leads to methodical problems regarding whether it is the activity or maturation that cause changes in physical parameters. Contradictory results might partly be a consequence of the different methods used. An important challenge in future research on physical fitness is to establish a reference material with valid measures of physical activity levels.