Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Original Article
  • Published:

Physical fitness of normal, stunted and overweight children 6–13 years in Oaxaca, Mexico

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 65, pages 826–834 (2011)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/Objective:

The objective of this study is to compare the growth and physical fitness of normal, stunted and overweight/obese (owt/ob) Oaxaca children 6–13 years.

Subjects/Methods:

This study was a cross-sectional, included 688 school children (grades 1–3, 4–6), aged 6–13 years, from an indigenous rural community (n=361) and colonia popular (n=327) in Oaxaca, southern Mexico. Measurements: Anthropometry—weight, height, sitting height, limb circumferences, skinfolds. Derived—body mass index, sitting height/height ratio, leg and step lengths, limb muscle areas, sum of skinfolds. Physical fitness—sit and reach, sit-ups, distance run, grip strength, standing long jump, 35 yard dash. Physical activity—steps to and from school, household chores, sports participation. Analysis: Normal—not stunted, not owt/ob; stunted—not owt/ob; and owt/ob—not stunted were compared with multivariate analysis of covariance controlling for age. Two children were stunted and owt/ob, and were excluded.

Results:

Age-adjusted means for body size, muscularity, adiposity and grip strength showed a gradient, owt/ob>normal>stunted in both sexes and grade levels (P<0.001). Relative position of stunted and owt/ob children was reversed for strength per unit mass. Stunted and normal children ran a greater distance than owt/ob children (P<0.05). Normal, stunted and owt/ob children did not differ consistently in other fitness items and indicators of activity and inactivity.

Conclusion:

Size, muscularity, fatness and strength differed significantly, owt/ob>normal>stunted, but owt/ob children had less strength per unit mass and poorer endurance. Normal and stunted children did not differ consistently in fitness. Physical activity and television time did not differ among the three groups.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Whitt MC, Irwin ML, Swartz AM, Strath SJ et al. (2000). Compendium of physical activities: an update of activity codes and MET intensities. Med Sci Sports Exerc 32 (suppl), S498–S516.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bar-Or O, Rowland TW (2004). Pediatric Exercise Medicine. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Benefice E (1993). Physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, motor performance, and growth of Senegalese pre-adolescents. Am J Hum Biol 5, 653–667.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Benefice E (1998). Growth and motor performance of rural Senegalese children. Med Sport Sci 43, 117–131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beunen G, Malina RM, Ostyn M, Renson R, Simons J, Van Gerven D (1983). Fatness, growth and motor fitness of Belgian boys 12 through 20 years of age. Hum Biol 55, 599–613.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bouchard C, Shephard RJ (1994). Physical activity, fitness, and health: the model and key concepts. In: Bouchard C, Shephard RJ, Stephends T (eds). Physical Activity, Fitness, and Health. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL, pp 77–88.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bovet P, Auguste R, Burdette H (2007). Strong inverse association between physical fitness and overweight in adolescents: a large school-based survey. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 4, 24–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke HH (1971). Basic Understanding of Physical Fitness. Physical Fitness Research Digest, series 1, no 1. President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cole TJ, Bellizzi MC, Flegal KM, Dietz WH (2000). Establishing a standard definition for child overweight and obesity worldwide: International survey. Br Med J 320, 1240–1243.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dufour DL (1997). Nutrition, activity, and health in children. Ann Rev Anthropol 26, 541–565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fellmann N, Bedu M, Coudert J (1998). Aerobic and anaerobic performances in relation to marginal malnutrition and altitude in Bolivian boys and girls. Med Sport Sci 43, 79–93.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernald LC, Neufeld LM (2007). Overweight with concurrent stunting in very young children from rural Mexico: prevalence and associated factors. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 523–632.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Graf C, Koch B, Kretschmann-Kandel E, Falkowski G, Christ H, Coburger S et al. (2004). Correlation between BMI, leisure habits and motor abilities in childhood (CHILT-Project). Int J Obes 28, 22–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Henneberg M, Harrison GA, Brush G (1998). The small child: anthropometric and physical performance of short-for-age children growing in good and in poor socio-economic conditions. Eur J Clin Nutr 52, 286–291.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernandez B, Gortmaker SL, Colditz GA, Peterson KE, Laird NM, Parra-Cabrera S (1999). Association of obesity with physical activity, television programs and other forms of video viewing among children in Mexico City. Int J Obes 23, 845–854.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman DJ, Sawaya AL, Verreschi I, Tucker KL, Roberts SB (2000). Why are nutritionally stunted children at increased risk of obesity? Studies of metabolic rate and fat oxidation in shantytown children from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Am J Clin Nutr 72, 702–707.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huang YC, Malina RM (2007). BMI and health-related physical fitness in Taiwanese youth 9–18 years. Med Sci Sports Exerc 39, 701–708.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang YC, Malina RM (2010). BMI and individual physical fitness tests in Taiwanese youth 9–18 years. Int J Pediatr Obes 5, 404–411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuczmarski RJ, Ogden CL, Grummer-Strawn LM, Flegal KM, Guo SS, Wei R et al. (2000). CDC growth charts: United States. Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics, no 314. National Center for Health Statistics: Hyattsville, MD.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM (1984). Physical activity and motor development/performance in populations nutritionally at risk. In: Pollitt E, Amante P (eds). Energy Intake and Physical Activity. Alan R Liss: New York, NY, pp 285–302.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM (1986). Motor development and performance of children and youth in undernourished populations. In: Katch FI (ed). Sport, Health, and Nutrition. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL, pp 213–226.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM (1991). Fitness and performance: adult health and the culture of youth. American Academy of Physical Education Papers, no 24. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL, pp 30–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM (1995). Anthropometry. In: Maud PJ, Foster C (eds). Physiological Assessment of Human Fitness. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL, pp 205–219.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM (2001). Childhood and adolescent obesity: selected issues and implications. In: Johnston FE, Foster GD (eds). Obesity, Growth and Development. Smith-Gordon: London, pp 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Beunen GP, Claessens AL, Lefevre J, Vanden Eynde B, Renson R et al. (1995). Fatness and fitness of girls 7–17 years. Obes Res 3, 221–231.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O (2004). Growth, Maturation and Physical Activity, 2nd edn. Human Kinetics: Champaign, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Little BB, Buschang PH (1991). Estimated body composition and strength of chronically mild-to-moderately undernourished rural boys in southern Mexico. Med Sport Sci 31, 119–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Katzmarzyk PT (2006). Physical activity and fitness in an international growth standard for preadolescent and adolescent children. Food Nutr Bull 27 (Suppl), S295–S313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Peña Reyes M, Little BB (2008a). Historia natural del crecimiento de niños y púberes en una comunidad indígena: el Proyecto Oaxaca. Cuadernos de Nutricion 31, 207–214.

    Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Peña Reyes M, Little BB (2008b). Secular change in the growth status of urban and rural schoolchildren aged 6–13 years in Oaxaca, southern Mexico. Ann Hum Biol 35, 475–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Peña Reyes M, Little BB (2009). Socioeconomic variation in the growth status of urban school children 6–13 years in Oaxaca, Mexico, in 1972 and 2000. Am J Hum Biol 21, 805–816.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malina RM, Peña Reyes M, Tan SK, Little BB (2008c). Physical activity in youth from a subsistence agriculture community in the Valley of Oaxaca, southern Mexico. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 33, 819–830.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Monyeki MA, Koppes LLJ, Kemper HCG, Monyeki KD, Toriola AL, Pienaar AE et al. (2005). Body composition and physical fitness of undernourished South African rural primary school children. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 877–883.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Okely AD, Booth ML, Chey T (2004). Relationships between body composition and fundamental movement skills among children and adolescents. Res Q Exerc Sport 75, 238–247.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peña Reyes ME, Bali Chavez G, Little BB, Malina RM (2010). Community well-being and growth status of indigenous school children in rural Oaxaca, southern Mexico. Eco Hum Biol 8, 177–187.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peña Reyes ME, Cárdenas Barahona EE, Lamadrid PS, del Olmo Calzada M, Malina RM (2009). Growth status of indigenous school children 6–14 years in the Tarahumara Sierra, Northern Mexico, in 1990 and 2007. Ann Hum Biol 36, 756–769.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peña-Reyes ME, Tan SK, Malina RM (2003a). Urban-rural contrasts in growth status of school children in Oaxaca, Mexico. Ann Hum Biol 30, 693–713.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peña-Reyes ME, Tan SK, Malina RM (2003b). Urban-rural contrasts in the physical fitness of school children in Oaxaca, Mexico. Am J Hum Biol 15, 800–814.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Popkin BM (1994). The nutrition transition in low-income countries: an emerging crisis. Nutr Rev 52, 285–298.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Popkin BM, Richards MK, Monteiro CA (1996). Stunting is associated with overweight in children of four nations that are undergoing the nutrition transition. J Nutr 126, 3009–3016.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prista A (1998). Nutritional status, physical fitness and physical activity in children and youth in Maputo (Mozambique). Med Sport Sci 43, 94–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reina JC, Spurr GB (1984). Daily activity level of marginally malnourished school-aged girls: a preliminary report. In: Pollitt E, Amante P (eds). Energy Intake and Physical Activity. Alan R Liss: New York, NY, pp 263–283.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rivera JA, Barquera S, Gonzalez-Cossio T, Olaiz G, Sepulveda J (2004). Nutrition transition in Mexico and in other Latin American countries. Nutr Rev 62, S149–S157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roldan JA, Ávila A, Chávez A, Alvarez M, Muñoz M, Shamah R (2004). Regionalización de la Situación Nutricional en México: A Través de un Índice de Riesgo Nutricional por Municipio. Instituto Nacional de la Nutricion Salvador Zubirán: Mexico, DF.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seefeldt V, Haubenstricker J (1982). Patterns, phases, or stages: An analytical model for the study of developmental movement. In: Kelso JSA, Clark JE (eds). The Development of Movement Control and Coordination. Wiley: New York, NY, pp 309–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siegel SR, Malina RM, Peña Reyes ME, Cárdenas Barahona EE (2011). Estimated physical activity and inactivity in urban Mexican youth. J Coimbra Network Sport Sci 4, 11–29.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurr GB (1983). Nutritional status and physical work capacity. Yrbk Phys Anthropol 26, 1–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spurr GB (1990). Physical activity and energy expenditure in undernutrition. Prog Food Nutr Sci 14, 139–192.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spurr GB, Barac-Nieto M, Reina JC (1991). Growth, maturation, body composition and maximal aerobic power of nutritionally normal and marginally malnourished school-aged Colombian children. Med Sport Sci 31, 41–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We acknowledged and greatly appreciated the cooperation of community leaders, school authorities, parents and children in the two communities. The assistance of Alma Garcia Montes, David Lopez Romero, Marcos Ramirez Hernandez and Arturo Ramirez Ortiz of the Escuela Nacional de Antropologia e Historia of Mexico is also acknowledged and greatly appreciated. This study is supported by the National Science Foundation grant BCS 9816400.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology and Health Education, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA

    R M Malina

  2. Department of Kinesiology, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, USA

    R M Malina

  3. Escuela Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, Mexico, DF, USA

    M E Peña Reyes

  4. Fifth Ray Integrated Activities Pte Ltd, Singapore, Singapore

    S K Tan

  5. Departments of Mathematics, Physics, and Engineering, and Academic Affairs, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, USA

    B B Little

Authors
  1. R M Malina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M E Peña Reyes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S K Tan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. B B Little
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R M Malina.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Malina, R., Reyes, M., Tan, S. et al. Physical fitness of normal, stunted and overweight children 6–13 years in Oaxaca, Mexico. Eur J Clin Nutr 65, 826–834 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.44

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2011.44

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links