School-based fitness testing for large-scale surveillance of student fitness levels and childhood obesity

Researchers, public health practitioners, and legislators are looking to large-scale fitness testing in schools as one approach to address and monitor childhood obesity. Some states and cities already use these data to conduct surveillance of student fitness levels and body mass index (BMI). Data quality must be a top priority if fitness testing in schools is used for large-scale surveillance. Since fitness tests were not originally intended for surveillance, it is important to understand their strengths and limitations when using the data to describe trends in fitness and obesity over time and monitor progress towards achieving obesity and physical activity health goals. This symposium will identify research on the accuracy and reliability of data obtained through school-based fitness testing to monitor student fitness levels and obesity in a state or city. The first panelists will address the primary purpose of student fitness testing and how incorporating fitness testing into classroom instruction can lead to gains in physical activity and health. The next panelist will discuss the implementation of Texas' statewide fitness testing in schools and the reliability and validity of fitness surveillance data. He will present considerations, cautions, and recommendations for jurisdictions contemplating this practice. The last panelist will present the differences in the BMI cutoffs from the CDC growth charts and from Fitnessgram®, a school-based assessment of fitness, activity, and body composition. He will identify the agreement between the Fitnessgram® cut-points for BMI and body fatness, and the use of fitness testing to conduct large-scale surveillance of childhood obesity.