How to design and establish a national school-based physical fitness monitoring and surveillance system for children and adolescents: A 10-step approach recommended by the FitBack network.

Gregor Starc, Tamás Csányi, Tuija H Tammelin, Gregor Jurak, Luis B Sardinha, Francisco B Ortega, Shawnda A Morrison, Laura Joensuu, Mikko Huhtiniemi, Katalin Kälbi, João Magalhães, Ivana Milanović

Journal: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports 2024;34(3):e14593

PMID: 38488439

Full Text on Ovid Technologies, Inc. View on PubMed

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Providing individual- and population-level data on children's physical fitness (PF) is a crucial public health and education priority. However, few national fitness monitoring or surveillance systems are currently in practice internationally. We aim to summarize the current European PF monitoring and surveillance systems for school-aged children and to provide experience-based guidelines on how to design such systems.

METHODS

The FitBack network consists of experts from diverse backgrounds with the common interest to improve the accessibility of PF monitoring for young people globally. Through FitBack network, we identified and compared the national or regional PF monitoring and surveillance systems currently in operation across Europe. We formulated a 10-step approach for designing and establishing one's own system, based on analysis of experienced strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to monitoring childhood fitness.

RESULTS

We identified a total of eight PF monitoring systems in Finland, France, Galicia of Spain, Hungary, Lithuania, Portugal, Serbia, and Slovenia. The FitBack network recommends the following steps for designing and establishing one's own system: (1) set up mission statements and aims, (2) involve stakeholders, (3) utilize scientific background, (4) governance structure, (5) ensure sufficient funding, (6) data management planning, (7) provide meaningful feedback, (8) conduct pilot testing, (9) plan implementation process, and (10) invest in communication with stakeholders.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides an updated overview of the best practices for school-aged children's fitness monitoring and surveillance in Europe. Additionally, it offers a 10-step approach to assist in the creation of similar systems in Europe or globally.

Address: LIKES, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland.; Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.; Department of Physical Education Theory and Methodology, Hungarian University of Sports Science, Budapest, Hungary.; Hungarian School Sport Federation, Budapest, Hungary.; Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.; Hungarian School Sport Federation, Budapest, Hungary.; Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE) Bárczi Gusztáv Faculty of Special Needs Education, Institute for the Methodology of Special Needs Education and Rehabilitation, Budapest, Hungary.; Exercise and Health Laboratory, CIPER, Faculdade de Motricidade Humana, Universidade de Lisboa, Cruz Quebrada, Portugal.; Faculty of Sports and Physical Education, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.; Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; Human Potential Translational Research Programme, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.; Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland.; Department of Physical Education and Sports, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Sport and Health University Research Institute (iMUDS), University of Granada and CIBEROBN Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition, Granada, Spain.; Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia.; LIKES, Jamk University of Applied Sciences, Jyväskylä, Finland.

DOI: 10.1111/sms.14593

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MeSH Terms: Child, Humans, Adolescent, Europe, France, Schools, Exercise, Physical Fitness