Cardiorespiratory fitness assessment using the PREFIT test in Italian children: a preliminary dataset.

Background: The cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is one of the most important indicators of the health-related physical fitness components because it reflects the efficiency of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. To indirectly assess CRF, the original protocol of the 20mSRT was adapted in a new version suitable for children called 20mSRT-PREFIT, providing performances comparable to the standards of the European area. In fact, CRF normative values are missing in the Italian context and therefore they would be meaningful to be assessed. We aimed to determine CRF from 20mSRT-PREFIT in a small sample of Italian pre-school children and to compare the outcomes with the available European references.

Methods: A convenience sample of 5-year-old pre-school children (N.=32, M/F ratio: 19/13) was freely recruited from a kindergarten of the northwest Italy. Children performed the 20mSRT-PREFIT and the number of full shuttles, exhaustion time, and maximum speed were collected to obtain CRF.

Results: Predicted VO2max was similar between Italian male and female groups. All other outcomes originating from the 20mSRT-PREFIT were consistent with those included in the available European databases.

Conclusions: According to these preliminary indications, Italian pre-school children may have a CRF level equivalent to that one ascertained in other European countries. Thus, current rakings should be cautiously scrutinized, as they might inappropriately underrate Italian children's performances.