Worldwide variation in the performance of children and adolescents: An analysis of 109 studies of the 20-m shuttle run test in 37 countries

• Published in: Journal of sports sciences 2006-10, Vol.24 (10), p.1025-1038
• Main Authors: Olds, Tim, Tomkinson, Grant, Léger, Luc, Cazorla, Georges
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Africa; Age Factors; Analysis of Variance; Asia; Australia; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Children; Climate; Europe; Female; fitness; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Linear Models; Male; Monte Carlo Method; Motor Activity; North America; Overweight; Physical Fitness; Research Design; Running - physiology; Sex Factors; shuttle run; Socioeconomic Factors; Task Performance and Analysis; variation; Vertebrates: body movement. Posture. Locomotion. Flight. Swimming. Physical exercise. Rest. Sports
• ISSN: 0264-0414; 1466-447X
• DOI: 10.1080/02640410500432193

This study is a meta-analysis of 109 reports of the performance of children and adolescents on the 20-m shuttle run test (20-mSRT). The studies were performed in 37 countries and included data on 418,026 children, tested between 1981 and 2003. Results were expressed as running speed (km · h −1 ) at the final completed stage of the 20-mSRT. Raw data were combined with pseudodata using Monte Carlo simulation. The 20-mSRT performances were expressed as z-scores relative to all children of the same age and sex from all countries. An overall "performance index" was derived for each country as the average of the age- and sex-specific z-scores for all children from that country. Factorial analysis of variance was used to compare scores among countries and regions, and between boys and girls of the same age. There was wide and significant (P