WCS Fitness Testing Part II
Published December 1, 2011
The following article was written by WCS Health and Wellness Specialist Ken Brooks
In the last issue of IN FOCUS, we discussed the district's new policy regarding fitness testing which allows physical education teachers to report on children's fitness levels. Fitness testing should not be confused with a school's health screening process. The health screening process is considered a service, which means the parent/guardian has the option to opt their child out of any health screening. Since fitness testing is part of the academic curriculum, the freedom is not automatically given to opt the child out of a fitness test.
Of the five health-related fitness components in need of testing, body composition is the area that normally needs the most explanation. The body needs a certain amount of body fat to function efficiently. Body fat helps regulate body temperature, protects vital organs, helps in the absorption of essential vitamins and promotes healthy skin, hair, nails and cell function. This is why fat should not be automatically viewed as a negative. The real issue is a health related one. Too little body fat or too much body fat can lead to certain health risks such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, bone or joint issues.
BMI uses current height and weight to calculate a recommended weight range. There is a relationship with body fat, but it can also be related to a person’s normal body type (thin, muscular or stocky) which BMI is not able to consider. Thus, it is not a perfect body composition tool, but currently the best available when dealing with the mass population. A more reliable method is testing the percentage of body fat. Underwater weighing is the most accurate, but not always accessible to the general population. Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and skin-fold calipers can be accurate based on the quality of the equipment and the test being performed correctly. BIA is a hand-held device calculating body fat percentage. Skin-fold calipers are measurements taken at the triceps and calf for school aged students to determine the percentage since 50 percent of body fat is located right below the skin’s surface.
Even if a student scores outside a Healthy Fitness Zone, it does not automatically equate to being at a level of a current health risk. These are simply pieces of information in need of proper interpretation for each individual (particularly school-aged students in the process of growth, development and change) to create awareness as to what is involved in “being fit.” A parent may choose to contact the child’s personal physician for an expert medical opinion related to fitness testing results.
For more information on the WCS Coordinated School Health initiative and more health resources please visit http://www.wcs.edu/csh/homepage.htm.