Physical fitness, indicator of healthy pre-adolescent development La aptitud fsica, indicador de un desarrollo saludable en el preadolescente

Physical fitness (PF) is an important indicator in the healthy development of pre-adolescent children, in this sense, working on PF is essential to generate a positive self-perception of it. The aim of this study is to (1) analyze the selfreported PF of third cycle primary school students, (2) study whether there are significant differences depending on the location of the school and the sex of the participants, and (3) investigate the correlations between the items that make up the FP VAS scale and age. The sample consisted of a total of 522 participants (10-12 years old), 46% boys and 54% girls % of 5(degrees) and 6(degrees) primary education, where 46.4% studied in rural schools and 53.4% in urban schools. The Fitness Perception Visual Analogue Scale for Adolescents (FP VAS A) was used to assess self -reported PF. There were statistically significant differences between sexes (p<0.001), with boys showing higher scores than girls in all items of the FP VAS A scale, with the exception of global flexibility. Students from rural centers, with respect to their peers from urban centers, also showed significantly higher scores (p<0.001) in all items of the FP VAS A scale. There was no correlation between self-perceived PF and age. In conclusion, the self-perception of PF and its control with this type of instrument could help preadolescents to adopt active and healthy lifestyle habits to improve their perception of PF