FITNESS PARAMETERS AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESE CHILDREN AGED SEVEN YEARS

The aim of the research was to determine the correlation of morphological characteristics and fitness parameters of overweight and obese boys aged seven. The sample of participants consisted of 198 pupils (boys) aged seven years, from elementary schools from the territory of the city of Nis, Paracin, Bela Palanka, Leskovac and others, classified as a category with increased body mass or obesity. Morphological characteristics were determined by measuring parameters of longitudinal (3), transversal, (3) circular dimensions (3) and body mass and measurement of subcutaneous fat tissue (3). For the assessment of muscular fitness, body composition and cardiorespiratory fitness, the following tests were used: the plyometric leap, precancer-turn-off, percentage of body fat and Body Mass Index (BMI); a shuttle run test based on the calculated VO2max (L) and VO2max (ml/kg/min) values. A canonical correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between morphological characteristics and fitness parameters. The level of statistical significance was set at .05. The results of the study showed that there is a statistically significant association (p˂.01) between morphological characteristics and fitness parameters in overweight and obese boys aged seven. Participants who have higher values of voluminosity and body width have higher values of fat percentage in the body as well as BMI. Smaller explosive power was found in participants with higher values of skin folds. It has been determined that body mass and voluminosity positively affects the strength of the arm and shoulders, that is, they adversely affect the VO2max values.