As advocates for creating a stronger and healthier world we are ardent supporters of the tremendous benefits of physical fitness for everyone. Physical fitness is widely recognized as a powerful marker of health-related outcomes, both in childhood and adulthood and an important determinant of current and future health status. Adolescents’ physical fitness levels are an important indicator of their lifestyle and seem to have positive consequences in health-related quality of life. Research on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has increased in the last years. HRQoL can be defined as a multidimensional construct that relates to a person's self-perceived health and consists of ratings of well-being and functionality in important life areas, including physical well-being/functioning, emotional well-being, self-esteem, social functioning, and family relations.
One factor known to influence perceived health and well-being among adolescents is body image. There is some research showing associations between lower levels of cardiorespiratory fitness and body dissatisfaction. According to Neumark-Sztainer, Paxton, Hannan, Haines, Story, body dissatisfaction is shown to be positively related to lower exercise rates in both boys and girls.
As cardiorespiratory fitness is strongly and positively associated with physical activity, intervention programs aimed at enhancing physical activity and fitness levels of the youth population may benefit their cardiorespiratory fitness and consequently, improve their health perception and well-being. Thus, this is of great value to public health and an important subject of research.
