Comparison of health-related physical fitness scorecard with EUROFIT, ASSO PROJECT and CONNECTICUT test batteries

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the compliance of the tests included in the Health-Related Physical Fitness Report Card (SİFUK) with international standards and to compare it with globally accepted test batteries such as the European Test of Physical Fitness (EUROFIT), Adolescents and Surveillance System for the Obesity prevention (ASSO PROJECT), and CONNECTICUT. Methods: Forty students (22 girls and 18 boys) studying in grades 5-8 voluntarily participated in this study. Participants were subjected to all the exercises included in the SİFUK, EUROFIT, ASSO PROJECT, and CONNECTICUT Test Batteries. The relationships between exercises used in different test batteries to measure the same motor skill were examined using correlation analysis. Additionally, canonical correlation analysis was used to determine the relationship between the variable sets included in the test batteries. Results: It was found that the sit-and-reach test results used in SİFUK to measure flexibility were largely similar to the flexibility results in other test batteries. However, the sit-up test results used in SİFUK to measure muscular endurance had a correlation ranging between 0.291–0.460 with running-based exercises in global test batteries. Similarly, the push-up test results in SİFUK for measuring muscular strength were found to have a correlation ranging between 0.210–0.438 with other strength tests in global test batteries. Moreover, the results of the canonical correlation analysis conducted to determine the holistic relationship between SİFUK and global test batteries showed a high level of correlation (0.796) between SİFUK and CONNECTICUT, while revealing low-level correlations (0.238 and 0.273) with other test batteries. Conclusion: Considering that the SİFUK test battery focuses on measuring physical fitness with easily applicable and accessible measurement methods, it is thought that the CONNECTICUT test battery would be a suitable reference to increase inclusivity. Given that the CONNECTICUT Test Battery involves a running-based endurance test different from SİFUK and contains a set of variables more highly correlated with other test batteries, it is believed that including an endurance run in SİFUK could significantly increase the scope of measured physical fitness. Keywords: Physical fitness, EUROFIT, ASSO PROJECT, CONNECTICUT, SİFUK, Physical performance