|  | Resources | No.50 May 2007 |

New Publication Pediatric Fitness Secular Trends and Geographic Variability |
Editors G.R. Tomkinson (Adelaide) T.S. Olds (Adelaide) Medicine and Sport Science, Vol. 50 Series Editors: Borms, J. (Brussels); Hebbelinck, M. (Brussels); Hills, A.P. (Brisbane) ISSN 0254-5020 VIII + 250 p., 49 fig., 39 tab., hard cover, 2007 CHF 198.- / EUR 141.50 / USD 180.00 ISBN 978-3-8055-8177-7 S. Karger Over the years, there has been much controversy regarding whether today’s children and adolescents are fitter than their peers of the past and whether they are fitter if they live in the more affluent than the less affluent countries. This publication starts by examining data cumulated since the late 1950s on secular trends and geographic variability in pediatric fitness test performances of children and adolescents from 23 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, Australasia, Africa and the Middle East. There is evidence that there has been a global decline in pediatric aerobic performance in recent decades, relative stability in anaerobic performance, and that the best performing children come from northern and central Europe. It finishes by considering possible causes, including whether declines in aerobic performance are the result of distributional or ‘across-the-board’ declines, and whether increases in obesity alone can explain the declines in aerobic performance. Physical educators, exercise/sport scientists, exercise physiologists, personal trainers, pediatricians, medical practitioners and public health providers will find useful information in this book on secular trends and geographic variability in pedatric fitness. Contents Foreword: Doll-Tepper, G. Contributors Introduction: Tomkinson, G.R.; Olds, T.S. Aerobic Fitness: What Are We Measuring?: Armstrong, N.; Welsman, J.R. Anaerobic Fitness Tests: What Are We Measuring?: Van Praagh, E. Secular Changes in Pediatric Aerobic Fitness Test Performance: The Global Picture: Tomkinson, G.R.; Olds, T.S. Physical Fitness of Children and Adolescents in the United States: Status and Secular Change: Malina, R.M. Fitness of Canadian Children: Range from Traditional Inuit to Sedentary City Dwellers, and Assessment of Secular Changes: Shephard, R.J. Who Are the Eurofittest?: Tomkinson, G.R.; Olds, T.S.; Borms, J. Changes in Eurofit Test Performance of Estonian and Lithuanian Children and Adolescents (1992–2002): Jürimäe, T.; Volbekiene, V.; Jürimäe, J.; Tomkinson, G.R. Evolution and Variability in Fitness Test Performance of Asian Children and Adolescents: Macfarlane, D.J. ; Tomkinson, G.R. Secular Changes in Aerobic Fitness Test Performance of Australasian Children and Adolescents: Tomkinson, G.R.; Olds, T.S. Prevalence, Trends and Environmental Influences on Child and Youth Physical Activity: Salmon, J.; Timperio, A. Evolution of Maximal Oxygen Uptake in Children: Rowland, T.W. Distributional Changes in the Performance of Australian Children on Tests of Cardiorespiratory Endurance: Dollman, J.; Olds, T.S. Declines in Aerobic Fitness: Are They Only Due to Increasing Fatness?: Olds, T.S.; Ridley, K.; Tomkinson, G.R. Subject Index For more information or ordering: S.Karger AG P.O. Box 4009 Basel (Switzerland) Fax: +41 61 306 1234 Email: orders@karger.ch or log on to http://www.karger.com/mspsc On the occasion of the 50th volume of the Medicine and Sport Science book series: A Short History of the Series by the Editors (pdf) A Celebratory Note by the Publishers (pdf) http://www.icsspe.org/portal/index.php?w=1&z=5 New Publication: Pediatric Fitness - Secular Trends and Geographic Variability