Aerobic fitness and biological and sociodemographic indicators in female school children Aptidão aeróbia, indicadores sociodemográficos e biológicos em escolares do sexo feminino

5 Abstract - Aerobic fitness is an important health-related fitness component. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of age, growth, body composition, sexual matura- tion and socioeconomic status on the aerobic fitness of female school children attending public schools in Cascavel, Parana, Brazil. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in 2006 on 1,317 school children aged 8 to 17 years. Body mass, height and triceps and medial calf skinfold thickness were measured and relative body fat (%BF) was calculated. Sexual maturation was self-assessed using a breast development scale (M1 to M5). The questionnaire proposed by the Brazilian Association of Research Companies was used to assess socioeconomic status. Aerobic fitness was estimated by the 20-m shuttle run test. The results were analyzed using two-way ANOVA, Tukey post hoc test, Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple linear regression with 95% confidence intervals. Three variables (age, %BF and socioeconomic status) showed an interaction (p<0.05) in the prediction of VO 2peak rel (R