The relationship between overweight, obesity and physical fitness among eleven and twelve-year-old Macedonian adolescents

The aim of this research is to determine the fitness level of the Macedonian adolescents, including adolescents from both sexes with different variables of their body mass indexes (BMI). The research has been carried out on 2228 adolescents and students from 19 elementary schools throughout Central and Eastern Macedonia. Five anthropometric measurements were used in the research, in which the body fitness was analysed using the following parameters: estimating motor skills applying seven tests of the Eurofit fitness testing battery; body composition by applying the BIA; aerobic capacity by applying a 3-minute step test. The percentage of overweight children, classified according to the BMI, is equal to 35% of the Macedonian adolescents of the same age. Both male and female respondents with a high or an increased BMI have lower muscle mass percentage and show poor test results in the evaluation of the body strength, explosive power, speed, agility and coordination, as well as a low aerobic capacity.