Muscle endurance of Brazilian children and adolescents: a systematic review update of published studies from 2020 to 2024

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-0037.2026v28e112040

Keywords:

Adolescent, Physical Fitness, Child

Abstract

Muscle endurance is an important indicator of health-related fitness in childhood and adolescence. The present study aimed to identify and summarize the evidence on the prevalence of adequate muscle endurance among Brazilian children and adolescents (6 to 18 years) to update the evidence of previously published by the Report Card Brazil project. A systematic search of studies published from 2020 to 2024 was performed in five databases (LILACS, SciELO, Medline/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus). We identified 20,202 articles; 16 met the eligibility criteria and were included in this review for data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment. Among the 4,613 children and adolescents participating in the studies was estimated at 55.9% (range 29.1% to 76.7%), had adequate abdominal muscle endurance. Different test batteries were reported, the most used were PROESP/BR® and FITNESSGRAM®. Most studies were carried out in the South (62.5%) and Southeast (25.0%) regions of Brazil. We conclude that more than half of Brazilian children and adolescents of both genders have an abdominal muscle endurance adequate for health, with similar values among boys and girls.

References

Masanovic B, Gardasevic J, Marques A, Peralta M, Demetriou Y, Sturm DJ, et al. Trends in physical fitness among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic review. Front Pediatr. 2020;8:627529. doi:10.3389/fped.2020.627529.

Silva Junior MCP, Menezes EC, Mendonça G, Lima LRA. Muscle endurance of Brazilian children and adolescents: a systematic review of the literature. Rev Bras Cineantropom Desempenho Hum. 2022;24:e84728. doi:10.1590/1980-0037.2022v24e84728.

Song JS, Yamada Y, Kataoka R, Hammert WB, Kang A, Loenneke JP. Cross-education of muscular endurance: a scoping review. Sports Med. 2024;54(7):1771-83. doi:10.1007/s40279-024-02042-z.

García-Hermoso A, Izquierdo M, Ramírez-Vélez R. Tracking of physical fitness levels from childhood and adolescence to adulthood: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Transl Pediatr. 2022;11(4):474-86. doi:10.21037/tp-21-507.

Lima TR, Martins PC, Moreno YMF, Chaput JP, Tremblay MS, Sui X, et al. Muscular fitness and cardiometabolic variables in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2022;52(7):1555-75. doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01631-6.

Smith JJ, Eather N, Weaver RG, Riley N, Beets MW, Lubans DR. Behavioral correlates of muscular fitness in children and adolescents: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2019;49(6):887-904. doi:10.1007/s40279-019-01089-7.

Kaster T, Dooley FL, Fitzgerald JS, Walch TJ, Annandale M, Ferrar K, et al. Temporal trends in the sit-ups performance of 9,939,289 children and adolescents between 1964 and 2017. J Sports Sci. 2020;38(16):1913-23. doi:10.1080/02640414.2020.1763764.

De Marco JCP, Bim MA, Souza FUD, Martins R, Pinto ADA, Felden ÉPG, et al. Association of abdominal endurance with body adiposity, physical activity and sitting time in adolescents. J Sport Health Res. 2025;17(1):23-30. doi:10.58727/jshr.102584.

Bull FC, Al-Ansari SS, Biddle S, Borodulin K, Buman MP, Cardon G, et al. World Health Organization 2020 guidelines on physical activity and sedentary behaviour. Br J Sports Med. 2020;54(24):1451-62. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-102955.

Brasil. Ministério da Saúde. Guia de atividade física para a população brasileira. Brasília, DF: Ministério da Saúde; 2021. Available from: https://bvsms.saude.gov.br/bvs/publicacoes/guia_atividade_fisica_populacao_brasileira.pdf

Davoli GBDQ, Lima LRA, Silva DAS. Abdominal muscular endurance in Brazilian children and adolescents: systematic review of cross-sectional studies. Rev Bras Cineantropom Desempenho Hum. 2018;20(4):483-96. doi:10.5007/1980-0037.2018v20n4p483.

Silva DAS, Pelegrini A, Christofaro DGD, Ferrari EP, Ferrari G, Silva KS, et al. Results from Brazil’s 2022 Report Card on physical activity for children and adolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(16):10256. doi:10.3390/ijerph191610256.

National Institutes of Health. Study quality assessment tools. 2021. Available from: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/study-quality-assessment-tools

Silva PR, Castilho dos Santos G, Silva JM, Ferreira de Faria W, Gonçalves de Oliveira R, Stabelini Neto A. Health-related physical fitness indicators and clustered cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescents: a longitudinal study. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2020;18(3):162-7. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2020.06.002.

Moraes FBD, Tadiotto MC, Lenardt B, Mota J, Matos OD, Leite N. Importance of return to usual and school activities after social isolation in recovering vitamin D concentrations, physical fitness, and motor performance in adolescents. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2024;21(11):1494. doi:10.3390/ijerph21111494.

Mendonça FR, Ferreira de Faria W, Marcio da Silva J, Massuto RB, Castilho dos Santos G, Correa RC, et al. Effects of aerobic exercise combined with resistance training on health-related physical fitness in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial. J Exerc Sci Fit. 2022;20(2):182-9. doi:10.1016/j.jesf.2022.03.002.

Arruda GAD, Coledam DHC, Cantieri FP, Oliveira ARD. Agreement between Physical Best and FitnessGram criterion-referenced standards for muscular strength and endurance. Rev Paul Pediatr. 2021;39:e2020018. doi:10.1590/1984-0462/2021/39/2020018.

Tadiotto MC, Duncan M, Mota J, Moraes-Junior FB, Corazza PRP, Czoczuk M, et al. Excess adiposity and low physical fitness hamper Supine-to-Stand test performance among sedentary adolescents. J Pediatr. 2021;97(6):658-64. doi:10.1016/j.jped.2021.01.007.

Reis LN, Reuter CP, Burns RD, Martins CMDL, Mota J, Gaya ACA, et al. Effects of a physical education intervention on children’s physical activity and fitness: the PROFIT pilot study. BMC Pediatr. 2024;24(1):78. doi:10.1186/s12887-024-04544-1.

Pedretti A, Mello JHP, Mello JB, Gaya AR, Gaya ACA. Efeitos de dois programas de educação física na aptidão física relacionada à saúde de crianças de acordo com sexo. J Phys Educ. 2022;33(1). doi:10.4025/jphyseduc.v33i1.3343.

Aimi GA, Hein AP, Gaya AR. Estado nutricional, nível de atividade física e aptidão física relacionada à saúde de estudantes do ensino fundamental de uma escola particular de Porto Alegre. Rev Destaques Acad. 2021;14(85):121-35.

De Marco JCP, Alves AD, Gonzaga I, Bim MA, Carminatti LJ, Pinto ADA, et al. Associação entre aptidão física relacionada à saúde, atividades físicas extracurriculares e adiposidade corporal em uma amostra representativa de adolescentes de Florianópolis, Brasil. Retos. 2023;49:1-8. doi:10.47197/retos.v49.97245.

Sordi RM, Trevisan A, Fermino RC, Quadros GDD, Rocha RERD. Efeito de um programa multicomponente sobre a aptidão física relacionada à saúde em escolares. Saude Pesqui. 2021;14(1):e8863. doi:10.17765/2176-9206.2021v14n1e8863.

Chagas DDV, Barnett LM. Adolescents’ flexibility can affect motor competence: the pathway from health related physical fitness to motor competence. Percept Mot Skills. 2023;130(1):94-111. doi:10.1177/00315125221128638.

Legey S, Filho ASS, Yadollahpour A, Garcia-Garcia F, Imperatori C, Murillo-Rodriguez E, et al. Health-related fitness as a predictor of anxiety levels among school adolescents: an observational cross-sectional study. Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health. 2022;18(1):e174501792208151. doi:10.2174/17450179-v18-e2208151.

Freitas AS, Góes AVS, Mendes JCL, Deusdará FF, Barros PEG, Durães GM, Rodrigues VD. Obesidade na adolescência: IMC, circunferência abdominal e aptidão física em escolares do norte de Minas. Rev Eletron Acervo Saude. 2020;14(84):37-45.

Ferreira GOC, Ferrari G, Langer RD, Cossio-Bolaños M, Gomez-Campos R, Lázari E, et al. Phase angle and its determinants among adolescents: influence of body composition and physical fitness level. Sci Rep. 2024;14(1):13697. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-62546-6.

Almeida MB, Leandro CG, Queiroz DDR, José-da-Silva M, Pessôa Dos Prazeres TM, Pereira GM, et al. Plyometric training increases gross motor coordination and associated components of physical fitness in children. Eur J Sport Sci. 2021;21(9):1263-72. doi:10.1080/17461391.2020.1838620.

Silva MAFM, Moura ARLI, Gomes JLB, Carvalho FO, Moraes JFVN. Associação entre funções executivas, antropometria e aptidão física de escolares. Rev Bras Obes Nutr Emagrecimento. 2021;26(2):233-43.

Day S, Nguyen C, Argenio K, Konty K, Dougan SS, D’Agostino E, et al. Trends in 4th-12th grade students’ aerobic capacity and muscular strength and endurance: New York City public school students, 2006-2019. Front Public Health. 2026;14:1682913. doi:10.3389/fpubh.2026.1682913.

Marques A, Demetriou Y, Popovic S, Gardasevic J, Masanovic B, Martins J, et al. Healthy fitness zone prevalence and age-specific fitness profile of young people in seven European countries in 2022: the EUFITMOS project. Am J Hum Biol. 2024;36(2):e23989. doi:10.1002/ajhb.23989.

Eberhardt T, Bös K, Woll A, Kliegl R, Niessner C. Secular trends of children’s physical fitness and the impact of the COVID-pandemic for years 2012 to 2023. Sports Med Open. 2025;11(1):80. doi:10.1186/s40798-025-00881-2.

Thivel D, Ring-Dimitriou S, Weghuber D, Frelut ML, O’Malley G. Muscle strength and fitness in pediatric obesity: a systematic review from the European Childhood Obesity Group. Obes Facts. 2016;9(1):52-63. doi:10.1159/000443687.

Malina RM, Bouchard C, Bar-Or O. Growth, maturation, and physical activity. 2nd ed. Champaign: Human Kinetics; 2004. doi:10.5040/9781492596837.

Faigenbaum AD, Kraemer WJ, Blimkie CJR, Jeffreys I, Micheli LJ, Nitka M, et al. Youth resistance training: updated position statement paper from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. J Strength Cond Res. 2009;23 Suppl 5:S60-79. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31819df407.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-17