Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30953308›Full record

SynthesisSports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.)2019

Is Muscular Fitness Associated with Future Health Benefits in Children and Adolescents? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Longitudinal Studies.

Antonio García-Hermoso, Rodrigo Ramírez-Campillo, Mikel Izquierdo

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 244 papers, 23 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
244citing papers in PubMed, 23 pooled it
57.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

244 citing papers in PubMed, 23 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 490 citations in OpenAlex.

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  3. Skeletal muscle health in childhood cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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184 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Antonio García-HermosoNavarrabiomed, IdiSNa, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain. antonio.garciah@unavarra.es.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1397-7182
Rodrigo Ramírez-CampilloLaboratory of Human Performance, Quality of Life and Wellness Research Group, Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Universidad de Los Lagos (University of Los Lagos), Osorno, Chile.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2035-3279
Mikel IzquierdoNavarrabiomed, IdiSNa, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1506-4272
Instituto de Salud Pública de Navarra · ESUniversidad de Los Lagos · CLUniversidad de Santiago de Chile · CL

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNo previous systematic review has quantitatively examined the association between muscular fitness during childhood and adolescence and health parameters later in life.

objectiveThe aim was to systematically review and meta-analyze the current evidence for a prospective association between muscular fitness in childhood and adolescence and future health status.

methodsTwo authors systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and SPORTDiscus electronic databases and conducted manual searching of reference lists of selected articles. Relevant articles were identified by the following criteria: apparently healthy children and adolescents aged 3-18 years with muscular fitness assessed at baseline (e.g., handgrip, standing long jump, sit-ups, among others), and a follow-up period of ≥ 1 year. The outcome measures were anthropometric and adiposity measurements and cardiometabolic, bone and musculoskeletal health parameters. Two authors independently extracted data.

resultsThirty studies were included in the meta-analysis, yielding a total of 21,686 participants. The meta-analysis found a significant, moderate-large (p < 0.05) effect size between muscular fitness at baseline and body mass index (r = - 0.14; 95% confidence interval (CI) - 0.21 to - 0.07), skinfold thickness (r = - 0.32; 95% CI - 0.40 to - 0.23), homeostasis model assessment estimated insulin resistance (r = - 0.10; 95% CI - 0.16 to - 0.05), triglycerides (r = - 0.22; 95% CI - 0.30 to - 0.13), cardiovascular disease risk score (r = - 0.29; 95% CI - 0.39 to - 0.18), and bone mineral density (r = 0.166; 95% CI 0.086 to 0.243) at follow-up.

conclusionA prospective negative association was observed between muscular fitness in childhood/adolescence and adiposity and cardiometabolic parameters in later life, together with a positive association for bone health. There is inconclusive evidence for low back pain benefits.

Indexed as

AdiposityHealth StatusMuscle StrengthPhysical FitnessAdolescentAnthropometryBody Mass IndexBone DensityChildHumans

Identifiers

PMID30953308
OpenAlexW2935554824

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.