A 2026 longitudinal study assessed 13 years of school-based fitness testing data from New York City students in grades 4-12 at 1,721 public schools. Researchers used data from three FitnessGram tests -aerobic capacity, push-ups, and curl-ups -and looked at how many students were meeting age- and sex-specific standards for each test, called the Healthy Fitness Zone, or HFZ. Results revealed a steady improvement in student fitness over time, especially in aerobic capacity. Between 2006 and 2019, the proportion of students meeting HFZ standards for aerobic capacity increased from 25% to 36%, while minor improvements were recorded for push-ups and curl-ups.
Notably, results highlighted disproportionate gaps in HFZ levels across gender, school level, and home neighborhood socioeconomic status. Further, racial gaps between non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic students widened, calling for future public policies to improve equity across fitness. Addressing physical fitness levels in youth of all backgrounds plays a critical role in preventative care, supporting cardiovascular health, ensuring greater academic achievement, and promoting positive health outcomes. Ultimately, findings show that interventions and policies that ensure equitable access to physical activity for students of all backgrounds are crucial to promoting fitness and healthy lifestyles for all students.
The study was published in Frontiers. It was authored by Sophia Day, Kira Argenio and Kevin Konty from the Office of School Health, Research and Analytics at the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene, Caroline Nguyen and Sydney S. Dougan, from the Department of Community Health Science at UC Berkeley, Emily D'Agostino, Cody D. Neshteruk and Brooke E. Wagner from the Department of Population Health Sciences and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Duke University, and Hannah R. Thompson from the Nutrition Policy Institute.