SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS AND PHYSICAL FITNESS PROFILE IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS OF EASTERN INDIA

Abstract

One hundred and thirty one XIth standard school going adolescent girls (age: 17 years) were randomly sampled from different government aided schools in Kolkata, India to evaluate their physical fitness according to their socio-economic status (SES). Physical and physiological parameters, body composition, explosive muscular power, flexibility, agility, muscular endurance, maximum oxygen consumption and anaerobic capacity were determined by standard procedure. The SES was also determined by standard scale. Individuals belonging to high SES group had highest in most of the physical fitness parameters. It was followed by the scores of low and middle SES groups. Apart from fitness data, the physical parameters, body composition items and skin-folds parameters were also measured irrespective of SES gradients. The findings of later parameters also indicated best physical health condition of girls belonged to high SES. It was followed by the girls belonged to low and middle SES groups respectively. The overall findings indicated, higher the socio-economic condition better the physical and physiological health condition of the adolescent girls.