A new study published in Frontiers and released on Mar. 18 assessed 13 years of fitness data from New York City public school students, revealing improvements in overall student fitness but ongoing disparities among different groups. The research analyzed FitnessGram test results from students in grades 4 through 12 at 1,721 schools, focusing on aerobic capacity, push-ups, and curl-ups.
The findings are significant because they highlight both progress and persistent inequities in youth physical health. Between 2006 and 2019, the percentage of students meeting Healthy Fitness Zone standards for aerobic capacity rose from 25% to 36%. Smaller gains were seen for push-ups and curl-ups. However, the study also found that gaps persisted across gender, school level, neighborhood socioeconomic status, and race—with racial disparities between non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic students widening over time.
The authors said addressing these differences is important for promoting cardiovascular health and academic achievement among all students. They concluded 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 research team included Sophia Day, Kira Argenio, Kevin Konty from the New York City Department of Health and Hygiene; Caroline Nguyen and Sydney S. Dougan from UC Berkeley; Emily D’Agostino, Cody D. Neshteruk, Brooke E. Wagner from Duke University; and Hannah R. Thompson from the Nutrition Policy Institute.
The Nutrition Policy Institute is part of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), which secures funding through public contributions to support its programs according to the official website. UC ANR promotes sustainable practices aimed at strengthening resilient ecosystems and economic vitality according to the official website. It operates nine research and extension centers as laboratories representing California’s diverse ecosystems according to the official website.
UC ANR has gained recognition for its trusted services linking research to community needs according to the official website, manages Cooperative Extension services as part of the University of California system according to the official website, conducts more than 33,800 educational events annually with over 18,400 volunteers according to the official website, and extends university research statewide through educational programs supporting environmental stewardship according to the official website.
Looking ahead, researchers say that future public policies should focus on closing equity gaps so that all children have equal opportunities for physical activity—helping promote healthier outcomes across communities.
