Association Between Strength and Body Weight in Children

Pediatrics published research on strength and body weight in 1224 US children and adolescents in order to provide reference values on 4 core, upper, and lower body measures of muscle strength and to determine the association between these measures of strength and weight status.  The 4 measures of muscle strength were plank, modified pull-up, knee extension, and grip strength.

The following results were reported:
1.  mean and median estimates are provided by gender, age, and weight status.
2. there were significant positive trends with age for each of the strength tests except the modified pull-up among girls.
3.  the length of time the plank was held decreased as weight status increased for both girls and boys
4.  as weight status increased the number of modified pull-ups decreased for boys and girls
5.  scores on the knee extension increased as weight status increased
6.  grip strength increased as weight status increased

The researchers concluded that "increasing weight status had a negative association with measures of strength that involved lifting the body, but was associated with improved performances on tests that did not involve lifting the body".

Reference: Ervrn, RB et al. Strength and Body Weight in US Children and Adolescents. Published online August 25, 2014 Pediatrics Vol. 134 No. 3 September 1, 2014. pp. e782 -e789
(doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-0794)

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