What is CYFit
The National Program “Aristotle – CyFIT” is the largest physical fitness assessment of children and adolescents carried out during their school career in Cyprus. Having as its main objective the promotion of citizens’ health through sports, the program has been integrated into the National Strategy for Sports, highlighting the role of physical fitness as a key indicator of health from school age.
The implementation of the “Aristotle – CyFIT” program is included in the framework of initiatives that the member states of the European Union are called upon to promote. In order to promote physical activity for health improvement, a recommendation was made by the Council of Europe on 26 November 2013. At the same time, the program is in line with the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Health Enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA) and contributes to the monitoring of relevant policies through the Network of National Plans implemented for the purpose of Physical Activity (EU HEPA Focal Points Network).
The scope of the study of the “Aristotle – CyFIT” program is based on European actions and good practices concerning the assessment of the physical condition of children and adolescents through the school environment. For the implementation of the program, valid physical condition assessments are carried out with repetition, which allow the collection of comparable data both at national and European level.
Through the systematic implementation of the “Aristotle – CyFIT” program, it offers the possibility of creating a broad national database. In a way to promote physical activity and health in schools, long-term monitoring of the physical condition of children and adolescents is allowed. Therefore, information is offered for scientific research, educational planning and the definition of public health policies based on scientifically documented data.
Therefore, the “Aristotle – CyFIT” program is not an evaluation tool but a structural system for national monitoring of physical condition with the potential to support prevention strategies and enhance quality of life from childhood.
Measurements
The main objective of the “Aristotle – CyFIT” program is the systematic assessment of the physical fitness of the student population of Gymnasiums, Lyceums and Technical Schools of Cyprus, covering the entire population of the specific age group at the national level.
The total duration of the project is 36 months starting from January 2022 to January 2025. The program is implemented in three phases, allowing for the systematic repetition of data collection over time.
The measurements are carried out through valid physical fitness tests, using the Eurofit program assessment basis, which has been promoted by the Council of Europe in 1988 and is widely used for the assessment of the physical fitness of children and adolescents. Specifically, 10 physical assessment tests are used such as:
- Hand Movement
- Sit and Reach
- Standing Broad J ump
- Sit ups test
- 10x5m agility shuttle run
- Push-up test
- Handgrip strength test
- 20m shuttle run test
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- Waist Circumference
The application of these common procedures ensures the comparability and scientific validity of the data.
The physical fitness assessments as well as the measurements are carried out by Physical Education teachers within the context of the school lesson, using equipment of common specifications for all school units, creating a common line in the data collection process at the national level.
During the collection, analysis and publication of data, all measures are taken to protect personal data, in accordance with the applicable institutional and legal framework. The research data is stored on servers of the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth and is used exclusively in anonymous form for the purpose of scientific research, educational planning and determining public health policies based on scientifically documented data.
How can CYfit contribute to improving public health?
The Aristotle CyFit program is an integrated monitoring and evaluation system for children and adolescents with the aim of recording and analyzing results, through physical activity at a national level. Through this data recording, changes in the physical condition and health of the student population can be identified, predicting positive and negative data.
The ability of the Aristotle CyFit program to provide reliable data strengthens the dynamics and promotion of public health policies. The analysis of the results contributes to the identification of vulnerable groups, the mapping of the physical condition of adolescents and the evaluation of interventions that take place in the school and social environment.
In periods of crisis or social changes that affect the lifestyle of adolescents, the recording of possible decreases in physical activity, increases in obesity or deterioration of physical fitness functions as an early detection mechanism. It allows for the direct scientific documentation of the impacts of the implemented measures and the formulation of targeted compensatory policies.
Based on the data of the Aristotle CyFit program, political and practical interventions can be designed and implemented that aim to:
- Strengthen physical education in schools,
- Promote daily physical activity,
- Reduce childhood obesity,
- Improve the health of the population.
Overall, the Aristotle CYfit program can function as a strategic public health tool, supporting evidence-based policy decisions, strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation and contributing to the sustainable promotion of the health of children and adolescents in Cyprus.
Team
