Relationship of Muscular Fitness and Self-Rated Health of Children and Adolescents in Germany

Objectives: To examine the relationship between muscular fitness and self-rated health in German children and adolescents aged 11 to 17 years. Methods: A binomial logistic regression was conducted to assess the association between muscular fitness and self-rated health, account- ing for sex, age group, socioeconomic status, and migration background. Results are presented as Odds Ratios, including 95% confidence intervals and p-values. Results: Data from 1,632 children and adolescents were analyzed. Lower muscular fitness was strongly associated with poorer self-rated health. Participants categorized as “Below Average” in muscular fitness had nearly eight times the odds (OR=7.79; 95 %-CI: 1.89–32.17; p=.005), and those “Well Below Average” had over 13 times the odds (OR=13.28; 95 %-CI: 2.90–60.61; p < .001) of reporting poor self-rated health compared to the “Well Above Average” reference group. Low socioeconomic status also significantly increased the likelihood of poor self-rated health (OR=1.87; 95 %-CI: 1.12–3.12; p=.016). In contrast, sex, age group, and migration background were not significant predictors. Despite a good model fit (Hosmer-Lemeshow-Test, p=.538), the explained variance was relatively low (Nagelkerke’s R²=.062), suggesting that additional contributing factors remain unaccounted for. Discussion: Muscular fitness and socioeconomic status are key determinants of self-rated health among children and adolescents. Pro- moting muscle strengthening activities may support current and long-term well-being. To better understand the complexity of children’s and adolescent’s health perceptions, future research should employ longitudinal designs and incorporate psychological, behavioral, and environmental factors.