A Comparative Study of Fitness Test Batteries Between School-Based Physical Education Programs in the USA and the People's Republic of China

This paper compared the current fitness test batteries between physical education programs in the United States (US) and the People's Republic of China (PRC), focusing on objectives, test components, test items, test administration, assessment methods and award programs. The two most widely implemented nationally available youth fitness test batteries were selected to reflect youth fitness test programs in the US, as there is no national fitness test program. The two test programs were: (a) the President's Challenge (President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sport, 2002), and (b) the Fitnessgram (Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research; 1999, 2002). The National Fitness Test Battery [NFTB] in the PRC (China's National Sports and Physical Education Committee [CNSPEC], 1990a, 1990b) was included to represent the Chinese fitness test program. The results were: (a) objectives and award programs of fitness test batteries were similar in both countries; (b) fitness knowledge tests were not included in fitness programs in both countries. Skill-related test components were still the focus in the NFTB; and (c) test administration varied between the two countries. Multiple make-up tests were administrated for those who did not pass the tests in the PRC but not for students in the US. Young people, aged 5-18 years old as defined by Cavill, Biddle, and Sallis (2001), are the future of a country. Promoting young people's physical activity (PA) has become an important public health issue in recent years in many countries. Inactivity in young people has been identified as a public health problem and nationwide campaigns for increasing their involvement in PA in both Eastern and Western countries have been initiated (e.g., British Heart Foundation, 2000; Canadian Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 1994; Fan, 1996; Golding, 1998; United States Department of Health and Human Services [USDHH], 1996). Research has shown that children's participation in PA on a regular basis can greatly benefit a country either directly or indirectly (Bar-Or & Baranowski, 1994; McKenzie & Sallis, 1996; Sallis, Patterson, Buono, & Nader, 1988). Youth's habitual involvement in PA can directly improve their physical and psychological health (Calfas & Taylor, 1994; McKenzie & Sallis, 1996). Moreover, children's physically active lifestyle can be carried on through their adulthood and thereby improve their lifelong health (Baranowski et al., 1992; Ross, Dotson,