Bodiga VL, Vemuri PK, Bodiga S. Nigerian youth FitnessGram edge: A bright signal with important caveats. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(3): 119985 [DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.119985]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Sreedhar Bodiga, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Forest College and Research Institute Hyderabad, Siddipet District Telangana, Mulug 502279, Telangāna, India. sbodiga@gmail.com
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Sport Sciences
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editorial
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Bodiga VL, Vemuri PK, Bodiga S. Nigerian youth FitnessGram edge: A bright signal with important caveats. World J Clin Pediatr 2026; 15(3): 119985 [DOI: 10.5409/wjcp.119985]
Vijaya Lakshmi Bodiga, Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Institute of Genetics & Hospital for Genetic Diseases, Osmania University, Hyderabad 500016, Telangāna, India
Praveen Kumar Vemuri, Department of Biotechnology, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Guntur 522302, Andhra Pradesh, India
Sreedhar Bodiga, Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Forest College and Research Institute Hyderabad, Mulug 502279, Telangāna, India
Co-first authors: Vijaya Lakshmi Bodiga and Praveen Kumar Vemuri.
Author contributions: Bodiga VL developed the main concept and outline; Vemuri PK drafted the initial sections of the manuscript; Bodiga S provided critical intellectual input and revisions. All authors reviewed and approved the final version. Bodiga VL and Vemuri PK contributed equally to this work as co-first authors.
AI contribution statement: AI tools (such as ChatGPT or other large language models) were used only for language refinement and editing of the manuscript text and for assistance in checking grammar and clarity. AI tools were used for language polishing and improving readability (grammar, syntax, and phrasing) and, where needed, for translation of short passages between languages. They were not used for statistical or numerical data analysis, figure generation, or creation of experimental results. No AI tools were used to generate scientific ideas, analyze data, or draw conclusions. The entirety of the scientific content in the main text (Abstract, Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, Discussion, and Conclusion) was conceived, designed, and written by the authors. No section of the main text is AI‑generated in the sense of creating original scientific content; any AI‑assisted text edits were limited to stylistic and linguistic polishing of author‑written drafts. No AI tool participated in the design of the study, selection of experimental protocols, analysis or interpretation of experimental data, or formulation of scientific conclusions. All study design and interpretation were performed by the authors. No images, figures, or graphical elements in this manuscript were generated by AI; all images and figures are derived from experimental data or were created by the authors using conventional scientific illustration and plotting software.
Conflict-of-interest statement: None of the authors have any conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Sreedhar Bodiga, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry, Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Forest College and Research Institute Hyderabad, Siddipet District Telangana, Mulug 502279, Telangāna, India. sbodiga@gmail.com
Received: February 12, 2026 Revised: March 5, 2026 Accepted: April 15, 2026 Published online: September 9, 2026 Processing time: 172 Days and 11 Hours
Abstract
In this editorial we comment on the article by Musa et al published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics. Childhood obesity and low cardiorespiratory fitness are escalating drivers of pediatric cardiometabolic risk worldwide, yet data from low- and middle-income countries remain scarce. A recent FitnessGram-based assessment of 3225 Nigerian youth aged 9-16 years from Benue State revealed that 82.7% of males and 78.7% of females achieved the healthy fitness zone (HFZ) for aerobic capacity (AZ), while 94.5% and 96.9% respectively met HFZ body mass index (BMI) criteria. These rates markedly exceed typical AZ achievement in United States and European cohorts, where HFZ attainment often hovers around 55%-80% and BMI failure can surpass 70%. The Nigerian findings point to protective lifestyle patterns rooted in habitual, unstructured physical activity, yet age- and sex-specific gaps-particularly among older males and adolescent females-signal emerging vulnerabilities. This editorial situates these results within global fitness disparities, questions the universal application of largely United States-derived FitnessGram standards, and underscores the need for ancestry-sensitive benchmarks. It further highlights opportunities for Nigeria to establish national fitness surveillance and school-based interventions that preserve early advantages as urbanization, sedentary behavior, and nutritional transitions intensify.
Core Tip: Nigerian youth demonstrate exceptionally high rates of meeting FitnessGram health standards for aerobic capacity (AZ) and body mass index, outperforming peers in high-income countries. However, age- and sex-specific gaps emerge, with older males and adolescent females less likely to achieve AZ thresholds, signaling vulnerable subgroups that require targeted action. These findings highlight how active daily living in low-resource settings can protect cardiometabolic health, yet may erode with urbanization and sedentary shifts. The study underscores the need for national fitness surveillance and school-based interventions to preserve early advantages and prevent later cardiovascular disease.
