The primary purpose of the present study was to examine whether the residence area influenced physique and physical fitness in Cambodian children. Also, as a secondary purpose, the relationship between physique and physical fitness was examined.The research area included 8 locations(1 city and 7 provinces):Battambang(BTB), Kompong Cham(KCM), Kompon Chhnang(KCH), Kratie(KRT), Phnom Penh(PNH), Rattanakiri(RNK), Sihanoukville(SHV), and Svay Rieng(SVR)in Cambodia.The research subjects included school children aged 7 to 15(M:2747, F:2753).The study was carried out from December 2007 to March 2008.The research contents consisted of physique items(height, weight)and physical fitness items(sit-ups, trunk flexion, side-steps, 5-minute run, 50-meter dash, and long jump). In this study, we analyzed only the long jump among the physical fitness items.In this study, the results showed that metropolitan children tended to be bigger than children from other cities in terms of their physique. On the other hand, metropolitan children showed a lower physical fitness level than children from other cities. Thus, the growth status of metropolitan children(i. e., their larger size)did not necessarily lead to improved power output as evidenced by their long jump results.In addition, Cambodian children were similar to Japanese children in terms of the efficiency of their power output in the long jump. However, children from Phnom Penh exhibited a power output efficiency that was significantly different from those of other Cambodian and Japanese children. Children from Phnom Penh had the lowest power output efficiency in the long jump in 3 areas(Cambodian, Japanese, and Phnom Penh).Certainly, Phnom Penh is urbanizing more rapidly than other cities in Cambodia. Thus, we should think two ways cooperation that primary health care for rural area and lifestyle-related diseases for urbanized area.
