Report:

Newport-Mesa school district students are fit in more aspects than the average California student, show district scores released Thursday.

Every year, California public schools assess fifth-, seventh- and ninth-grade students in six areas: physical endurance, body fat, abdominal strength and endurance, torso strength and endurance, upper-body strength and endurance, and overall flexibility.

About one-third of Newport-Mesa school district seventh-graders are physically fit in all areas.

Fifth-graders and high school freshmen scores dropped slightly from last year to about 34% each.

Scores indicate whether students are likely to have health risks associated with inactivity.

“Overall, there’s room to grow,” said Peggy Anatol, the district’s assessment director. “In comparison to the state, we look pretty good.”

Newport-Mesa students met all six requirements at a higher average than the state; 33.8% of fifth-graders, 33.9% of seventh-graders and 34.2% of ninth-graders in Newport-Mesa were in the “healthy fitness zone” outlined by the state.

Nine in 10 students in each grade were able to satisfy at least three of the physical tasks.

Kids ran a mile, did sit-ups, pull-ups and push-ups to test their strength and endurance.

Kids tested their flexibility by having one arm going behind their lower back and the other over their shoulder and trying to touch fingertips.

Newport-Mesa students performed better than they did two years ago, but only the fifth-graders were above Orange County averages this year.

“We have a lot of kids that are athletic that may not be reflected in the scores” in high school, Anatol said.

It’s harder to test all ninth-graders because of extra-curricular sports that sometimes make them unavailable, she said.

The schools with the highest average number of kids meeting all six requirements were Eastbluff Elementary School fifth graders with 68.2%, Corona del Mar High School seventh-graders with 51% and Estancia High School freshmen with 55.8%.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.