Gender comparisons of physical fitness indexes in Inner Mongolia medical students in China

Associations between body composition and physical fitness among Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study

Background

This study examined associations between body composition and physical fitness scores among medical students in Shenyang, China.

Methods

A total of 2291 medical students aged 18–20 (815 male and 1476 female) in Shenyang of China were recruited to participate in the research in May 2019. With the use of the BCA-1B body composition analyzer and standard method of physical fitness assessment, the body composition and seven measures of physical fitness (body mass index, vital capacity, sit and reach, standing long jump, pull-ups/crunches, 50-m sprint, and 800/1000-m run) of college students were measured, respectively. The associations between body composition and physical fitness scores were assessed using multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

The height, weight, total body water, protein mass, mineral content, body mass index, vital capacity, and body function scores of male students were significantly higher than those of female students. However, fat mass (FM), body shape score, physical quality score, and total physical fitness score of female students were significantly higher than those of male students. The results of the multiple linear regression analysis indicated that in male students, only FM was negatively associated with body shape score, body function score, physical quality score, and total physical fitness score. In female students, FM was associated with lower body shape scores, physical quality scores, and total physical fitness scores. Furthermore, the ratio of overweight to obesity in male students was significantly higher than that in female students.

Conclusions

In Chinese medical colleges, the physical fitness level of female students is better than that of male students, and a higher FM was significantly associated with worse physical fitness of medical students. Moreover, male students with a higher rate of overweight and obesity are an important group that needs weight control.

Burnout among Iranian medical students: Prevalence and its relationship to personality dimensions and physical activity

Several studies have shown the association between personality traits and academic burnout. But the main goal of the present study was to find out an experimental answer to the following question: Does the relationship between personality dimensions and academic burnout is a simple relationship or physical activity can influence this relationship. In this cross-sectional correlational study, 417 medical students were selected from three major cities of Iran through stratified multistage sampling and assessed by demographic information form, Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire, Temperament and Character Inventory, and Breso’s Academic Burnout Questionnaire. Bivariate Pearson correlations and hierarchical linear regression were used to examine the relationships between academic burnout, personality traits, and physical activity. In this study, 400 medical students (39% male and 61% female) filled the questionnaires correctly. The total prevalence of academic burnout was 25.5% (n=102), with heterogeneous levels. Regression analysis indicated that in a multivariate model, being male (β=0.08, p=0.013), higher years of medical school (β=0.18, p˂0.001), and lower scores in novelty seeking (β=-0.53, p=0.006), cooperativeness (β=-0.55, p=0.010), and physical activity (β=-1.22, p˂0.001) could be attributed to higher scores of academic burnout. Furthermore, physical activity had a moderating role in “novelty seeking-academic burnout” (β=-0.47, p=0.044) and “cooperativeness-academic burnout” (β=-0.89, p=0.001) relationships (∆R2=0.02, p˂0.001). The results suggested that male gender, higher years of medical school, and lower levels of novelty seeking, cooperativeness, and physical activity are associated with higher levels of academic burnout among Iranian medical students. Therefore, paying attention to male gender and individual difference factors, as well as planning for physical education classes during the medicine courses (especially in the last years of medical school), seems essential. However, more extensive investigations need to be carried out in this field through longitudinal studies.

Burnout among Iranian medical students: Prevalence and its relationship to personality dimensions and physical activity

Several studies have shown the association between personality traits and academic burnout. But the main goal of the present study was to find out an experimental answer to the following questions: Is there a simple relationship between personality dimensions and academic burnout? Can physical activity affect this relationship?. In this cross-sectional correlational study, 417 medical students were selected from three major cities of Iran through stratified multistage sampling and assessed by demographic information form, Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire, Temperament and Character Inventory, and Breso's Academic Burnout Questionnaire. Bivariate Pearson correlations and hierarchical linear regression were used to examine the relationships between academic burnout, personality traits, and physical activity. In this study, 400 medical students (39% male and 61% female) filled the questionnaires correctly. The total prevalence of academic burnout was 25.5% (n=102), with heterogeneous levels. Regression analysis indicated that in a multivariate model, being male (β=0.08, p=0.013), higher years of medical school (β=0.18, p˂0.001), and lower scores in novelty seeking (β=-0.53, p=0.006), cooperativeness (β=-0.55, p=0.010), and physical activity (β=-1.22, p˂0.001) could be attributed to higher scores of academic burnout. Furthermore, physical activity had a moderating role in "novelty seeking-academic burnout" (β=-0.47, p=0.044) and "cooperativeness-academic burnout" (β=-0.89, p=0.001) relationships (ΔR2=0.02, p˂0.001). The results suggested that male gender, higher years of medical school, and lower levels of novelty seeking, cooperativeness, and physical activity are associated with higher levels of academic burnout among Iranian medical students. Therefore, paying attention to male gender and individual difference factors, as well as planning for physical education classes during the medicine courses (especially in the last years of medical school), seems essential. However, more extensive investigations need to be carried out in this field through longitudinal studies.

The association between BMI and health-related physical fitness among Chinese college students: a cross-sectional study

Background

Existing studies reporting on the levels of physical fitness among college students used relatively few fitness tests as a reflection of physical fitness, which could not comprehensively evaluate the levels of physical fitness. Thus, the current study aimed to investigate the cross-sectional relationship between body mass index (BMI) and a physical fitness index (PFI) based on six indicators of fitness in Chinese college students.

Method

Anthropometric measurements and six measures of physical fitness (Vital capacity, 50-m sprint, sit and reach, standing long jump, 800/1000-m run, pull-up/bent-leg sit-up) were measured. BMI was calculated to classify individuals into underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity groups. Z-scores based on sex-specific mean and standard deviation were calculated, and the sum of z-scores for the six fitness tests was used as a PFI. Three models (a linear regression model, polynomial regression model with a second-order BMI term and a restricted cubic spline regression model) were fitted to discuss the potential relation between BMI and PFI. We compared the models using Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and R square.

Results

Totally, 8548 freshmen from the years 2014 to 2016 in a medical college completed the physical fitness tests. There was a decreasing trend of physical fitness index from the years 2014 to 2016 (P for trend < 0.01). More male than female students were overweight or obese (23.5% vs. 11.9%), but more female than male students were normal weight (74.7% vs. 64.8%). A restricted cubic spline regression model was superior to linear and polynomial regression model with lower AIC and higher R square.

Conclusions

The relationships between BMI and PFI in college students were non-linear. Underweight, overweight and obese students had poorer performance in physical fitness index than normal weight students. Future prospective, longitudinal cohort studies to identify the causal relations and potential mechanism in a good manner are required.

Measuring physical performance in university students

Physical activity could be an effective way to prevent obesity and cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of our study was to evaluate physical performance in Chinese university students to offer a basis for preventing obesity.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted for evaluate physical performance, including the standing long jump, 50-meter dash, and pull-up/sit-up test.

RESULTS

The overall mean time of the 50-meter dash, standing long jump distance, and mean number of pull-ups was 7.98 seconds, 2.2773 meters, and 4.1041, respectively. For female students, the overall mean time for the 50-meter dash, standing long jump distance, and mean number of sit-ups was 9.89 seconds, 2.6191 meters, and 26.7997, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our study suggests that physical performance in Chinese university students is poor; related departments should pay more attention to the physical health of university students.

An assessment of Body Mass Index and sensitive period for overweight development in Macao students at primary school age

The concomitant risk of physical inactivity and sedentary lifestyle development causing various non-communicable diseases is recognized worldwide. Therefore, development of strategies to form a concrete public health policy overcoming this problem is most important. This study observed the distribution and changes of Body Mass Index (BMI) over six years among boys and girls. Data on children height and weight and their BMI were collected. A total of 5369 (3368 male and 2001 female) children were recruited from 10 schools in Macao. The children were 6 years old in 2008 and turned 11 in 2013. Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, t-test, and a Chi-squared test. The findings indicated greater BMI among males than females across all age at the 0.05 level of significance, and the ages of 8 and 9 seemed to be a sensitive period for an increase in overweight and obesity. The results indicate the need to have focused strategies and structured interventions for males at the critical ages from 8 to 9 years.

Body Mass Index (BMI) assessment among Macau students: age group differences and weight management strategies

There is evidence that rapid weight gain during the first year of life is associated with being overweight later in life. Therefore, overweight tendencies need to be detected at an appropriate age, and suitable strategies need to be implemented for weight management to achieve optimal long-term health. The objective of this study was to investigate comparisons in BMI status and associated categories in male and female students over ten years in two phases, including 2008-2013 and 2009-2014. Weight and height data were collected to obtain BMI (Body Mass Index) over ten years in two phases. The first phase occurred from 2008 to 2013, and the second phase occurred from 2009 to 2014 in a population of 10846 school children (Males: 6970, 64.3%, and females: 3875, 35.7%) in Macau. Their ages ranged from 6 years old in 2008 to 11 years old in 2013. The same age range was observed in the second phase, i.e., 2009-2014. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, such as the mean, standard deviation, t-tests to determine gender differences (year-wise) and a Chi square test for independence to determine the relationship between BMI (Underweight, Standard, Overweight and Obese) and age groups. In the first phase (2008-2013), the findings indicated a higher BMI level among the male students than the female students across all age groups (2008 t = 5.24, 2009 t = 88.25, 2010 t = 11.32, 2011 t = 17.45, 2012 t = 19.70 and 2013 t = 19.92). In the second phase (2009-2014), a higher BMI level was found among the male students than the female students across all age groups (2009 t = 2.68, 2010 t = 2.886, 2011 t = 3.076, 2013 t = 4.228, and 2014 t = 2.405). The results of the two phases combined (2008 to 2014 and 2009 to 2014) revealed that male students in 2008 had a higher BMI level than their counterparts in 2009 in the two age categories (8 years t = 3.025 and 11 years t = 3.377). Female students in the second phase (2009-2014) showed a higher BMI level than their male counterparts (9 years, t = 3.151). The results indicate the need to have focused strategies and structured interventions for male students at the critical age range of 8 to 9 years old. The results of this study also imply the need for the delivery of suitable school intervention activities at the appropriate time. Specifically, the prevention of weight gain should start early in life to encourage the development of healthier behaviours and habits throughout childhood and later ages.