Relationship between body mass index and health-related physical fitness: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: Physical fitness is seen to be a sign of overall health and happiness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between female Saudi student's body mass index (BMI) and health-related physical fitness. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 48 participants (mean age=19.60 years) were chosen for this cross-sectional study design, and their BMI, health-related physical fitness and physical fitness testing were all analyzed (cardiovascular endurance, muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition). RESULTS: The physical activity score (total-MET)-minutes/week was 1,533.88. 18.8% of the participants were underweight, 52.1% were normal weight, 27.1% were overweight, and 2.1% were obese, as per BMI. The correlation between total-MET and other physical parameters revealed a statistically significant negative correlation with muscle strength (rho=-0.293, p=0.043), BMI (rho=0.562, p=0.0001), waist circumference (rho=-0.524, p=0.0001), and fat mass index (FMI) (rho=-0.589, p=0.0001). The relationship between BMI and physical measurements was positively correlated with waist circumference (rho=0.877, p<0.0001), fat mass index (rho=0.944, p<0.0001), muscular strength (rho=0.501, p<0.0001), and curls per minute (rho=0.510, p<0.0001) in statistically significant ways. When total-MET was compared to BMI, age, waist circumference, fat mass index (FMI), and muscular strength, the regression was statistically significant (F=3.954, p=0.005). Age, waist size, activity level, fat mass index, muscular strength, and curls per minute all had a significant connection with BMI (F=106.26, p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Physical exercise may be related to changes in BMI. Physicians and other stakeholders putting forth strategies to increase physical activity and control weight may find the data useful.