Evaluation of key fitness variables in male and female college students using standardized tests

Abstract

Background: Physical fitness is a critical indicator of health and functional capacity, influenced by various factors including gender and environment. Understanding gender-based differences in fitness components among college students can aid in developing targeted interventions for health promotion. Purpose: This study aimed to examine and compare key physical fitness variables—flexibility, muscular arm strength, muscular leg power, agility, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular endurance—between male and female college students aged 18–28 years across different zones of Delhi, India. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 college students (100 males and 100 females) were purposively randomized from five zones of Delhi, with equal representation from each zone. Female participants were drawn from five specific colleges, while male participants were selected from three colleges, ensuring gender representation across institutions. Standardized fitness assessments were administered, including the sit and reach test for flexibility, chin-ups/flexed arm hang for muscular arm strength, vertical jump for leg power, shuttle run for agility, sit-ups for muscular endurance, and the Harvard step test for cardiovascular endurance. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests, with assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance verified. Results: No significant gender differences were observed in flexibility (p =.909) and cardiovascular endurance (p =.190). However, males outperformed females significantly in muscular leg power, agility, and muscular endurance (p