Assessment of physical fitness of sedentary and physically active male college students by a modified Harvard step test

Abstract

Physical fitness was assessed in two groups of young college students, sedentary (n= 188) and physically active (n= 164), by a modified Harvard step test suitable for Indian subjects. Mean PFI score was found to be significantly higher (p<0·001) in the physically active group of students. It was found that PFI scores of more than 65% of the total of 352 students fell in the ‘average’ category. PFI was found to have no significant correlation with body height, body weight or body surface area, and this tends to confirm the validity and applicabi lity of this modified step test in Indian subjects. No significant correlation was found between age and PFI in both the groups of students, but PFI was found to have significant negative correlation (p < 0·001) with resting heart rate (both in sitting and standing postures). The results obtained in the present investigation once again revealed the much poorer physical fitness level of Indians by comparison with westerners.