Poor cardiorespiratory fitness in first year medical students at a South African University

ABSTRACT

The personal health behaviours, including physical activity, of healthcare professionals influence their counselling practices as they relate to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). However, despite the importance of producing healthy, physically active graduates, there are limited data on the physical fitness of future healthcare professionals. This cross-sectional observational study determined the prevalence of below-average fitness in the four components of fitness in first-year university medical students. 152 participants (46 male, 106 female, 20.16 ± 2.69 years) completed cardiorespiratory fitness tests (submaximal step test), flexibility (sit-and-reach test), muscle strength (handgrip), and muscle endurance tests (sit-ups, push-ups). Sex differences were reported using one-way ANOVA or Chi square test and significance was set at p < 0.05. The prevalence (%) of below-average fitness was 69.54% for cardiorespiratory, 25.66% for handgrip strength, 65.79% for sit-ups, 23.03% for push-ups and 7.24% for flexibility. Physical fitness parameters (mean±standard deviation (SD)) were compared between sexes, where it was found that females were more flexible than males (40.61 ± 8.40 cm vs 36.70 ± 9.31 cm, p = 0.012). Males had better handgrip strength (88.96 ± 12.04 kg vs 59.34 ± 10.36 kg, p < 0.001), muscle endurance sit-ups (33.46 ± 9.04 vs 24.48 ± 12.18, p < 0.001) and push-ups (30.28 ± 13.95 vs 24.27 ± 12.35, p = 0.009). First-year medical students have poor physical fitness, notably cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength, which are important markers for NCD risk assessment. Tertiary institutions training healthcare professionals should consider developing interventions to improve students’ physical fitness thereby influencing their health, wellbeing, academic performance and future counselling practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Health behaviour
• physical activity
• aerobic
• strength
• flexibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was partially supported by the International Olympic Committee [Research Grant for IOC Research Center of South Africa].

Notes on contributors

Jill Borresen

Jill Borresen, PhD Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI) and IOC Research Centre of South Africa, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.

Bert Celie

Bert Celie, PhD Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI) and IOC Research Centre of South Africa, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.

Ria Laubscher

Ria Laubscher, BCom(Maths) Biostatistics Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, Western Cape, 7505, South Africa.

Martin Bac

Martin Bac, M Fam Med, MD Department of Family Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.

Paola Wood

Paola Silvia Wood PhD, Department of Physiology and Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.

Tanya Camacho

Tanya Chantelle de Sousa Camacho, MA Department of Physiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

Kim Nolte

Kim Nolte, DPhil Department of Physiology and Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

Marianne Schwellnus

Marianne Louise Schwellnus, medical student representative School of Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.

Debashis Basu

Debashis Basu, PhD Department of Public Health Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

Martin Schwellnus

Martin Peter Schwellnus, MBBCh Sport, Exercise Medicine and Lifestyle Institute (SEMLI), University of Pretoria and IOC Research Centre of South Africa, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa.