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Physical fitness assessment in young people using the “fitness for health: (Bachelor thesis)

Πετρίδης, Τριαντάφυλλος/ Petridis, Triantafyllos

Fitness test batteries are bundles of tests that evaluate an individual's physical fitness. Fitness includes health-related and performance-related factors that determine the state of cardiorespiratory function, musculoskeletal function, and body composition, relating to the ability for quick and coordinated muscle activation, and laying the foundation for athletic performance. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the fitness level of young adults and rank their performances on a percentile scale by gender. The study involved 319 volunteers (n=319), 201 male students (age: 18.8±0.8 years, body mass: 74.4±8.9kg, height: 179±6.4cm, BMI: 23.2±2.4kg/m², and body fat: 9.3±3.2%) and 118 female students (age: 18.8±0.8 years, body mass: 60.8±9.2kg, height: 164±6.4cm, BMI: 22.5±2.7kg/m², and body fat: 21.2±4.6%) from the Department of Physical Education and Sport Science of Democritus University of Thrace, who were in the first semester of their undergraduate studies during the academic year 2022-2023. The male students significantly outperformed the female students in body mass (p<0.001), height (p<0.001), BMI (p<0.05), lean mass (p<0.001), waist, hip, and abdominal circumferences (p<0.001), handgrip strength in both hands (p<0.001), the “jump-and-reach” test (p<0.001), the "burpees" test (p=0.001), one-leg stand on tiptoes with the right foot (p<0.05), the "figure-of-eight run" (p<0.001), the "Compass drill" (p<0.001) and the plate-tapping test (p<0.05). Conversely, the female students significantly outperformed the male students in body fat percentage (p<0.001), fat mass (p<0.001), triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness (p<0.001), the sit-and-reach test (p=0.001) and the one-leg stand on the right foot (p<0.05), while also showing a lower rate of achieving the minimum performance (p<0.001) in the "Shoulder-neck mobility" test compared to the male students. These results provide a benchmark for adults regarding performance in fitness factors, contributing to comparative assessment capabilities.