A gender-based comparative cross-sectional study of physical fitness index using Harvard's step test in the medical students of Western India

Abstract

Background: With increasing sedentary life style, it has been seen that there is rising trend of the lower physical fitness in young adults. It is well-understood that the physical fitness can be measured with the help of the VO2 max. In the present study, the physical fitness of young girls and boys were compared. Aims and Objectives: We aimed to compare the physical fitness index (PFI) and VO2 max in young boys and girls. Materials and Methods: 150 subjects (76 males and 74 females) of age 19–23 years are subjected to Harvard step test to find their PFI. Astrand’s Nomogram is used to calculate the predicted VO2 max. These values from boys are compared with the girls. Results: The results showed that both the PFI (males 75.89 ± 13.665, females 67.91 ± 14.261) and the VO2 max (males 3.3 ± 0.76 and females 3.01 ± 0.75) are significantly low in the young girls as compared to young boys. Conclusion: We found that females have lower PFI and VO2 max. The less physical fitness in the girls is related to the presence of more body fat mass, estrogen effect, and less amount of RBC count as compared to males.