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Abstract

Introduction: Regular physical exercise prevents and reduces the risk of transmissible disease, improves functional bone health, maintains caloric balance and weight control, improving not only the physical condition or fitness profile, which is reflected in the ability to complete daily tasks with vigor and without fatigue; all relative to health. Objective: To determine the fitness profile of university students in the Department of Boyaca. Methodology: A descriptive study with cross-sectional design, which includes a population of 204 university students, of which a sample of 40 was obtained using Epidat® software, with 95% reliability and 5% error, the sampling was stratified with proportional allocation. The following fitness components were evaluated relative to health: aerobic capacity, muscular strength, flexibility and body composition. Measurements of central tendency and frequency were obtained, and association tests were applied such as Chi-squared, Pearson, Spearman and U Mann-Whitney. Results: The average age of the population was 21.13 years (SD 2.79), 67.5% were classified as normal weight under the Body Mass Index, 35% were placed in the obese range based on percent body fat, the average muscular strength for hand grip was 30.02 kilograms (SD 12.85), 70.48 kilograms (SD 40.88) for lower extremities and 69.6 (SD 38.5) kilograms for core. 85% of women and 81.8% of men were classified in the very poor range when evaluating for aerobic health. Significant statistical association was reported between aerobic capacity and gender (p 0.00), core strength, upper and lower extremities with gender at (p 0.0030, (p 0.04) and (p 0.038) respectively. Conclusions: The physical condition or fitness profile is not adequate for the age of the participants considering the low levels of muscular strength and aerobic capacity that were obtained, similar to the high frequency of students classified as obese according to body fat percentage.