Work

Limited Association Between Body Mass Index and Selected Components of Physical Fitness in Higher Education Physical Education Students: A Sex- and Country-Specific Analysis

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Background: Body mass index (BMI) is widely used as a simple anthropometric indicator, but its functional relevance to physical fitness in physically active populations, such as Physical Education students, remains debated. Aim: This study examined the association between BMI and selected components of physical fitness in Physical Education students, considering sex and country differences. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate Physical Education students from Poland and Romania (n = 515; mean age: 21.64 ± 1.34 years). BMI was calculated from measured height and body mass and analyzed as both a continuous and categorical variable. Physical fitness was assessed using three Eurofit tests evaluating upper-limb movement speed, trunk muscular endurance, and lower-limb explosive power. Analyses included correlation methods and multiple linear regression models with subgroup analyses, interaction terms, and quadratic BMI terms to assess nonlinearity. Results: Associations between BMI and fitness components were small in magnitude and inconsistent (r = −0.28 to 0.143; β = −1.614 to 0.005) and varied across tests and subgroups. No significant interaction effects by sex or country were observed, as interaction terms were not statistically significant, and no clear nonlinear relationships were identified. Sex and country were significantly associated with performance levels, whereas BMI contributed only marginally to explaining variability (ΔR2 = 0.005–0.011). Conclusions: BMI showed limited and inconsistent associations with the assessed fitness components in this relatively homogeneous group of Physical Education students. It should be interpreted cautiously as a functional indicator and complemented with more precise measures of body composition and physical fitness.

Source: Sports

DOI: 10.3390/sports14050167

Authors: Agnieszka Wasiluk, Viktoriia Kyrychenko, Grațiela-Flavia Deak, Robert Wilczewski

Institutions: Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Babeș-Bolyai University

Language: English

Topic: Physical Education and Training Studies

Subfield: Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172