The association between components of health-related physical fitness in healthy adults: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Physical fitness related to health is crucial for maintaining and enhancing an individual's general health. In recent times, it has become crucial to be aware of fitness among adults due to its significance in reducing serious conditions and maintaining good health. However, there are insufficient data on the Indian population regarding the correlation among the components of physical fitness. Therefore, the main objective of this research was to examine the relationships among several aspects of fitness for health. In this research, a total of 419 respondents were screened after having approval from the institution ethical board. A Herpenden skinfold caliper was used to determine their body fat %, while a gas analyzer was used to determine their VO2 max. A computerized dynamometer was used to evaluate their handgrip strength and endurance. The Pearson correlation coefficient and student <i>t</i>-test were applied for statistical analysis. The research found a positive relationship between VO2 max and handgrip strength (r = -0.465), and a negative association (r = -0.466) was observed between body fat percentage and VO2 max. Similarly, a negative association (r = -0.365) was observed between body fat percentage and grip strength. The study concludes that an individual's cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness are negatively linked with body fat percentage but positively associated with each other. The research findings can be used to assess physical fitness and promote awareness about the benefits of fitness and lifestyle changes using measures of their cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness.