Anthropometric and physical fitness profile of Physical Training students in Chile

Abstract

Introduction: characterizing the physical starting point of students entering physical activity degrees helps guide their follow-up during training. The aim was to describe the anthropometric and physical fitness profile, by sex, of first-year Physical Training students at a Chilean Technical Training Center. Method: a quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study of 27 students (20 men and 7 women; age 23.6±5.0 years), after excluding 2 of the 29 cohort members because of recording errors. Weight, height, sitting height, and waist and hip circumferences (ISAK protocol), handgrip strength, sit and reach, CMJ and Abalakov jumps, 10- and 20-m sprints with manual timing, and the Cooper test with estimated VO₂max were assessed. Descriptive statistics and exploratory Spearman correlations were used; no inferential comparisons between sexes were performed. Results: mean BMI was 24.4±3.5 kg/m²; 15 students (55.6%) were classified as normal weight and 12 (44.4%) outside that category. Mean waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) was 0.83±0.06; 3 of 7 women and 3 of 20 men exceeded the WHO cut-off for their sex. Mean Cooper distance was 2115.7±430.0 m (estimated VO₂max: 36.0±9.6 ml/kg/min), descriptively higher in men. Conclusions: the profile was heterogeneous, with wide variability in strength, jump and endurance performance in both sexes. Given the sample size, sex-related findings are descriptive and require confirmation in larger samples; they provide a baseline for following up this cohort.