Journal of Medical Sciences and Health Care Research
Physical Fitness, Body Composition and Metabolic Risk in First-Year Medical Sciences Students from Western Cuba
Abstract
Elmys Ramirez Gonzalez and Yuney Luis Leonard
Physical fitness and body composition are central health determinants; in medical students they also influence their future work as promoters of healthy habits. In western Cuba, a diagnosis of their status at university entry is lacking. This descriptive, cross-sectional study characterized the level of basic physical abilities and the anthropometric profile of 8,116 first-year medical sciences students (58.9% male, mean age 18.4 years) from four provinces. Standardized physical tests (800 m, 60 m, push-ups, sit-ups) were applied, and body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were measured. Only 9.2% reached the Talent category, and arm strength was the most deficient ability (11.5% in level V). Mean BMI was 25.8 kg/m2 (SD = 3.5), and 14.5% had abdominal obesity. Correlations between BMI/WC and performance were moderate (r between .29 and .51; p < .001). A proportion of 24.1% showed high metabolic risk. According to functional health criteria, 36.7% had insufficient arm strength and 32.2% insufficient abdominal strength. Cluster analysis identified three profiles: healthy (38.2%), moderate risk (41.5%), and high risk (20.3%). Province of residence was a significant predictor of risk profile membership: compared with Havana, students from Artemisa were 2.81 times more likely to belong to the high-risk profile (OR = 2.81; p < .001). It is concluded that a low-to-medium physical condition predominates, one in three students is overweight, one in four has high metabolic risk, and significant territorial gaps exist, which justifies early curricular interventions.