Secular trends of physical fitness for college students in Anhui Province over the past decade.

Background: Since the beginning of the 21st century, China's economy has experienced rapid growth, resulting in a steady improvement in its citizens' living standards. However, alongside the emergence of modern civilization-related health issues, the overall physical fitness of the population has been declining. In the final year of 2019, a global COVID-19 pandemic emerged and persisted for three years, causing a significant diminution in human physical well-being. This article aims to delve into the changes in the physical fitness of college students over the past decade and anticipates future trends.

Methods: A total of 58,472 university students aged 16-23 from 16 prefecture-level cities in Anhui province were recruited for this study. Total ten physical fitness indicators were tested: body height, body weight, vital capacity, standing long jump, sit-and-reach, 50-m dash, 1000 m run and pull-up (for boys), and 800 m run and sit-ups (for girls).The data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, LSD tests, and Pearson's correlations.

Results: The overall physical fitness scores of college students ranged from 68.71 (2023) to 71.13 (2019) during the last decade, with girls consistently demonstrating superior performance in physical tests. There was a statistically significant difference in physical fitness scores between the periods of 2015-2022 and 2023 (p < 0.05). When dividing the total physical fitness scores into four levels, a noteworthy downward trend was observed in the pass grade, while the other three grades exhibited an increasing trend year by year. Compared to the year of 2019, there has been a substantial decline in the physical fitness levels of college students, along with a notable uptick of "failed" candidates, in the year of 2020.In terms of individual physical fitness, boys outperformed girls in all physical testing items except for sit-and-reach, and significant differences were observed in most years for both boys and girls. Additionally, a consistent downward trend was observed in the proportion of underweight and normal weight students, while the proportion of overweight (increased by 2.1 times) and obese (increased by 4.4 times) students showed a marked upward trend from 2014 to 2023.

Conclusions: It is imperative to allocate special focus to the profound ramifications of the three-year COVIE-19 pandemic on the physical well-being of college students. In 2024, it is anticipated that the proportion of overweight and obese college students will increase, along with a continued increase in body height and vital capacity. However, there will be a notable increase in the time taken to complete the 50-meter dash and the 1000-meter/800-meter run. Conversely, a decline is forecasted for the performance in standing long jump, sit-and-reach, and pull-ups/sit-ups exercises, with an accelerating rate of deterioration. It is crucial to promptly identify the underlying reasons for the deteriorating physical fitness among college students, particularly in relation to obesity, and to implement effective measures promptly to address this issue.