Strength and adiposity as health markers: University sports as a modulator in Northeastern Brazilian students

Abstract

Introduction: Physical fitness is a multidimensional health indicator, yet the impact of university sports participation on specific morphological and functional biomarkers remains insufficiently investigated in regional contexts such as Northeastern Brazil. Objective: To compare morphological and functional health indicators between student-athletes and non-athletes from the Federal Institute of Ceará and examine the role of sports participation in modulating key components of health-related physical fitness. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with university students classified as student-athletes (n = 22) or non-athletes (n = 33). Physical fitness was assessed using the sit-and-reach test, as well as right/left handgrip, shoulder-girdle, and back-leg-chest dynamometry for muscular strength, and multifrequency
bioelectrical impedance analysis for body composition and basal metabolic rate. Results: No significant differences in flexibility were observed between groups. Muscular strength was primarily influenced by biological sex (p < 0.0001), although student-athletes showed greater shoulder-girdle strength (40.83 ± 2.65 vs. 30.15 ± 2.22 kgf; p = 0.011) and back-leg-chest strength (114.3 ± 6.84 vs. 89.5 ± 7.41 kgf; p= 0.0192). Non-athlete women had a higher visceral fat index than women student-athletes (12.06 ± 1.04 vs. 5.16 ± 0.90; p = 0.013). Basal metabolic rate was higher in men because of their greater lean mass (p < 0.0001) but did not differ according to sports participation. Conclusion: University sports participation was associated with greater global muscular strength and lower visceral adiposity in women, supporting its role as a modulator of health-related physical fitness.