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Comparative analysis of physical fitness and body composition in first-year bachelor sports sciences students from France and Portugal

2025Journal article Open access
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datacite.subject.fosCiências Médicas::Ciências da Saúde
datacite.subject.fosCiências Naturais::Outras Ciências Naturais
datacite.subject.sdg03:Saúde de Qualidade
datacite.subject.sdg04:Educação de Qualidade
datacite.subject.sdg05:Igualdade de Género
datacite.subject.sdg10:Reduzir as Desigualdades
dc.contributor.authorMorais, Jorge
dc.contributor.authorLarrière, Onésie
dc.contributor.authorBragada, José A.
dc.contributor.authorBartolomeu, Raúl Filipe
dc.contributor.authorMagalhães, Pedro
dc.contributor.authorSchnegg, Antoine
dc.contributor.authorHoundekon, Martial
dc.contributor.authorGarnier, Yoann M.
dc.contributor.authorMourot, Laurent
dc.date.accessioned2025-11-18T15:36:04Z
dc.date.available2025-11-18T15:36:04Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.description.abstractPhysical fitness and body composition are foundational to the training and academic success of sports sciences students. However, baseline physical profiles may vary across institutions and countries, reflecting differences in cultural, educational, and physical activity environments. This study aimed to compare physical fitness levels and anthropometric characteristics of first-year sports sciences students from three European institutions in France and Portugal. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 172 first-year university students (121 males, 51 females) enrolled in sports sciences programs at one French (UMLP) and two Portuguese institutions (IPB and IPG). Participants completed a standardized physical fitness test battery assessing aerobic capacity (estimated VO(2)max), upper- and lower-body strength (handgrip, isometric mid-thigh pull), explosive power (standing long jump), flexibility (sit-and-reach), and balance (standing stork test). Anthropometric measures included body mass, fat mass, and lean mass. Group and gender differences were analyzed using ANOVA and effect sizes. Students from UMLP displayed significantly higher performance in estimated VO(2)max (IPB vs UMLP d = 1.08; IPG vs UMLP d = 0.81), strength (isometric mid-thigh pull [IPB vs UMLP d = 0.65; IPG vs UMLP d = 0.73]), flexibility (IPB vs UMLP d = 0.61; IPG vs UMLP d = 0.69), balance (IPG vs UMLP d = 0.91), and body composition (higher lean mass [IPB vs UMLP d = 0.19; IPG vs UMLP d = 0.28], lower fat mass [IPB vs UMLP d = 0.22; IPG vs UMLP d = 0.31]) compared to their Portuguese peers. IPG students outperformed the other groups in the standing long jump test (IPB vs IPG d = 0.51; IPG vs UMLP d = 1.38). Males consistently outperformed females across all fitness domains except flexibility. Significant group-by-gender interactions were observed for flexibility and strength measures. This study highlights substantial differences in physical fitness and body composition among first-year sports sciences students across institutions in France and Portugal. These findings underline the importance of assessing students' physical readiness at university entry and suggest that institutional and cultural factors may influence physical health trajectories. Targeted interventions may be warranted to ensure baseline fitness equity and promote academic and athletic success.eng
dc.description.sponsorshipThis project has been performed thanks to the RITM-BFC program (contract ANR-17-NCUN-0003) and national funds from FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the project/support UID/6157/2023.
dc.identifier.citationMorais, Jorge; Larrière, Onésie; Bragada, José A.; Bartolomeu, Raúl Filipe; Magalhães, Pedro; Schnegg, Antoine; Houndekon, Martial; Garnier, Yoann M.; Mourot, Laurent (2025). Comparative analysis of physical fitness and body composition in first-year bachelor sports sciences students from France and Portugal. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation. ISSN 2052-1847. 17:1, p. 1-13
dc.identifier.doi10.1186/s13102-025-01359-0
dc.identifier.issn2052-1847
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10198/35100
dc.language.isoeng
dc.peerreviewedyes
dc.publisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC
dc.relationUID/6157/2023
dc.relation.ispartofBMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
dc.subjectPhysical fitness
dc.subjectUniversity students
dc.subjectSports sciences
dc.subjectCross-cultural comparison
dc.subjectGender differences
dc.titleComparative analysis of physical fitness and body composition in first-year bachelor sports sciences students from France and Portugaleng
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.endPage13
oaire.citation.issue1
oaire.citation.startPage1
oaire.citation.titleBMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation
oaire.citation.volume17
oaire.versionhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
person.familyNameMorais
person.familyNameBragada
person.familyNameBartolomeu
person.familyNameMagalhães
person.givenNameJorge
person.givenNameJosé A.
person.givenNameRaúl Filipe
person.givenNamePedro
person.identifier867179
person.identifierhttps://scholar.google.com/citations?user=p0jD4K0AAAAJ&hl=pt-PT
person.identifier2316939
person.identifier.ciencia-idAA12-BF58-EE60
person.identifier.ciencia-idEC18-B34C-A1C8
person.identifier.ciencia-idE911-5005-D200
person.identifier.ciencia-id631D-E634-0FBB
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-6885-0648
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-7020-0583
person.identifier.orcid0000-0001-8557-5257
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-2492-1499
person.identifier.scopus-author-id35224896200
relation.isAuthorOfPublication80b13e62-254d-4d46-ad90-8b509ab523a8
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationd24f0ee1-6174-4249-8e0a-20629d306235
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relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery418a17c8-6b8b-4a8e-822b-e814bd7276e4

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