Noncommunicable diseases in relation to body composition and physical condition in tertiary education
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v81.117817Keywords:
Exercise behavior, mental health, physical activity, sedentaryAbstract
Introduction: The life of the tertiary education student presents different behavioral aspects that influence the risk of acquiring non-communicable diseases, some related to their body composition and physical condition.
Objective: which leads to the research objective of relating the risk factors of acquiring non-communicable diseases with body composition and physical activity in tertiary education.
Methodology: 1020 students (526 males and 494 females) were evaluated; a quantitative, observational, prospective, descriptive and relational cross-sectional study; a stratified, representative, probabilistic sample of students was evaluated; body composition was determined by body weight and standing height; physical condition was considered in terms of cardiorespiratory capacity (Leger test) and manual prehensile strength.
Results: all study variables were significantly higher in men; anthropometric data reveal significant differences between sexes in terms of weight and height, most students have a body composition in the healthy range. the distribution of grip strength of men is more uniform between institutions; in women, differences between universities are more pronounced. Cardiorespiratory capacity values are concentrated around the 40 to 50 (Adequate) range.
Conclusions: tertiary education students present a physical condition above adequate, contributing to reduce physical inactivity, sedentary lifestyle and the acquisition of non-communicable diseases.
References
Ajepe, O., Mgbemena, N., Okafor, U., Ehuwa, O., Okeke, C., Osundiya, O., Oyedemi, Y., & Ezeugwa, Ch. (2022). Relationship between estimated VO2max and hand grip strength in healthy Nigerian young adults. Internet Journal of Practice and Related Health Sciences. 1; Art. 17. https://doi.org/10.46743/1540-580X/2022.2079
An, K. O., & Kim, J. (2019). Associations between Handgrip Strength with Adverse Cardiometabolic Health among Representative Korean Adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 17 (1):269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010269.
Araújo, C. G. S., Kunutsor, S. K., Eijsvogels, T. M. H., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Hamar, D., Niebauer, J., Bhattacharjee, A., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Franca, J. F., & Castro, C. L. B. (2025). Muscle Power Versus Strength as a Predictor of Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Men and Women. Mayo Clinic proceedings, 100(8), 1319–1331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.02.015
Beltrán Carrillo, V. J., Sierra, A. C., Jiménez Loaisa, A., González-Cutre, D., Martínez Galindo, C., & Cervelló, E. (2017). Diferencias según género en el tiempo empleado por adolescentes en actividad sedentaria y actividad física en diferentes segmentos horarios del día (Gender differences in time spent by adolescents in sedentary and physical activity in different day segmen. Retos, 31, 3-7. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i31.36207
Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., Thyfault, J. P., Ruegsegger, G. N., & Toedebusch, R. G. (2017). Role of Inactivity in Chronic Diseases: Evolutionary Insight and Pathophysiological Mechanisms. Physiological reviews, 97(4), 1351–1402. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00019.2016
Brito, S., Basualto, L., & Reyes, L. (2019). Social/Educational Inclusion, in Higher Education Code. Scielo, 13. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-73782019000200157
Buttar, K. K., Kacker, S., & Saboo, N. (2025). The association between components of health-related physical fitness in healthy adults: A cross-sectional study. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 14(9), 4021–4026. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_328_25
Carrillo-Arango, H. A., Atencio-Osorio, M. A., Martínez-García, D. I., Ossa-Tabares, K. S., Dominguez, L. L., Zapata, J. S., ... & Leyva-Cuero, L. M. (2025). Factores de riesgo asociados a enfermedad cardiovascular en estudiantes universitarios: Factores asociados a riesgo cardiovascular en universitarios. Retos,70, 243–257. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v70.106949
Cebrian-Ponce, A., Serafini, S., Petri, C., Carrasco-Marginet, M., Izzicupo, P., & Mascherini, G. (2024). Somatotype and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis of Italian CrossFit® practitioners. Heliyon, 10 (2024) e29139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29139.
Chacón-Borrego, F., Corral-Pernía, J. A., & Castañeda Vázquez, C. (2020). Condición física en jóvenes y su relación con la actividad física escolar y extraescolar. Revista Interuniversitaria De Formación Del Profesorado. Continuación De La Antigua Revista De Escuelas Normales, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.47553/rifop.v34i1.77077
Corral-Pernía, J. A., & Del-Catillo A. Óscar. (2010). The assessment of VO2 max. and its relationship with cardiovascular risk as a means of teaching-learning. Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 10(2). Disponible en: https://revistas.um.es/cpd/article/view/111231
Escandón, S., Andrade, S., Molina-Cando, M. J., Ramón, F., Zamora, Z., & Ochoa-Avilés, A. (2023). Percentile of physical condition in children and adolescents from Cuenca - Ecuador: alpha-fit battery. Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. 23 - 92 191-210. https://doi.org/10.15366/rimcafd2023.92.016 (https://pure.ups.edu.ec/es/publications/percentile-of-physical-condition-in-children-and-adolescents-from/)
Estrada-Araoz, E. G., Churayra-Chura, J. E., Quispe-Loaiza, M. Y., Mamani-Velásquez, D. E., Salas-Luza, C. K., Ventura-Carreón, D. D., ... & Quispe-Herrera, R. (2025). Predictores de la satisfacción con la vida entre estudiantes universitarios peruanos: una mirada desde la dimensión corporal y motivacional. Retos,71, 1–12. https://10.47197/retos.v68.116076
Galán-Arroyo, C., Mendoza-Muñoz, D. M., & Rojo-Ramos, J. (2024). La aptitud física, indicador de un desarrollo saludable en el preadolescente (Physical fitness, indicator of healthy preadolescent development). Retos, 52, 447-456. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v52.99772
García-Manso, J. M.; Navarro-Valdivieso, M. & Ruiz-Caballero, J. A. (1996). Tests for the assessment of motor ability in sport. Evaluación de la condición física. Madrid: Gymnos.
García, G. C., & Secchi, J. D. (2014). 20-meter Test Course Navette with one-minute stages. An original idea that has been around for 30 years. Apunts Med Esport. 49(183):93-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apunts.2014.06.001
Gea-García, G. M., González-Gálvez, N., Espeso-García, A., Marcos-Pardo, P. J., González-Fernández, F. T., & Martínez-Aranda, L. M. (2020). Relationship Between the Practice of Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Physical Education Students: The Integrated Regulation as a Mediating Variable. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1910. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01910
Guthold, R., Stevens, G. A., Riley, L. M., & Bull, F. C. (2020). Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants. The Lancet. Child & adolescent health, 4(1), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2
Gutierrez-Robledo, G., Garcia-Torres, M., Lopez-Legrá, M., Luque-Lopez, E., & Jover-Garcia, O. (2021). Eating habits and lifestyles associated with obesity in Mexican university students. Gaceta Sanitaria, 35(2), 189-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsa.2020.05.023
Hernandez-Sampieri, R., Fernandez-Collado, C., Baptista-Lucio, P. (2020). Research Methodology. 4 ed. McGraw-Hill, 1990.
Hoeger, W. (1996) Fitness and general well-being. Colorado, Morton Publishing Company.
IHME. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2019). Global Burden of Disease Study (GBDS). Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. Available at: https://www.healthdata.org/research-analysis/gbd.
Jiang, K., Zhang, Z., Fullington, L., Huang, T., Kaliszewski, C., Wei, J., & Wu, S. (2022). Prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among university students: A meta-analysis. Nutrients, 22(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224911
Johnson, R., & Crawford, S. (2022). Prevalence and risk factors for underweight among university students. Journal of the American College Health, 61, 230-236. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448408.2021.1964912
Lamadrid-Castro, S., Arana-Baquero, W de J., Cuello-Cerchiaro, E. J., Suárez-Carrillo, E. B., & Peñuela-Epalza, M. E. (2023). Estilo de vida, Sobrepeso y obesidad en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud durante el confinamiento por COVID-19 en Barranquilla (Colombia). Revista Salud Uninorte , 39 (2), 565-583. Publicación electrónica del 21 de marzo de 2024. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.39.02.612.986
Lara-Rodríguez, L.M., Juarez-Lozano, R., & Medrano-Donlucas, G. (2023). Physical culture in the university environment: Trend of sports and physical activity options from Mexican students in health sciences. IE. Revista de Investigación Educativa de la Rediech, 4 (14) e1608. https://doi.org/10.33010/ie_rie_rediech.v14i0.1608
Lang, J. J., Prince, S. A., Merucci, K., Cadenas-Sanchez, C., Chaput, J., Fraser, B. J., Manyanga, T., McGrath, R., Ortega, F. B., Singh, B., & Tomkinson, G. R. (2024). Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong and consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality among adults: an overview of meta-analyses representing over 20.9 million observations from 199 unique cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 58(10), 556-566. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-107849
Lin, G., Chen, J., Yan, R., Deng, B., Song, W., Guan, B., & Sun, J. (2025). Effects of maturation stage on physical fitness in youth male team sports players after plyometric training: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine – Open, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-025-00907-9
López-Bueno, R., Andersen, L. L., Koyanagi, A., Núñez-Cortés, R., Calatayud, J., Casaña, J., & Del Pozo Cruz, B. (2022). Thresholds of handgrip strength for all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality: A systematic review with dose-response meta-analysis. Ageing research reviews, 82, 101778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2022.101778
Lopez-Jaramillo, P., Lopez-Lopez, J. P., Tole, M. C., & Cohen, D. D. (2022). Muscular Strength in Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Narrative Review. Anatolian journal of cardiology, 26(8), 598–607. https://doi.org/10.5152/AnatolJCardiol.2022.1586
Maria, S.A., Nicolae, O. M., Nicola, M., Szekely, A. S., Sorin, S., Dorina, I., Hervás-Gómez, C., Cornelia, P., Florina, G. E., & Teodor, G. V (2025). ump Rope Training Improves Muscular Strength and Cardiovascular Fitness in University Students: A Controlled Educational Intervention. Sports, 13 (9), 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13090307
Martins, H. A., Barbosa, J. G., Seffrin, A., Vivan, L., Souza, V. R. de A., de Lira, C. A. B., Weiss, K., Knechtle, B., & Andrade, M. S. (2023). Sex differences in maximal oxygen uptake adjusted for skeletal muscle mass in amateur endurance athletes: A cross-sectional study. Healthcare, 11(11), 1502. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101502
Martínez, V. R., Sandoval-Copado, J. R., & Aranzana-Juarros, M. (2021). Acceso a la alimentación y hábitos alimentarios de jóvenes universitarios, Estado de México. RESPYN Revista Salud Pública Y Nutrición, 20 (3), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.29105/respyn20.3-5
MEN (2024). The National System of Tertiary Education. Cundinamarca-Bogotá. Available at: https://www.mineducacion.gov.co/portal/decadas/355208:The-Tertiary-Education-National-System.
Montalcini, T., Migliaccio, V., Yvelise, F., Rotundo, S., Mazza, E., Liberato, A., & Pujia, A. (2013). Reference values for handgrip strength in young people of both sexes. Endocrine. 43 (2):342-5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-012-9733-9.
Negret, J. (2016). Citizen training, physical culture and sport: strategy for quality training, Revista Cubana de Educación Superior, (1), 4-17. http://scielo.sld.cu/pdf/rces/v35n1/rces01116.pdf
Ochoa-Granda, E. G., Piedra-Espejo, J. I., Sanmartín-Cruz, H. D., Quezada-Vargas, R. L., & Herrera-Piedra, F. A. (2026). Physical Condition, Motor Competence and Cardiometabolic Health in Childhood: Theoretical Bases for Early Prevention, Revista Educación y Ciencia, 7(2), 132-142. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18497337
PAHO. Pan American Health Organization (2022). Enfermedades No Transmisibles, 2022. Available at: https://www.paho.org/es/temas/enfermedades-no-transmisibles#:~:text=El%20consumo%20de%20tabaco%2C%20la,la%20respuesta%20a%20las%20ENT
Parada-Sánchez, H. D., & Gálvez-Pardo, Á, Y. (2022). Body composition and eating habits in university students. Body, culture and movement, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.15332/2422474X.7882.
Pasdar, Y., Darbandi, M., Mirtaher, E., Rezaeian, S., Najafi, F., & Hamzeh, B. (2019). Associations between Muscle Strength with Different Measures of Obesity and Lipid Profiles in Men and Women: Results from RaNCD Cohort Study. Clinical nutrition research, 8(2), 148–158. https://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2019.8.2.148
Parvin, P., Amiri, P., Masihay-Akbar, H., Khalafehnilsaz, M., Cheraghi, L., Ghanbarian, A., & Azizi, F. (2022). A pragmatic multi-setting lifestyle intervention to improve leisure-time physical activity from adolescence to young adulthood: the vital role of sex and intervention onset time. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 19 (65). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01301-4
Peña-Ibagon, J. C., Rodriguez Becerra, D., Rincon-Vasqueza, F. J., & Castillo-Daza, C. A. (2021). Relación entre los niveles de actividad física y la condición física autopercibida en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios en Bogotá, Colombia. Fisioterapia 43, 340 – 346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ft.2021.03.005
Pico-Fonseca, S., Quiroz-Mora, C., Hernández-Carrillo, M., Arroyave-Rosero, G., Idrobo-Herrera, I., Burbano-Cadavid, L., Rojas-Padilla, I., & Piñeros-Suárez, A. (2021). Relationship between food consumption pattern and body composition of university students: cross-sectional study. Hospital Nutrition, 38(1), 100-108. Epub April 26, 2021. https://dx.doi.org/10.20960/nh.03132.
Posso-Yépez, M., Flores-Bosmediano, E., BuitrónJácome, P., Osejos, E., Posso-Astudillo, M., & Realpe-Zambrano, Z. E. (2026). Índice de masa corporal y consumo máximo de oxígeno: análisis correlacional y diferencias según sexo y edad de estudiantes universitarios. Retos, 76, 754-768. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v76.118265
Potosí-Moya, V., Paredes-Gómez, R., & Durango-Sánchez, X. (2024). HIIT y su influencia sobre el VO₂max en estudiantes de fisioterapia. Retos, 54, 616–624. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v54.104333
Rodrigues-Bezerra, D., & Ceballos-Bernal, E. A. (2024). Handgrip in university students in Bogotá Colombia. Ciencias de la actividad física (Talca), 25(2), 4. Epub 27 de agosto de 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.29035/rcaf.25.2.4
Rodríguez-Cuadra, R., & Velasco-Ramirez, S. F. (2019). Hand grip strength and physical activity level in university students from Uruapan Michoacán, Mexico. Clinical Nutrition and Hospital Dietetics, 39(3), 109-114. https://doi.org/10.12873/393rodriguez
Rodríguez-Pérez, C., Carreño-Ruíz, S. D., Ortiz-Ojeda, R. F., & Avalos-Lázaro, A. A. (2023). Análisis de la relación entre el índice de masa corporal y la somnolencia diurna en universitarios mexicanos. Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, 27(3), 205-212. Epub 17 de mayo de 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.27.3.1918
Rosa-Guillamón, A. (2019). Analysis of the relationship between health, physical exercise and physical fitness in schoolschildren and adolescents, Revista Ciencias de la Actividad Física, 20 (1), pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.29035/rcaf.20.1.1 (https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5256/525661507008/html/)
Ruiz-Castellanos, E. J., Sánchez-Rojas, I. A., Rincón Herrera, A. D., Sánchez-Hernández, N. D., Mendoza-Romero, D., & Lozano-Rueda, S. (2021). Niveles de actividad física en adolescentes de Colombia. Revista Iberoamericana De Ciencias De La Actividad Física Y El Deporte, 10(3), 78-98. https://doi.org/10.24310/riccafd.2021.v10i3.12533
Saintila, J., Calizaya-Milla, Y. E., Carranza-Cubas, S. P., Serpa-Barrientos, A., Oblitas-Guerrero, S. M., & Ramos-Vera, C. (2024). Body mass index and healthy lifestyle practices among Peruvian university students: a comparative study among academic discipline. Frontiers in nutrition, 11, 1361394. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1361394
Scarfó, F., (2015). Human Rights Education and tertiary education: a mutual and multiplying need. I meet again. Analysis of University Problems, (70), 25-46. Available at: https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/340/34046812003.pdf.
Seyam, M. K. (2025). Prevalence of obesity and associated risk factors among university students using the newly developed Student Lifestyle and Obesity Risk Questionnaire (SLORQ): a cross-sectional study. PeerJ 13:e19556 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19556
Soysal, P., Hurst, C., Demurtas, J., Firth, J., Howden, R., Yang, L., Tully, M. A., Koyanagi, A., Ilie, P. C., López-Sánchez, G. F., Schwingshackl, L., Veronese, N., & Smith, L. (2021). Handgrip strength and health outcomes: Umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies. Journal of sport and health science, 10(3), 290–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.06.009
Suárez León, M. V., Ramos-Bermúdez, S., Ramírez-García, C. M., García-García, A. M., & Castrillón-Rendón, B. S. (2025). Prevalencia de sarcopenia en estudiantes universitarios colombianos mediante fuerza de prensión manual y perímetro de pantorrilla corregido por IMC. Retos, 62, 862-871. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v62.110131
Sugie, M., Harada, K., Takahashi, T., Nara, M., Ishikawa, J., Tanaka, J., Koyama, T., Fujimoto, H., Obuchi, S., Kyo, S., & Ito, H. (2018), Relationship between hand grip strength and peak VO2 in community-dwelling elderly outpatients. JCSM Clinical Reports, 3: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.17987/jcsm-cr.v3i1.48
Ventura-Cruz, V. A., Pacheco-Ferreira, L. M., Torres Polanco, Z., Luzón-Sala, H., & Ventura De León, R. (2025). Análisis del estado nutricional y su incidencia en la fuerza prensil de estudiantes del nivel secundario. Revista Multidisciplinaria Voces de América y el Caribe, 2(2), 288-305. https://doi.org/10.69821/REMUVAC.v2i2.233
Villalobos, C., Kuzmanic, D., Valenzuela, J. P., & Quaresma, M. L. (2022). Social Perceptions of Elite Higher Education Students: A Chilean Case Study. Scielo, 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.7764/psykhe.2020.22549.
Visseren, F. L. J., MacH, F., Smulders, Y. M., Carballo, D., Koskinas, K. C., Bäck, M., Benetos, A., Biffi, A., Boavida, J. M., Capodanno, D., Cosyns, B., Crawford, C., Davos, C. H., Desormais, I., DI Angelantonio, E., Franco, O. H., Halvorsen, S., Hobbs, F. D. R., Hollander, M., … & Williams, B. (2021). 2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. European Heart Journal, 42(34), 3227-3337. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab484
WHO. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2024). Malnutrición. Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
WHO. World Health Organization. (2023). Obesidad y sobrepeso. Editor, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
WHO. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2022). Enfermedades no transmisibles, 2022. Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases.
WHO. World Health Organization. (2020). Obesity and overweight. Editor, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, WHO Available at: http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
WHO. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2017). Who publishes a new edition of the report on monitoring progress on non-communicable diseases. Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news/item/18-09-2017-who-launches-new-ncds-progress-monitor
Williamson, T., Moran, C., Chirico, D., Arena, R., Ozemek, C., Aggarwal, S., Campbell, T., & Laddu, D. (2021). Cancer and cardiovascular disease: The impact of cardiac rehabilitation and cardiorespiratory fitness on survival. International journal of cardiology, 343, 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2021.09.004
Zhou, X. D., Chen, Q. F., Yang, W., Zuluaga, M., Targher, G., Byrne, C. D., Valenti, L., Luo, F., Katsouras, C. S., Thaher, O., Misra, A., Ataya, K., Oviedo, R. J., Pik-Shan Kong, A., Alswat, K., Lonardo, A., Wong, Y. J., Abu-Abeid, A., Al Momani, H., Ali, A., … Zheng, M. H. (2024). Burden of disease attributable to high body mass index: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. EClinicalMedicine, 76, 102848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102848
Ajepe, O., Mgbemena, N., Okafor, U., Ehuwa, O., Okeke, C., Osundiya, O., Oyedemi, Y., & Ezeugwa, Ch. (2022). Relationship between estimated VO2max and hand grip strength in healthy Nigerian young adults. Internet Journal of Practice and Related Health Sciences. 1; Art. 17. https://doi.org/10.46743/1540-580X/2022.2079
An, K. O., & Kim, J. (2019). Associations between Handgrip Strength with Adverse Cardiometabolic Health among Representative Korean Adults. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 17 (1):269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17010269.
Araújo, C. G. S., Kunutsor, S. K., Eijsvogels, T. M. H., Myers, J., Laukkanen, J. A., Hamar, D., Niebauer, J., Bhattacharjee, A., de Souza E Silva, C. G., Franca, J. F., & Castro, C. L. B. (2025). Muscle Power Versus Strength as a Predictor of Mortality in Middle-Aged and Older Men and Women. Mayo Clinic proceedings, 100(8), 1319–1331. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2025.02.015
Beltrán Carrillo, V. J., Sierra, A. C., Jiménez Loaisa, A., González-Cutre, D., Martínez Galindo, C., & Cervelló, E. (2017). Diferencias según género en el tiempo empleado por adolescentes en actividad sedentaria y actividad física en diferentes segmentos horarios del día (Gender differences in time spent by adolescents in sedentary and physical activity in different day segmen. Retos, 31, 3-7. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v0i31.36207
Booth, F. W., Roberts, C. K., Thyfault, J. P., Ruegsegger, G. N., & Toedebusch, R. G. (2017). Role of Inactivity in Chronic Diseases: Evolutionary Insight and Pathophysiological Mechanisms. Physiological reviews, 97(4), 1351–1402. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00019.2016
Brito, S., Basualto, L., & Reyes, L. (2019). Social/Educational Inclusion, in Higher Education Code. Scielo, 13. http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-73782019000200157
Buttar, K. K., Kacker, S., & Saboo, N. (2025). The association between components of health-related physical fitness in healthy adults: A cross-sectional study. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 14(9), 4021–4026. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_328_25
Carrillo-Arango, H. A., Atencio-Osorio, M. A., Martínez-García, D. I., Ossa-Tabares, K. S., Dominguez, L. L., Zapata, J. S., ... & Leyva-Cuero, L. M. (2025). Factores de riesgo asociados a enfermedad cardiovascular en estudiantes universitarios: Factores asociados a riesgo cardiovascular en universitarios. Retos,70, 243–257. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v70.106949
Cebrian-Ponce, A., Serafini, S., Petri, C., Carrasco-Marginet, M., Izzicupo, P., & Mascherini, G. (2024). Somatotype and bioelectrical impedance vector analysis of Italian CrossFit® practitioners. Heliyon, 10 (2024) e29139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29139.
Chacón-Borrego, F., Corral-Pernía, J. A., & Castañeda Vázquez, C. (2020). Condición física en jóvenes y su relación con la actividad física escolar y extraescolar. Revista Interuniversitaria De Formación Del Profesorado. Continuación De La Antigua Revista De Escuelas Normales, 34(1). https://doi.org/10.47553/rifop.v34i1.77077
Corral-Pernía, J. A., & Del-Catillo A. Óscar. (2010). The assessment of VO2 max. and its relationship with cardiovascular risk as a means of teaching-learning. Cuadernos de Psicología del Deporte, 10(2). Disponible en: https://revistas.um.es/cpd/article/view/111231
Escandón, S., Andrade, S., Molina-Cando, M. J., Ramón, F., Zamora, Z., & Ochoa-Avilés, A. (2023). Percentile of physical condition in children and adolescents from Cuenca - Ecuador: alpha-fit battery. Revista Internacional de Medicina y Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte. 23 - 92 191-210. https://doi.org/10.15366/rimcafd2023.92.016 (https://pure.ups.edu.ec/es/publications/percentile-of-physical-condition-in-children-and-adolescents-from/)
Estrada-Araoz, E. G., Churayra-Chura, J. E., Quispe-Loaiza, M. Y., Mamani-Velásquez, D. E., Salas-Luza, C. K., Ventura-Carreón, D. D., ... & Quispe-Herrera, R. (2025). Predictores de la satisfacción con la vida entre estudiantes universitarios peruanos: una mirada desde la dimensión corporal y motivacional. Retos,71, 1–12. https://10.47197/retos.v68.116076
Galán-Arroyo, C., Mendoza-Muñoz, D. M., & Rojo-Ramos, J. (2024). La aptitud física, indicador de un desarrollo saludable en el preadolescente (Physical fitness, indicator of healthy preadolescent development). Retos, 52, 447-456. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v52.99772
García-Manso, J. M.; Navarro-Valdivieso, M. & Ruiz-Caballero, J. A. (1996). Tests for the assessment of motor ability in sport. Evaluación de la condición física. Madrid: Gymnos.
García, G. C., & Secchi, J. D. (2014). 20-meter Test Course Navette with one-minute stages. An original idea that has been around for 30 years. Apunts Med Esport. 49(183):93-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apunts.2014.06.001
Gea-García, G. M., González-Gálvez, N., Espeso-García, A., Marcos-Pardo, P. J., González-Fernández, F. T., & Martínez-Aranda, L. M. (2020). Relationship Between the Practice of Physical Activity and Physical Fitness in Physical Education Students: The Integrated Regulation as a Mediating Variable. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1910. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01910
Guthold, R., Stevens, G. A., Riley, L. M., & Bull, F. C. (2020). Global trends in insufficient physical activity among adolescents: a pooled analysis of 298 population-based surveys with 1·6 million participants. The Lancet. Child & adolescent health, 4(1), 23–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(19)30323-2
Gutierrez-Robledo, G., Garcia-Torres, M., Lopez-Legrá, M., Luque-Lopez, E., & Jover-Garcia, O. (2021). Eating habits and lifestyles associated with obesity in Mexican university students. Gaceta Sanitaria, 35(2), 189-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsa.2020.05.023
Hernandez-Sampieri, R., Fernandez-Collado, C., Baptista-Lucio, P. (2020). Research Methodology. 4 ed. McGraw-Hill, 1990.
Hoeger, W. (1996) Fitness and general well-being. Colorado, Morton Publishing Company.
IHME. Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (2019). Global Burden of Disease Study (GBDS). Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network. Available at: https://www.healthdata.org/research-analysis/gbd.
Jiang, K., Zhang, Z., Fullington, L., Huang, T., Kaliszewski, C., Wei, J., & Wu, S. (2022). Prevalence and associated factors of overweight and obesity among university students: A meta-analysis. Nutrients, 22(14). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14224911
Johnson, R., & Crawford, S. (2022). Prevalence and risk factors for underweight among university students. Journal of the American College Health, 61, 230-236. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448408.2021.1964912
Lamadrid-Castro, S., Arana-Baquero, W de J., Cuello-Cerchiaro, E. J., Suárez-Carrillo, E. B., & Peñuela-Epalza, M. E. (2023). Estilo de vida, Sobrepeso y obesidad en estudiantes de ciencias de la salud durante el confinamiento por COVID-19 en Barranquilla (Colombia). Revista Salud Uninorte , 39 (2), 565-583. Publicación electrónica del 21 de marzo de 2024. https://doi.org/10.14482/sun.39.02.612.986
Lara-Rodríguez, L.M., Juarez-Lozano, R., & Medrano-Donlucas, G. (2023). Physical culture in the university environment: Trend of sports and physical activity options from Mexican students in health sciences. IE. Revista de Investigación Educativa de la Rediech, 4 (14) e1608. https://doi.org/10.33010/ie_rie_rediech.v14i0.1608
Lang, J. J., Prince, S. A., Merucci, K., Cadenas-Sanchez, C., Chaput, J., Fraser, B. J., Manyanga, T., McGrath, R., Ortega, F. B., Singh, B., & Tomkinson, G. R. (2024). Cardiorespiratory fitness is a strong and consistent predictor of morbidity and mortality among adults: an overview of meta-analyses representing over 20.9 million observations from 199 unique cohort studies. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 58(10), 556-566. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-107849
Lin, G., Chen, J., Yan, R., Deng, B., Song, W., Guan, B., & Sun, J. (2025). Effects of maturation stage on physical fitness in youth male team sports players after plyometric training: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine – Open, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-025-00907-9
López-Bueno, R., Andersen, L. L., Koyanagi, A., Núñez-Cortés, R., Calatayud, J., Casaña, J., & Del Pozo Cruz, B. (2022). Thresholds of handgrip strength for all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular mortality: A systematic review with dose-response meta-analysis. Ageing research reviews, 82, 101778. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2022.101778
Lopez-Jaramillo, P., Lopez-Lopez, J. P., Tole, M. C., & Cohen, D. D. (2022). Muscular Strength in Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Narrative Review. Anatolian journal of cardiology, 26(8), 598–607. https://doi.org/10.5152/AnatolJCardiol.2022.1586
Maria, S.A., Nicolae, O. M., Nicola, M., Szekely, A. S., Sorin, S., Dorina, I., Hervás-Gómez, C., Cornelia, P., Florina, G. E., & Teodor, G. V (2025). ump Rope Training Improves Muscular Strength and Cardiovascular Fitness in University Students: A Controlled Educational Intervention. Sports, 13 (9), 307. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports13090307
Martins, H. A., Barbosa, J. G., Seffrin, A., Vivan, L., Souza, V. R. de A., de Lira, C. A. B., Weiss, K., Knechtle, B., & Andrade, M. S. (2023). Sex differences in maximal oxygen uptake adjusted for skeletal muscle mass in amateur endurance athletes: A cross-sectional study. Healthcare, 11(11), 1502. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101502
Martínez, V. R., Sandoval-Copado, J. R., & Aranzana-Juarros, M. (2021). Acceso a la alimentación y hábitos alimentarios de jóvenes universitarios, Estado de México. RESPYN Revista Salud Pública Y Nutrición, 20 (3), 36–45. https://doi.org/10.29105/respyn20.3-5
MEN (2024). The National System of Tertiary Education. Cundinamarca-Bogotá. Available at: https://www.mineducacion.gov.co/portal/decadas/355208:The-Tertiary-Education-National-System.
Montalcini, T., Migliaccio, V., Yvelise, F., Rotundo, S., Mazza, E., Liberato, A., & Pujia, A. (2013). Reference values for handgrip strength in young people of both sexes. Endocrine. 43 (2):342-5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12020-012-9733-9.
Negret, J. (2016). Citizen training, physical culture and sport: strategy for quality training, Revista Cubana de Educación Superior, (1), 4-17. http://scielo.sld.cu/pdf/rces/v35n1/rces01116.pdf
Ochoa-Granda, E. G., Piedra-Espejo, J. I., Sanmartín-Cruz, H. D., Quezada-Vargas, R. L., & Herrera-Piedra, F. A. (2026). Physical Condition, Motor Competence and Cardiometabolic Health in Childhood: Theoretical Bases for Early Prevention, Revista Educación y Ciencia, 7(2), 132-142. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18497337
PAHO. Pan American Health Organization (2022). Enfermedades No Transmisibles, 2022. Available at: https://www.paho.org/es/temas/enfermedades-no-transmisibles#:~:text=El%20consumo%20de%20tabaco%2C%20la,la%20respuesta%20a%20las%20ENT
Parada-Sánchez, H. D., & Gálvez-Pardo, Á, Y. (2022). Body composition and eating habits in university students. Body, culture and movement, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.15332/2422474X.7882.
Pasdar, Y., Darbandi, M., Mirtaher, E., Rezaeian, S., Najafi, F., & Hamzeh, B. (2019). Associations between Muscle Strength with Different Measures of Obesity and Lipid Profiles in Men and Women: Results from RaNCD Cohort Study. Clinical nutrition research, 8(2), 148–158. https://doi.org/10.7762/cnr.2019.8.2.148
Parvin, P., Amiri, P., Masihay-Akbar, H., Khalafehnilsaz, M., Cheraghi, L., Ghanbarian, A., & Azizi, F. (2022). A pragmatic multi-setting lifestyle intervention to improve leisure-time physical activity from adolescence to young adulthood: the vital role of sex and intervention onset time. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act, 19 (65). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12966-022-01301-4
Peña-Ibagon, J. C., Rodriguez Becerra, D., Rincon-Vasqueza, F. J., & Castillo-Daza, C. A. (2021). Relación entre los niveles de actividad física y la condición física autopercibida en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios en Bogotá, Colombia. Fisioterapia 43, 340 – 346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ft.2021.03.005
Pico-Fonseca, S., Quiroz-Mora, C., Hernández-Carrillo, M., Arroyave-Rosero, G., Idrobo-Herrera, I., Burbano-Cadavid, L., Rojas-Padilla, I., & Piñeros-Suárez, A. (2021). Relationship between food consumption pattern and body composition of university students: cross-sectional study. Hospital Nutrition, 38(1), 100-108. Epub April 26, 2021. https://dx.doi.org/10.20960/nh.03132.
Posso-Yépez, M., Flores-Bosmediano, E., BuitrónJácome, P., Osejos, E., Posso-Astudillo, M., & Realpe-Zambrano, Z. E. (2026). Índice de masa corporal y consumo máximo de oxígeno: análisis correlacional y diferencias según sexo y edad de estudiantes universitarios. Retos, 76, 754-768. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v76.118265
Potosí-Moya, V., Paredes-Gómez, R., & Durango-Sánchez, X. (2024). HIIT y su influencia sobre el VO₂max en estudiantes de fisioterapia. Retos, 54, 616–624. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v54.104333
Rodrigues-Bezerra, D., & Ceballos-Bernal, E. A. (2024). Handgrip in university students in Bogotá Colombia. Ciencias de la actividad física (Talca), 25(2), 4. Epub 27 de agosto de 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.29035/rcaf.25.2.4
Rodríguez-Cuadra, R., & Velasco-Ramirez, S. F. (2019). Hand grip strength and physical activity level in university students from Uruapan Michoacán, Mexico. Clinical Nutrition and Hospital Dietetics, 39(3), 109-114. https://doi.org/10.12873/393rodriguez
Rodríguez-Pérez, C., Carreño-Ruíz, S. D., Ortiz-Ojeda, R. F., & Avalos-Lázaro, A. A. (2023). Análisis de la relación entre el índice de masa corporal y la somnolencia diurna en universitarios mexicanos. Revista Española de Nutrición Humana y Dietética, 27(3), 205-212. Epub 17 de mayo de 2024. https://dx.doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.27.3.1918
Rosa-Guillamón, A. (2019). Analysis of the relationship between health, physical exercise and physical fitness in schoolschildren and adolescents, Revista Ciencias de la Actividad Física, 20 (1), pp. 1-15. https://doi.org/10.29035/rcaf.20.1.1 (https://www.redalyc.org/journal/5256/525661507008/html/)
Ruiz-Castellanos, E. J., Sánchez-Rojas, I. A., Rincón Herrera, A. D., Sánchez-Hernández, N. D., Mendoza-Romero, D., & Lozano-Rueda, S. (2021). Niveles de actividad física en adolescentes de Colombia. Revista Iberoamericana De Ciencias De La Actividad Física Y El Deporte, 10(3), 78-98. https://doi.org/10.24310/riccafd.2021.v10i3.12533
Saintila, J., Calizaya-Milla, Y. E., Carranza-Cubas, S. P., Serpa-Barrientos, A., Oblitas-Guerrero, S. M., & Ramos-Vera, C. (2024). Body mass index and healthy lifestyle practices among Peruvian university students: a comparative study among academic discipline. Frontiers in nutrition, 11, 1361394. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1361394
Scarfó, F., (2015). Human Rights Education and tertiary education: a mutual and multiplying need. I meet again. Analysis of University Problems, (70), 25-46. Available at: https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/340/34046812003.pdf.
Seyam, M. K. (2025). Prevalence of obesity and associated risk factors among university students using the newly developed Student Lifestyle and Obesity Risk Questionnaire (SLORQ): a cross-sectional study. PeerJ 13:e19556 http://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.19556
Soysal, P., Hurst, C., Demurtas, J., Firth, J., Howden, R., Yang, L., Tully, M. A., Koyanagi, A., Ilie, P. C., López-Sánchez, G. F., Schwingshackl, L., Veronese, N., & Smith, L. (2021). Handgrip strength and health outcomes: Umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses of observational studies. Journal of sport and health science, 10(3), 290–295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jshs.2020.06.009
Suárez León, M. V., Ramos-Bermúdez, S., Ramírez-García, C. M., García-García, A. M., & Castrillón-Rendón, B. S. (2025). Prevalencia de sarcopenia en estudiantes universitarios colombianos mediante fuerza de prensión manual y perímetro de pantorrilla corregido por IMC. Retos, 62, 862-871. https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v62.110131
Sugie, M., Harada, K., Takahashi, T., Nara, M., Ishikawa, J., Tanaka, J., Koyama, T., Fujimoto, H., Obuchi, S., Kyo, S., & Ito, H. (2018), Relationship between hand grip strength and peak VO2 in community-dwelling elderly outpatients. JCSM Clinical Reports, 3: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.17987/jcsm-cr.v3i1.48
Ventura-Cruz, V. A., Pacheco-Ferreira, L. M., Torres Polanco, Z., Luzón-Sala, H., & Ventura De León, R. (2025). Análisis del estado nutricional y su incidencia en la fuerza prensil de estudiantes del nivel secundario. Revista Multidisciplinaria Voces de América y el Caribe, 2(2), 288-305. https://doi.org/10.69821/REMUVAC.v2i2.233
Villalobos, C., Kuzmanic, D., Valenzuela, J. P., & Quaresma, M. L. (2022). Social Perceptions of Elite Higher Education Students: A Chilean Case Study. Scielo, 31. http://dx.doi.org/10.7764/psykhe.2020.22549.
Visseren, F. L. J., MacH, F., Smulders, Y. M., Carballo, D., Koskinas, K. C., Bäck, M., Benetos, A., Biffi, A., Boavida, J. M., Capodanno, D., Cosyns, B., Crawford, C., Davos, C. H., Desormais, I., DI Angelantonio, E., Franco, O. H., Halvorsen, S., Hobbs, F. D. R., Hollander, M., … & Williams, B. (2021). 2021 ESC Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice. European Heart Journal, 42(34), 3227-3337. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehab484
WHO. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2024). Malnutrición. Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/malnutrition
WHO. World Health Organization. (2023). Obesidad y sobrepeso. Editor, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
WHO. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2022). Enfermedades no transmisibles, 2022. Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/noncommunicable-diseases.
WHO. World Health Organization. (2020). Obesity and overweight. Editor, Bulletin of the World Health Organization, WHO Available at: http://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight
WHO. Organización Mundial de la Salud. (2017). Who publishes a new edition of the report on monitoring progress on non-communicable diseases. Available at: https://www.who.int/es/news/item/18-09-2017-who-launches-new-ncds-progress-monitor
Williamson, T., Moran, C., Chirico, D., Arena, R., Ozemek, C., Aggarwal, S., Campbell, T., & Laddu, D. (2021). Cancer and cardiovascular disease: The impact of cardiac rehabilitation and cardiorespiratory fitness on survival. International journal of cardiology, 343, 139–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcard.2021.09.004
Zhou, X. D., Chen, Q. F., Yang, W., Zuluaga, M., Targher, G., Byrne, C. D., Valenti, L., Luo, F., Katsouras, C. S., Thaher, O., Misra, A., Ataya, K., Oviedo, R. J., Pik-Shan Kong, A., Alswat, K., Lonardo, A., Wong, Y. J., Abu-Abeid, A., Al Momani, H., Ali, A., … Zheng, M. H. (2024). Burden of disease attributable to high body mass index: an analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. EClinicalMedicine, 76, 102848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102848
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Carlos Federico Ayala Zuluaga, Javier Eduardo Castrillón Escudero, Ángela María Medina Quintero, Laura María Echeverry Cardona
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and ensure the magazine the right to be the first publication of the work as licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of authorship of the work and the initial publication in this magazine.
- Authors can establish separate additional agreements for non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in the journal (eg, to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Is allowed and authors are encouraged to disseminate their work electronically (eg, in institutional repositories or on their own website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as to a subpoena more Early and more of published work (See The Effect of Open Access) (in English).
This journal provides immediate open access to its content (BOAI, http://legacy.earlham.edu/~peters/fos/boaifaq.htm#openaccess) on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. The authors may download the papers from the journal website, or will be provided with the PDF version of the article via e-mail.
