Physical Fitness Characterization by Obesity Level in Young Males with Poor Physical Fitness

Lack of physical fitness in obese people, recent decline in physical fitness of young people, and physical fitness problems of thin people are a concern. We investigated the physical fitness characteristics of different obese groups comprising young males with poor physical fitness. Technical college students (144 males; age, 15.9 ± 1.1 y; height, 169.1 ± 5.9 cm; weight, 60.0 ± 13.3 kg) took the physical fitness test of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and were judged to have lower than normal physical fitness in a comprehensive evaluation of the MEXT physical test. Three groups with different obesity levels were formed according to their percent body fat (%BF): thin (<15%), normal (15% 25%), and obese (>25%). The obese group had stronger grip than the thin and normal groups but was inferior to the thin group in 20-m shuttle run, standing broad jump, 50-m run, and total score. The test requiring large physical movements revealed that the obese group was inferior in power and endurance. Therefore, among young males with poor physical fitness, obese individuals have different physical fitness characteristics than thin and normal individuals; they are inferior to normal and thin individuals in runningand jumping-related power and endurance but superior in muscle strength.