Influence of Nutritional and Health Status on Physical Fitness in the Working Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

¹ Department of Public Health Nutrition, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro, Central Java, Indonesia
² Research Center of Public Health Nutrition and Maternal and Child Health, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia
³ Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro, Central Java, Indonesia
⁴ Department of Biostatistics and Population Studies, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Diponegoro, Central Java, Indonesia

^* Corresponding fatimahpradig@gmail.com

Abstract

Physical fitness reflects the ability to perform daily tasks efficiently without excessive fatigue and is influenced by factors such as nutritional status, health status, and lifestyle. Good physical fitness enhances productivity and resilience to illness. This study examines the relationship between nutritional status, health status, and physical fitness among employees in an academic setting. A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted involving 81 employees from a selected university in Central Java. The study variables included nutritional status, measured by Body Mass Index (BMI); health status, assessed through blood pressure and blood glucose levels; and physical fitness level. Data were analyzed using univariate and bivariate analysis with the Chi-Square test. A p-value < 0.05 indicates a significant relationship between variables. Most respondents (64.2%) showed good fitness, 59.3% were overweight or obese, and 76.5% had central obesity. Most subjects had normal random blood sugar levels (75.3%) and were non-hypertensive (77.8%). BMI was significantly correlated with physical fitness level of subjects (p=0.003), with overweight and obese individuals being 5.6 times more likely to have poor physical fitness (OR=5.6, 95% CI: 1.85-16.94). No significant associations were found for gender (p=1.000), waist circumference (p=0.476), blood sugar (p=0.209), or hypertension (p=0.556). BMI significantly impacted physical fitness, with overweight employees at higher risk of poor fitness. Thus, maintaining body weight is essential to improve physical fitness and support productivity among employees.