Flexibility and body composition: An analysis of sit-and-reach performance and body mass index in first-year undergraduate students

Flexibility and body composition are important components of physical fitness and play a key role in health promotion and disease prevention. As sedentary lifestyles increase worldwide, it is important to assess health indicators in different populations, particularly in the Philippines, where the prevalence of overweight and obesity is rising. This study examined the relationship between flexibility and body composition using the sit-and-reach test and body mass index (BMI). A cross-sectional observational design was applied to 130 first-year undergraduate students at Nueva Ecija University of Science and Technology in the Philippines. Data on age, height, weight, and BMI were collected, and flexibility was assessed using the sit-and-reach test. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and t-tests were used for data analysis. The results showed sex-based differences in demographic and body composition characteristics, with males generally having higher BMI values and females showing a higher prevalence of underweight. Although flexibility scores varied widely among participants, no statistically significant relationship was found between flexibility and sex, age, or BMI. These findings highlight the complex nature of flexibility and suggest that future studies should consider lifestyle factors, levels of physical activity, and genetic influences when designing health interventions for university students.