Study on Physical Health and Exercise Prescription Intervention for College Students

In recent years, university students' declining fitness—rising weight and reduced aerobic capacity—became a global public health issue. In 2022, 32.8% of China's male university students were overweight and inactive, to their physical and mental detriment. This 12-week randomized controlled trial evenly sorted 180 undergraduates into intervention and control groups by gender and body mass index (BMI). Key outcomes (BMI, vital capacity, resting heart rate, body fat percentage, Symptom Checklist-90 scores) were measured at Weeks 0, 6, and 12. The intervention group (thrice weekly 60-minute warm-up, interval running, resistance training, and relaxation sessions) showed significant improvements: vital capacity (+305 ml, p < .01), body fat (-2.2%, p < .05), BMI (-0.8 kg/m2, p < .05), and lower Symptom Checklist-90 anxiety/depression scores (p < .05). Training compliance (≥ 80%) correlated with better outcomes, confirming exercise prescriptions' enhancement of student health and supporting stratified youth models, especially in Asian higher education.