Correlational Analysis between Fat-Free Mass and Physical Performance in College Students

Authors

Rhea Misra, University of the PacificFollow
Giselle Murillo, University of the PacificFollow
Fraz Tahir, University of the PacificFollow
Tianou Zhang, University of the PacificFollow

Abstract

Fat-free mass (FFM), the body’s metabolically active tissue excluding fat, plays a critical role in strength, endurance, and overall physical performance. PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to investigate the association between FFM and physical performance in college students. METHODS: FFM was evaluated using the BodPod in a sample of 21 male and 12 female students. Various performance metrics were measured, including handgrip strength, aerobic capacity (via VO₂max test), anaerobic capacity (peak power and peak force through Wingate test), vertical jump height, and broad jump distance. Spearman correlations were used to evaluate correlations between FFM and performance metrics, stratified by sex where p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Significant correlations found only in male participants included FFM vs. VO₂max (r = 0.6815, p=0.0073), FFM vs. peak power (r = 0.7719, p=0.0248), and FFM vs. peak force (r = 0.5732, p=0.0203) while in female participants, the only significant correlation was FFM vs. peak force (r = 0.6450, p=0.0441). However, after combining the data regardless of sex, FFM showed significant positive correlations with handgrip strength (r = 0.7715, p < 0.0001) and VO₂max (r =0.8035, p < 0.0001). FFM also correlated with broad jump distance (r = 0.4806, p < 0.05) and anaerobic capacity (peak force: r = 0.8167, p < 0.0001; relative peak power: r = -0.6246, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: FFM is strongly associated with muscular strength, aerobic, and anaerobic performance, particularly in males. In females, FFM is linked to peak force. These findings highlight sex-specific differences in body composition impacting physical performance and emphasize the importance of FFM for optimal performance outcomes.

Recommended Citation

Misra, Rhea; Murillo, Giselle; Tahir, Fraz; and Zhang, Tianou (2025) "Correlational Analysis between Fat-Free Mass and Physical Performance in College Students," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 14: Iss. 5, Article 15.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol14/iss5/15