Physical Fitness with Regular Lifestyle Is Positively Related to Academic Performance among Chinese Medical and Dental Students

Abstract

Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between physical fitness, lifestyle, and academic performance of Chinese college students and investigate the differences among medical and dental students on their lifestyle. Methods. This study was conducted with 316 students enrolled from 2012 to 2014 at Tongji University. Scores from the college physical test were used to represent the students' physical fitness condition. Lifestyle was measured by some variables extracted from the students' behavior data provided by the university's information center. Academic performance was measured by the average score of basic courses and the average score of professional courses. Demographic information, including age, gender, nation, and family background, was also obtained. Separate multiple linear regression analysis was performed for modeling academic performance and physical fitness with a p value threshold of 0.05. Results. A total of 212 (45.97% females) medical students and 104 (58.65% females) dental students participated in this study. Physical fitness score (medical: r = 0.34, p<0.001; dental: r = 0.47, p<0.001), library visiting frequency (medical: r = 0.30, p<0.001; dental: r = 0.62, p<0.001), number of books borrowed (medical: r = 0.19, p<0.01; dental: r = 0.37, p<0.001), frequency of waking up early (medical: r = 0.29, p<0.001; dental: r = -0.30, p<0.01), and times of eating breakfast (medical: r = 0.49, p<0.001; dental: r = 0.47, p<0.001) were all significantly associated with academic performance. Library visiting frequency (medical: r = 0.26, p<0.001; dental: r = 0.41, p<0.001) and eating frequency (medical: r = 0.48, p<0.001; dental: r = 0.42, p<0.001) were also closely related with physical fitness. Conclusion. Physical fitness, library usage, and the regularity of lifestyle are significant contributors to academic performance among Chinese medical and dental students. Moreover, medical students are shown to have less rest time compared to dental students.