Relationship between Cardio-respiratory Capacity and Academic Performance among Medical Female Ex-Students: Body Mass Index Effect

Introduction: This study examined the effects of Body Mass Index (BMI) on Cardiorespiratory Capacity (CRC) and explored the relationship between CRC and Academic Performance (AP) among female medical ex-students at Prince Sattam bin Abdul Aziz University (PSAU). Understanding these associations could highlight the role of physical fitness in academic success.Methods: A sample of 150 female ex-students, aged 23.3±0.6 years, was categorized into normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m²) and overweight (BMI 25–29.9 kg/m²) groups. BMI was calculated to determine weight status, CRC was assessed using the 20-m shuttle run test (VO2max), and AP was evaluated through academic grades (AG) and academic abilities (AA) using the Spanish Test of Educational Abilities. Statistical analyses included independent t-tests and Pearson’s correlation.Results: Normal-weight participants demonstrated significantly higher CRC (VO2max = 55.3 ±4.9 mL.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹) than overweight participants (50.8 ±4.2 mL.kg⁻¹.min⁻¹, p=0.03). Additionally, normal-weight participants scored higher in both AA (58.82 ±9.7 vs. 59.64 ±10.04, p=0.04) and AG (3.4 ±0.6 vs. 3.7 ±0.5, p=0.032). BMI negatively correlated with CRC (r = -0.20, p=0.024), while CRC positively correlated with AA (r = 0.18, p=0.015) and AG (r = 0.24, p=0.043).Conclusions: Higher CRC was associated with better academic performance, while increased BMI correlated with lower CRC. The findings suggest that promoting physical fitness may be beneficial for academic success among female medical students at PSAU.