Co-Relation Between Pulmonary Function and Physical Fitness in Middle Age Adults - An Observational Study

Background Pulmonary function and physical fitness decline progressively with age, yet limited evidence exists on their inter- relationship in middle-aged adults. Understanding this correlation is important for designing preventive strategies to maintain respiratory health and functional capacity.  Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 adults aged 40–59 years, divided into four age groups (n=25 each). Physical activity levels were assessed using the IPAQ, and pulmonary function was evaluated with spirometry, measuring FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC ratio, and MVV. Pearson correlation and ANOVA were applied for statistical analysis.  Results People who were more active generally had better lung function, and this trend was especially clear in the youngest subgroup (40–44 years) between IPAQ and FVC (r=0.41, p<0.05) and MVV (r=0.42, p<0.05). In older subgroups (45–59 years), correlations weakened and did not reach statistical significance. MVV demonstrated the strongest responsiveness to physical activity, while FEV1/FVC ratios remained relatively stable across all groups.  Conclusion Physical activity is positively associated with pulmonary function in early middle age, particularly influencing ventilatory capacity and respiratory muscle strength. These associations diminish with advancing age, highlighting the importance of maintaining regular physical activity from early middle age to mitigate age-related decline in pulmonary health.