Impact of two consecutive COVID-19 outbreaks on the physical fitness in college students: a five-year longitudinal study

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected global public health, yet the long-term and compounded effects of consecutive outbreaks on university students’ physical fitness remain underexplored. This study investigates the multifaceted impact of two consecutive COVID-19 outbreaks—the initial global pandemic in late 2019 and a localized campus outbreak in late 2022—on college students’ physical fitness over five year. A longitudinal analysis was conducted using five consecutive years (2019–2023) of physical fitness test data from 74,394 undergraduate students at Chizhou University. Fitness indicators included body mass index (BMI), vital capacity, 50-m dash, standing long jump, sit-and-reach, pull-ups (male)/sit-ups (female), and 1000-m (male)/800-m (female) run. Non-parametric tests examined annual changes stratified by gender and BMI category. The two outbreaks affected fitness components differently. Overweight and obesity rates increased significantly, especially in 2023. Endurance running and 50-m dash performance declined during both outbreak periods. Total fitness scores decreased during outbreaks but were significantly higher in 2023 than in 2020. Conversely, vital capacity, sit-and-reach, and pull-ups/sit-ups markedly improved in 2023. Gender-specific trends appeared across multiple indicators. Underweight and obesity students showed gradual total score improvements over time, while normal-weight and overweight groups experienced initial declines followed by recovery. Two consecutive COVID-19 outbreaks exerted complex and divergent effects on college students’ physical fitness. Body weight and sprint performance were negatively impacted, but the second outbreak saw improvements in several indicators—likely due to more structured online physical education and increased exercise awareness. These findings underscore the need for adaptive, resilient physical education strategies and targeted health interventions in response to public health crises.