Characterising Functional Exercise Capacity among University Students in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries
A cross-sectional study characterised field-assessed functional exercise capacity and selected NCD-related health markers among students at Kuwait University.
Functional exercise capacity, assessed as observed distance on the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT), is a field-based indicator relevant to cardiometabolic health. However, it remains poorly characterised among university students in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. A cross-sectional study characterised field-assessed functional exercise capacity and selected NCD-related health markers among students at Kuwait University.
The study used a pragmatic convenience sample of 389 Kuwait University students, with 76.3% female and a mean age of 20.2 years. Participants completed the ISWT between 28 July and 4 December 2025, alongside assessments of physical activity (IPAQ-SF), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), anthropometric measurements, and resting clinical indicators.
The primary outcome was observed ISWT distance, with a mean of 439.1 ± 306.0 m and a median of 360 m. Males walked significantly further than females, with a difference of 596.7 ± 388.1 m vs. 390.3 ± 257.5 m, p < 0.001.
The study's results highlight the need for further research on functional exercise capacity among university students in GCC countries. Understanding the factors that influence this capacity is crucial for developing targeted interventions to promote cardiometabolic health in this population.
It is essential to note that this study had a limited sample size and focused on a specific population. Therefore, the findings should be interpreted with caution and not extrapolated to other groups.
This study contributes to the existing literature on functional exercise capacity, providing valuable insights into the characteristics of this important field-based indicator among university students in GCC countries.