ANALYSIS OF SELECTED PHYSICAL FITNESS VARIABLES BETWEEN MONGOLOID AND DRAVIDIAN FEMALE COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

The objective of this study is to analyse selected physical fitness variables among Mongoloid
and Dravidian female college students aged 18 to 23 years. The specific aims include assessing the
differences in physical fitness between Mongoloid and Dravidian female college students and
examining the effects of race and age on selected physical fitness variables, namely muscular
endurance, flexibility, and agility. A total of 600 participants, consisting of 300 Mongoloid and 300
Dravidian female college students, were selected using a random sampling method. The subjects were
categorized into three age groups: 18-19 years, 20-21 years, and 22-23 years, with all individuals
engaging in a minimum of 30 minutes of daily physical activity or exercise. To evaluate the variations
in physical fitness variables concerning race and age groups, a two-way analysis of variance (2x3
ANOVA) was employed. When a statistically significant F-value was obtained, simple effect and least
significant difference (LSD) post hoc tests were utilized to determine the effects and pairwise mean
differences. The results indicated a significant difference in muscular endurance, flexibility, and agility
between Mongoloid and Dravidian college students, irrespective of age. Additionally, significant
differences in flexibility were observed among the three age groups, while muscular endurance and
agility did not display significant differences. Furthermore, a significant interaction was found
concerning agility relative to race and age, whereas no interactions were evident for muscular
endurance and flexibility. The variations in physical fitness levels between Mongoloid and Dravidian
female college students can be attributed to numerous factors, including heredity, environment,
nutrition, disease, socioeconomic status, urbanization, physical activity, and climatic conditions.