Physical characteristics of an urban sample of citizens aged 18-64 years in Douala, Cameroon: prevention of non-communicable diseases

Physical fitness of Cameroonian adults

Abstract

Little information concerning physical fitness among Africans exists, despite the growing prevalence of non-communicable diseases and sedentariness. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the general physical fitness of participants through a cardiac fitness test. A cross-sectional study using the Ruffier Test (RT) was conducted in 1146 healthy adults (548 women) aged 18-64 years in Douala city, Cameroon. After RT, the Ruffier Index (RI) was determined. Men had lower RI compared to that of women (6.6 ± 4.2 vs 8.7 ± 3.9). Normal weight and overweight women had lower RI (6.5 ± 4.2; 6.0 ± 4.3) compared to those of men (8.7 ± 4.1; 8.9 ± 4.0). However, similar RI were observed in underweight and obese women (8.1 ± 3.4; 7.9 ± 3.4) and men (8.6 ± 3.9; 7.2 ± 4.1). The RI were also similar in men and women (12.1 ± 1.4 vs 12.0 ± 1.2) in the low-heart type. For the normal and robust heart types, RI were significant lower in men compared to those of women in 23.91% vs 22.60% normal and 16.14% vs 8.20% robust participants. Exceptional heart type showed similar values of RI in men and women in 2.36% vs 0.52% participants. Significant dependence of RI on age was found despite the low polynomial regression between both parameters. All these results showed the population not sufficiently active, especially young adults, and a gender difference in physical fitness.