A019: The Effects of Badminton Exercise on Body Composition and Physical Fitness in Female College Students

With the increasing focus on health and the widespread participation in physical activities, badminton has become a popular sport due to its accessibility and benefits. It improves physical fitness, cardiovascular functions, flexibility, and coordination. Particularly among female college students, it offers both recreational enjoyment and a means to enhance physical and mental well-being. This study investigates the effects of badminton on body composition and physical fitness among female college students, providing insights into its potential application in physical education. A total of 50 female sophomore students from H University, aged 20.8±1.6 years, were selected as participants. None had prior professional training in badminton. The intervention consisted of a 90-minute badminton class twice a week for three months. Pre- and post-intervention tests were conducted to evaluate changes in body composition (height, weight, BMI, WHR) and physical fitness indicators, including muscular strength (grip strength, back strength), endurance (sit-ups), flexibility (sit-and-reach), and cardiopulmonary function (resting heart rate, vital capacity, 1-second rate, MVV). Data were analyzed using paired t-tests with significance set at p < 0.05. Post-intervention results revealed significant improvements in WHR (p < 0.05), muscular strength (grip strength and back strength, p < 0.05), endurance (sit-ups, p < 0.05), and flexibility (sit-and-reach, p < 0.05). Cardiopulmonary function indicators also improved significantly, including a decrease in resting heart rate and increases in vital capacity, 1-second rate, and MVV (p < 0.05). However, no significant changes were observed in BMI, height, or weight. This study demonstrates that badminton has significant effects on improving physical fitness and cardiopulmonary function in female college students, particularly in terms of enhancing muscular strength, flexibility, and endurance. As a full-body aerobic activity, badminton effectively stimulates multiple muscle groups and promotes overall fitness. The observed improvements in cardiopulmonary indicators, such as reduced resting heart rate and increased vital capacity, 1-second rate, and maximum voluntary ventilation, suggest that badminton contributes to better cardiac efficiency and pulmonary function. However, the findings also reveal limited impact on overall body composition, as no significant changes were observed in BMI, height, or weight. This may be attributed to the relatively short intervention period and the participants’ healthy baseline characteristics. Future studies should explore the long-term effects of badminton training, incorporate diverse participant profiles, and refine training protocols to maximize benefits.