Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Language

English

Publication Date

1-1-2026

Journal

PLoS One

DOI

10.1371/journal.pone.0342089

PMID

41734159

PMCID

PMC12931746

PubMedCentral® Posted Date

2-24-2026

PubMedCentral® Full Text Version

Post-print

Abstract

Background: The decline in health-related physical fitness resulting from physical inactivity remains a critical global public health concern. Technology-supported fitness self-testing has the potential not only to improve students' testing experiences but also to enhance their health-related fitness. However, the effectiveness of such approaches has not yet been systematically examined, and their validity within university populations remains largely unestablished.

Method: A quasi-experimental research design with a control group (n = 45) and an experimental group (n = 44), incorporating pre- and post-tests, was employed in this study. The experimental group completed monthly self-testing sessions accompanied by GAI-generated instant feedback over a 16-week period, whereas the control group participated in general physical education classes that included multiple physical activities. Health-related fitness (HRF) was assessed using BMI, the one-mile run, pull-ups, and sit and reach tests. VO₂max was included as a covariate to control for baseline differences in HRF between the two groups. Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of covariance (RM-MANCOVA) was conducted to examine the effects of the intervention on HRF outcomes.

Results: After controlling for baseline VO2max, RM-MANCOVA indicated significant time × group interaction for sit and reach (p < 0.001) and one-mile run (p < 0.05), with the intervention group demonstrating significant improvement in both tests. However, no significant differences were observed between groups for body mass index (BMI) and the pull-ups test.

Conclusions: These findings suggested that HRF self-testing with instant GAI feedback was an effective intervention for improving certain HRF components, particularly flexibility and aerobic fitness. Further research is necessary to explore the long-term effects of self-testing and its application across diverse populations.

Keywords

Humans, Male, Physical Fitness, Students, Universities, Young Adult, China, Self-Testing, Adult, Adolescent, East Asian People

Published Open-Access

yes

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