Sex-Based Differences in Anthropometric and Resting Physiological Variables Among Collegiate Athletes of the Malwa Region, Punjab

Introduction: Biological sex influences athletic performance due to differences in morphology and physiology connected to sex chromosomes and hormones. While there is substantial research on these differences in Western populations, there is a lack of regional data in India, especially among collegiate athletes in Malwa region of Punjab. Developing localized anthropometric and physiological profiles is vital for talent identification, tailored training, and injury risk reduction in sports. Objective: This study aims to compare selected anthropometric variables (arm length, leg length, height, weight, Body Mass Index) and resting physiological variables (resting pulse rate, blood pressure, vital capacity, and respiratory rate) between male and female collegiate athletes from the Malwa region of Punjab. Methods: A cross-sectional comparative design was employed using simple random sampling, involving 400 collegiate athletes (200 males and 200 females, aged 18-25) from various universities in the Malwa region. Standardized equipment was used for data collection, which was analyzed using descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests, applying Cohen’s d for effect size analysis. Results: Analyses indicated significant sex-based differences in height (t(398) = -10.01, p .05). Conclusion: Height and weight exhibit clear sex-based differences, consistent with biological dimorphism, while resting physiological variables show relative similarity between genders, suggesting that uniform training and regional homogeneity may equalize baseline physiological adaptations

Analysis of variance · Anthropometry · Athletes · Descriptive statistics · Genetics and Physical Performance · Sports injuries and prevention · Sports Performance and Training

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