Spatial non-equilibrium and distribution dynamic evolution of the development level of national physical fitness in China’s provinces

Introduction: Physical health is fundamental to a country’s socio-economic advancement. An in-depth exploration of the spatial distribution and dynamic evolution of national physical fitness across China is crucial for enhancing the country’s overall physical health. This study aims to provide valuable insights into the geographical and temporal patterns of physical fitness, informing strategies for national physical fitness improvement. Methods: Employing data from China’s national physical fitness monitoring of 31 provinces, cities, and districts for the years 2005, 2010, and 2015, this study utilizes the Gini coefficient, its decomposition, and nonparametric density estimation methods. These techniques are applied to analyze the spatial disparities and temporal trends in national physical fitness levels among different demographics, including the overall population, males, females, and urban and rural residents. Results: The study reveals that the regional disparity in China’s national physical fitness initially narrowed and then expanded across the general population, females, and in both urban and rural areas, while consistently increasing among males. In terms of geographical distribution, the East, Middle, and West regions show significant heterogeneity, with the East-West gap being the most pronounced (Gini coefficients of 0.0249, 0.0230, 0.0263). The contribution rate of regional gaps was highest (54.40% -64.69%), followed by regional disparities (24.78% -27.15%), and the contribution of hypervariable density difference was the smallest (10.53% -19.75%). Despite a slight improvement in overall national physical fitness, the absolute regional disparities have further widened. Conclusions: Provinces with lower levels of national physical fitness demonstrate a ’club convergence’ trend, indicating regional clustering of similar fitness levels. Additionally, a ’catch-up effect’ is evident in rural areas, particularly in provinces with historically lower levels of national physical fitness. These findings suggest the need for region-specific public health strategies to address the growing disparities in national physical fitness across China.