engleski

Relationship between students physical activity level and self-perceived health status

Aims: To establish the level of physical activity of female students from Zadar University and the relationship between their established level of physical activity and subjective assessment of health. Methods: Survey data collection was conducted on a sample of 312 female students from the University of Zadar with the average age 21.68 and standard deviation 1.54 years. Physical activity level was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire – long form. Four domains of physical activity and the total physical activity were calculated based on the items of the International Physical Activity questionnaire. The total score of physical activity level was calculated by summing the activity in four domains: work-related physical activity, transport-related physical activity, domestic physical activity and leisure-time physical activity. Self-perceived health status was assessed using the Medical Outcomes Study Short Forms Questionnaire. Eight subscales of health status were calculated based on the items of the Questionnaire. Results: The student’s median total physical activity was 64.75 MET-hour/week, and the highest energy consumption was achieved in the domestic physical activity domain (16.17 MET-hour/weeks). The results indicate that the level of physical activity is associated with some subjective indicators of health. The largest positive correlation was obtained for the total physical activity and mental health, while the physical activity at work and domestic physical activity were negatively associated with some components of health. Better student's mental health and vitality contributes to higher physical activity in leisure-time. Conclusion: The main conclusion of the research indicates the existence of a statistically significant correlation between the level of physical activity of female students and their subjective assessment of certain components of health status. The evidence on the positive relationship of physical activity with health indicators can potentially be used to support evidence-based promotion of physical activity in a university setting, and as a hypothesis for future longitudinal studies on such potential causal relationships.

correlation ; health status ; promotion of physical activity ; students

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