engleski

Physical activity and health-related mobile applications

Physical activity nowadays involves the use of various health- and exercise-related applications on smartphones and smartwatches. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the levels of physical activity and the usage frequency of smartphone and smartwatch health-related applications. A total of 128 kinesiology and physiotherapy students filled out The International Physical Activity Questionnaire – Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and answered questions about the frequency of using health-related applications. Based on the IPAQ-SF, the domains of physical activity were calculated: physical activity of vigorous-intensity, physical activity of moderate-intensity, and walking. It has been found that a total of 79.7% of participants use health-oriented applications and functions on their smartphones. They mostly use smartphones to track the type and amount of physical activity – 40.6% of them is using this function more than five days a week. Vigorous physical activity is positively related to smartphone applications for exercising (timers, exercise programs), a stopwatch, and programs for running. Participants engaged in moderate physical activity, and those who walk more use the stopwatch on their smartphones for exercise more often. Just over half of the students use a smartwatch (53.1%). They use them for tracking the type and amount of physical activity (33.6%) and heart rate monitoring (26.6%) more than five days a week. Positive correlations were found between vigorous physical activity and using the smartwatch for monitoring sleep quality and hydration, and using it as a stopwatch while exercising. Results indicate that students use more often applications on their smartphones than on smartwatches, and for slightly different reasons.

physical activity, health-related applications, exercising, mental health

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