Naslov
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on different health outcomes among university students in Croatia

Autori
Čule, Marko ; Milinović, Ivan ; Anić, Nikolina

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Poglavlja u knjigama, znanstveni

Knjiga
Physical activity and health aspects of COVID-19 pandemic

Urednik/ci
Knjaz, Damir ; Novak, Dario ; Antala, Branislav

Izdavač
Kineziološki fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu ; Fédération Internationale d´Éducation Physique et Sportive (FIEP Europe)

Grad
Zagreb

Godina
2021

Raspon stranica
177-184

ISBN
978-953-317-067-1

Ključne riječi
students ; COVID-19 ; body composition ; physical activity ; differences ; cardiovascular system

Sažetak
The aim of this study is to assess the level of physical activity in students at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and to establish the differences between physically active and physically inactive students in terms of body fat percentage, the BMI, heart rate and blood ressure. In this cross-sectional study, the respondents were 129 university students (mean age: 19.58, mean height: 170.87 cm, mean weight: 71.63 kg, mean body mass index: 24.40 kg/m2). Physical activity was assessed with a validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-short version). As a measure of physical activity, we considered students’ total physical activity in the last 7 days. We grouped the respondents into two categories: (1) physically inactive and (2) minimally active. Body composition parameters were assessed by using bioelectric impedance analysis. The differences between the two groups were analyzed by using the Student t-test and Man-Whitney U-test. The significance level was set up at p<0.05. Approximately 45% of the respondents did not meet the minimum recommended requirements laid down by the World Health Organization (WHO). The physically inactive had a higher body fat percentage (p <0.000), a higher viscelar fat percentage (p <0.000), a higher heart rate (p <0.000) and a higher BMI (p <0.000). The physically active had a higher muscle mass percentage (p <0, 000) and a lower heart rate (systolic pressure: p <0, 000 and diastolic pressure: p <0, 024). The results of the study indicate that the students who do not meet the minimum physical activity recommendations have body composition and cardiovascular parameters that are not within the recommended ones in comparison to the students who are minimally to extremely active. Physical activity should become a regular part of our daily life, especially during pandemics, so as to make our organism stronger, thereby reducing the chances of developing various diseases.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Kineziologija

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