Original scientific paper

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

Jelena Alić orcid.org/0000-0002-5460-9618 ; University of Zadar, Department of teacher and preschool teacher education, Zadar, Croatia
Eugenija Basioli Kasap ; General hospital Zadar, Department of internal medicine, Division of pulmology, Zadar, Croatia
Srna Jenko Miholić ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of teacher education, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

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.

Keywords

correlation; health status; promotion of physical activity; students

Hrčak ID:

272390

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/272390

Publication date:

10.2.2022.

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