Physical activity patterns and socio-demographic correlates of physical activity among medical undergraduates in Sri Lanka: an observational study

[Relationship between sleep problems and pattern of physical activity of university students in the pandemicRelación entre los problemas de sueño y el patrón de actividad física de los universitarios en la pandemia]

Objective

The objective of this study was to characterize health students who in the Covid-19 pandemic acquired sleep problems and those physically inactive, relating these conditions.

Methods

Data were collected in 2020 electronic. To characterize sleep problems, we considered: difficulties to start, dissatisfaction with sleep and staying asleep, whether the sleep time is enough to feel good and sleep problems acquired during the pandemic. For physical inactivity, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The chi-square test of heterogeneity and linear trend was used.

Results

Participated 656 students. The prevalence of sleep problems was 48.8%, and physical inactivity 54.6%. Both more frequent in older patients who reported worsening of feeding (p<0.05). Longer social distance was associated with physical inactivity (p=0.020), while greater feeling of anxiety, sadness or worry (p=0.013) and higher alcohol consumption increased sleep problems (0.031).

Conclusions

It was concluded that sleep problems and physical inactivity were more frequent in older students with worsening diet. Longer social distance was associated with physical inactivity, and increased anxiety, sadness or worry and alcohol consumption increased sleep problems.

Sociodemographic and academic factors associated with unhealthy lifestyle among Brazilian nursing students

This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and academic factors associated with unhealthy lifestyles among Brazilian undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study was completed by 286 nursing students in Brazil. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine the association between sociodemographic and academic variables with the latent lifestyle indicator. The model fit's validity was assessed using Akaike information coefficient estimation, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and the ROC curve. A high health risk lifestyle was 2.7 times more likely among students aged 18-24 years than students aged 25 years or older (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = [1.18, 6.54] p = 0.02); 2.3 times more likely among students with ≥400 h of semester time (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = [0.93, 5.90], p = 0.07); and 3.8 times more likely among female students (OR = 3.8, 95% CI = [0.82, 8.12], p = 0.09). A moderate health risk lifestyle was 1.8 times more likely among students from the 6th to 10th semesters (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = [-0.95, 3.75], p = 0.07). Sociodemographic and academic factors were associated with unhealthy lifestyles. Health promotion efforts are necessary to improve nursing students' health behaviors.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Physical Activity among Medical Students from the Western Balkans

The student population includes young adults who need nutrition and regular physical activity (PA) for mental, cognitive, and physical development. It is estimated that, globally, only 25–40% of the university student population is involved in regular PA. To date, no research has been conducted in the Western Balkans to address the PA of medical students. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and factors influencing PA among medical students from the Western Balkans. A cross-sectional study included 2452 students from 14 medical faculties in five countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia). There were significantly more students who engaged than those who did not engage in some type of regular (daily) PA. Gender, overweight or obesity, and household income are significantly associated with students’ PA. Students who are more often involved in regular daily PA and have higher daily PA levels are more likely to be males whose household income is above average. In order to improve the health of the student population, the public health authorities need to continuously investigate the PA of students and introduce appropriate activities to increase their level of PA.

Objective and Subjective Investigation of Physical Activity Levels and Its Relation with Socio-Demographic Characteristics among Medical Students

Background

Combining the results of objective and subjective assessments of physical activity (PA) can provide a more complete assessment of PA patterns in medical students. This study aimed to determine the relationships between objective and subjective measured PA and its relation with socio-demographic characteristics among different stages of medical training.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted on 186 students of four stages of medical training. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short-Form (IPAQ-SF) and pedometer were used.

Results

There were significant differences in total PA in terms of gender, weight, and serious illness. Differences between four stages of medical training in total (p = 0.002), vigorous (p < 0.001), and moderate PA (0.026) based on IPAQ-SF as well as pedometer-counted steps in Tuesday (p = 0.002) and Wednesday (p = 0.006) were significant. The results demonstrated a positive significant relationship between total PA based on IPAQ-SF and pedometer-determined steps in four days of the week.

Conclusion

There were positive low correlations between PA based on IPAQ-SF and pedometer among medical students. The PA of medical students at different years of medical training was different based on both IPAQ-SF and pedometer, which shows the need to pay attention to the special needs of students in terms of PA at each stage.

Appraising the degree of physical activities among male students at a Saudi medical school

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the degree of physical activity among male medical students. We also investigated the association between their physical activity and academic performance.

Methods

In this cross-sectional study, we distributed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire among male medical students of the first year through the fourth year by using a convenient sampling technique. Physical activity was measured by using the Metabolic Equivalent Task (MET) score. The demographic variables included academic year and age of the participants.

Results

The study included 317 students; of those, 219 were pre-clinical (first and second year), and 98 were clinical (third and fourth year) students. According to the MET score, the degree of physical activity was categorized into three groups. As many as 140 (44%) students were classified as highly active (MET>3000) and 98 (34%) moderately active (MET 600–3000), while 69 (22%) students were inactive (MET<600). The second-year students had a higher degree of inactivity than others (p = 0.004). Additionally, there was a significant difference in the amount of siting time during the week, with a higher median sitting time by second-year students than by third- and fourth-year students (p = 0.001).

Conclusion

In our study, most male medical students showed moderate or high physical activity. However, second-year students were physically inactive. Hence, the reason for such inactivity among second-year students should be explored. This study calls for the implementation of university-level programs that can motivate students to participate in physical activities.

Physical activity and emotional intelligence among undergraduate students: a correlational study

Background

Physical activity (PA) can be a mechanism that develops emotions. Emotional intelligence (EI) is related to significant public health and psychological benefits. However, there is little information about the relationships between PA and EI dimensions: emotional attention, clarity, and repair. This study examined the possible relationships between these variables in undergraduate students from Madrid. As a secondary aim, sex differences in PA domains and EI dimensions were examined.

Methods

A total of 2960 (21.34 ± 4.34 years) undergraduate students from Madrid (Spain) fulfilled the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ). We used a MANOVA to compare EI and PA levels according to sex. Different linear regressions were conducted to calculate the PA and age prediction power based on EI.

Results

We found a significant association between EI dimensions and PA levels, although these relationships were small. Fully adjusted linear regression showed that sex and leisure-time PA (LTPA) were associated of emotional attention (r²_c = .025). Sex, age, and LTPA were associated of emotional repair (r²_c = .024). There were statistically significant differences in EI by sex (p ≤ .001; η²_{p =} .039), with higher scores in emotional attention for women (p ≤ .001) and emotional clarity (p ≤ .001) and repair (p ≤ .001) for men. PA levels differed according to sex (p ≤ .001; η²_{p =} .038). Men show higher scores in LTPA levels (p = .002) and occupational PA (p ≤ .001).

Conclusions

Undergraduate students with higher levels of LTPA showed a better score on EI, specifically in emotional attention and emotional repair. However, these associations and the predictive power of LTPA regarding emotional attention and emotional repair were weak. Men engaged in more LTPA and occupational PA and had higher emotional clarity and emotional repair than women. However, women had higher emotional attention.