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Female University Students' Physical Activity Levels and Associated Factors-A Cross-Sectional Study in Southwestern Saudi Arabia

Khalaf, Atika ; Ekblom, Orjan ; Kowalski, Jan ; Berggren, Vanja LU ; Westergren, Albert and Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa (2013) In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 10(8). p.3502-3517
Abstract
Background: The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed the Arab Teens Life Style questionnaire. Data included measurements of anthropometric, socioeconomic and environmental factors, as well as self-reported PA. Ordinal regression was used to identify associated factors with low, moderate and high PA levels. Results: The mean age of participants was 20.4 years (SD 1.5). Mean BMI of the students in relation to PA were 23.0, 22.9, 22.1 for high, moderate... (More)
Background: The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed the Arab Teens Life Style questionnaire. Data included measurements of anthropometric, socioeconomic and environmental factors, as well as self-reported PA. Ordinal regression was used to identify associated factors with low, moderate and high PA levels. Results: The mean age of participants was 20.4 years (SD 1.5). Mean BMI of the students in relation to PA were 23.0, 22.9, 22.1 for high, moderate and low levels of activity, respectively. The analysis revealed significantly higher PA levels among married students, those with high educated mothers, and those who lived far from parks, and lower activity levels among underweight students. Conclusions: This study raises four important determinants for female university students' PA levels. These factors could be of great importance in the endeavor to prevent the health-threatening increase in physical inactivity patterns and thus non-communicable diseases and obesity where the focus should be on the specific situation and needs of women in Saudi Arabia. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
epidemiologic methods, Middle East, women's health, Saudi Arabia, physical activity, female university students, cross-sectional studies, socioeconomic factors
in
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
volume
10
issue
8
pages
3502 - 3517
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • wos:000330526700026
  • scopus:84887528749
  • pmid:23939387
ISSN
1660-4601
DOI
10.3390/ijerph10083502
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Division of Nursing (Closed 2012) (013065000)
id
b154bdc0-bad4-458f-ad1a-7ff25a08e73d (old id 4442966)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:19:45
date last changed
2022-04-27 21:01:33
@article{b154bdc0-bad4-458f-ad1a-7ff25a08e73d,
  abstract     = {{Background: The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed the Arab Teens Life Style questionnaire. Data included measurements of anthropometric, socioeconomic and environmental factors, as well as self-reported PA. Ordinal regression was used to identify associated factors with low, moderate and high PA levels. Results: The mean age of participants was 20.4 years (SD 1.5). Mean BMI of the students in relation to PA were 23.0, 22.9, 22.1 for high, moderate and low levels of activity, respectively. The analysis revealed significantly higher PA levels among married students, those with high educated mothers, and those who lived far from parks, and lower activity levels among underweight students. Conclusions: This study raises four important determinants for female university students' PA levels. These factors could be of great importance in the endeavor to prevent the health-threatening increase in physical inactivity patterns and thus non-communicable diseases and obesity where the focus should be on the specific situation and needs of women in Saudi Arabia.}},
  author       = {{Khalaf, Atika and Ekblom, Orjan and Kowalski, Jan and Berggren, Vanja and Westergren, Albert and Al-Hazzaa, Hazzaa}},
  issn         = {{1660-4601}},
  keywords     = {{epidemiologic methods; Middle East; women's health; Saudi Arabia; physical activity; female university students; cross-sectional studies; socioeconomic factors}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{8}},
  pages        = {{3502--3517}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}},
  title        = {{Female University Students' Physical Activity Levels and Associated Factors-A Cross-Sectional Study in Southwestern Saudi Arabia}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/1751930/4882667}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijerph10083502}},
  volume       = {{10}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}