Physical Activity Prevalence and Sex-Associated Factors Among University Students During the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

TL;DR

This study looked at how often university students stayed physically active during the early pandemic and found that knowledge and prior activity were key factors.

Contribution

The study identifies sex-specific factors influencing physical activity adherence during the pandemic in a large university sample.

Findings

56% of students met MVPA guidelines, with males slightly more active than females.

Knowledge about physical activity and prior activity levels increased the likelihood of meeting MVPA recommendations.

Sedentary behavior was negatively associated with meeting MVPA guidelines for both sexes.

Abstract

The study investigated the prevalence of students meeting moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommendations and factors associated with MVPA during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 4059 university students (2200 females [F]) during the lockdown using an electronic form. PA was assessed using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF). Independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge to perform PA, pre-pandemic PA, sedentary behavior (SB), and health self-reports related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Overall, 56% of students met MVPA recommendations (males [M]: 57.7%, F: 54.3%; χ2 = 4.703, p = 0.030). Knowledge to perform PA (M: OR = 3.012, 95% CI: 2.413–3.759; F: OR = 2.948, 95% CI: 2.444–3.556) and being physically active before the pandemic (M: OR = 2.651, 95% CI: 2.060–3.412; F: OR = 1.459, 95% CI: 1.079–1.974) increased the likelihood that students attained the MVPA recommendations. In contrast, longer daily exposure to SB was negatively associated with MVPA in both sexes. In this context, the present findings reinforce the relevance of universities as strategic settings for the promotion of PA in middle-income countries, where social and economic vulnerabilities may exacerbate the long-term consequences of physical inactivity.

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