Sport and exercise at university: How much do students really do?

Abstract

There is irrefutable evidence regarding the effectiveness of regular physical exercise for preventing disease and its relation to health status at any age. As academic and formative institutions par excellence, universities should do their utmost to encourage students to do sport. This study analysed how much physical exercise students did using university services and facilities. We conducted a descriptive and correlational cross-sectional study on a sample of 1085 subjects (569 women; average age 21 years, σ = 3.05), with a randomized design, stratified by faculty and gender (confidence level of 95.5%; error 3.01). In a personalized interview, subjects completed a questionnaire about their physical activity habits. Main results showed most students were aware of the sports activities available at university, while only a few had the university sports card. We found correlations between gender, physical exercise and federated sport, with knowledge of sports services, possession of the sports card and the promotion of performance-oriented sport at university. Due to the unquestionable benefits of physical activity, university students are a key population for the promotion of sport.