TY - JOUR
T1 - Physical activity and health promotion in Italian university students
AU - Teleman, Adele Anna
AU - De Waure, Chiara
AU - Soffiani, Valentina
AU - Poscia, Andrea
AU - Di Pietro, Maria Luisa
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - INTRODUCTION:
Physical activity, diet plans, the mantainment of a certain Body Mass Index (BMI) and the use of various types of supplementation are common elements in the search for disease prevention, health promotion and well-being.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
We analyzed the data regarding Italian university students' BMI, dieting behaviour, personal body perception, exercise habits, and use of dietary supplements and of doping substances.
RESULTS:
13.7% resulted being underweight, 75.1% was in the normal range, 9.8% was overweight, and 1.4% was obese. 11.0% were on a diet. 25.8% of the students reported never doing any type of physical activity. 0.9% admitted consuming doping substances. The percentage of overweight/obese students increases from 8.8% of the 18-21 year olds to 18.1% of the 25-30 year olds. Similarly, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was 18.5% among male population and 7.5% among the female one.
DISCUSSION:
The data deriving from this questionnaire showed that while the majority of university students has a BMI in the normal range, 11.2% of the study population is overweight/obese. Males present a higher risk of being overweight or obese. An important part of the population showed to be sedentary even though data coming from our study are aligned to further evidence.
CONCLUSION:
The most important concern arising from the questionnaire is represented by physical inactivity. Indeed, it is necessary to encourage and plan initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity in university students.
AB - INTRODUCTION:
Physical activity, diet plans, the mantainment of a certain Body Mass Index (BMI) and the use of various types of supplementation are common elements in the search for disease prevention, health promotion and well-being.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
We analyzed the data regarding Italian university students' BMI, dieting behaviour, personal body perception, exercise habits, and use of dietary supplements and of doping substances.
RESULTS:
13.7% resulted being underweight, 75.1% was in the normal range, 9.8% was overweight, and 1.4% was obese. 11.0% were on a diet. 25.8% of the students reported never doing any type of physical activity. 0.9% admitted consuming doping substances. The percentage of overweight/obese students increases from 8.8% of the 18-21 year olds to 18.1% of the 25-30 year olds. Similarly, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was 18.5% among male population and 7.5% among the female one.
DISCUSSION:
The data deriving from this questionnaire showed that while the majority of university students has a BMI in the normal range, 11.2% of the study population is overweight/obese. Males present a higher risk of being overweight or obese. An important part of the population showed to be sedentary even though data coming from our study are aligned to further evidence.
CONCLUSION:
The most important concern arising from the questionnaire is represented by physical inactivity. Indeed, it is necessary to encourage and plan initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity in university students.
KW - Physical activity
KW - University students
KW - Physical activity
KW - University students
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/70992
U2 - 10.4415/ANN_15_02_06
DO - 10.4415/ANN_15_02_06
M3 - Article
SN - 0021-2571
VL - 51
SP - 106
EP - 110
JO - ANNALI DELL'ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITÀ
JF - ANNALI DELL'ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITÀ
ER -