Resumen de La actividad física en estudiantes universitarios: una comparativa pre-pospandemia
This cross-sectional comparative study examined the pre- and post-pandemic differences in habitual physical activity (PA) among university students and its association with various personal traits.
The non-random, incidental sample consisted of 231 students (63.6% female; mean age 21.52±2.72 years) enrolled in various undergraduate programs at a single university centre in Madrid, Spain, divided into two groups: pre-pandemic subsample (n=100) and post-pandemic subsample (n=131). An ad hoc online questionnaire was constructed to collect sociodemographic data (i.e., sex, age, academic year, employment status, and socioeconomic level) and PA levels using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF®). Somatometric parameters (i.e., height, body mass, body mass index, percentage of body fat, percentage of lean body mass, and visceral fat index) were measured using a portable vertical stadiometer (Leicester Tanita HR-001®) and a tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance device (Omron BF511®). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to contrast the pre- and post-pandemic results, examining variables related to PA and personal trait categories, analysing effect size for cases with p-value<.05. The results indicated significant differences between the subsamples, with generally moderate effect sizes favouring the pre-pandemic group in various PA-related aspects.
The findings suggest integrating measures into university policies to promote active lifestyles among university students, particularly in the post-pandemic context, to improve their health and well-being
