PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SEDENTARY BEHAVIOR IN THE LIFESTYLE OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

Background The presented study aimed at gathering information about physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior among university students from Košice, Slovakia, examining the volume of the activities and the structure of specific domains within their lifestyle. Material and methods Data was collected in November 2022 and in November 2023. The sample consisted of 1,061 participants (511 females). To assess the level of PA and its structure, the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used. Results The overall average weekly volume of PA of university students was 4,463 MET/min. Men were significantly more active, as compared to women. Regarding the structure of the observed PA domains, walking had the highest share (46.1%), followed by vigorous physical activity (VPA) that accounted for 28.3%, while moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) made up 25.6%. Within the structure of walking, the largest proportion was walking for transportation (46.1%). Sedentary activities averaged 397 minutes per day during the week, with women spending significantly more time sitting. Notably, around 60% of total sitting time of students occurred during the workweek, suggesting that students did not necessarily become more active during their days off. Conclusions Results confirmed that men are generally more physically active, both for VPA and MVPA, while women are more active in walking and spend more time sitting.