Physical activity and body mass in college students during the "new normal" associated with COVID-19

Authors

Keywords:

Physical activity; Body mass; New normality; Health in university students.

Abstract

Physical activity (PA) and body mass (BMI) were analysed in students of Medical Sciences of the University of Guayaquil in the year 2021. The population was 4504 students enrolled in 2021-II. Sampling was random probability and cluster sampling (363 subjects). A questionnaire and a registration form were used. Central tendency and variability statistics were calculated. Correlations (Spearman's Rho) were calculated between the dimensions of the variables. The results reveal that most of the students have little or no PA, however, this has not yet had an impact on their BMI values. Physical activity practice exhibits variability indicating the presence of a sedentary lifestyle, but also some frequent and intense PA. The BMI of the groups of students is in line with the norm weight, with cases of underweight and overweight students. The relationship between BMI and Physical Activity Level did not show significant relationships (p-value > 0.05). Despite the incidence of the patterns of confinement enforced by COVID-19, the indicators show that this has not had too great an impact on the characteristics analysed in the university students. Thus, the "new normality" has simply increased the pandemic of the lack of physical activity, which had already been pointed out in 2012. There is an urgent need to investigate new variables to better understand the phenomenon under study and to undertake multivariate studies that would make it possible to establish the clusters or health profiles of the students.

Author Biographies

Delia Narcisa Crespo Antepara, Universidad de Guayaquil; Universidad Nacional de Tumbes

Obstetrician. Doctor in Health Sciences. Professor at the University of Guayaquil (Faculty of Medical Sciences).

Victor Manuel Reyes, Universidad Nacional de Tumbes; Universidad de Guayaquil

Professor in Natural Sciences, mention: Earth Sciences, and Master in Environmental Education (UPEL - Instituto Pedagógico de Caracas). PhD in Administrative Sciences (Universidad Nacional Experimental Simón Rodríguez). Former Associate Professor at UPEL. Lecturer, Tutor and Jury for undergraduate and postgraduate theses and dissertations. Founder and Director of Research Lines and Research Units. He currently works in Peru as Professor at the postgraduate schools of the National University of Tumbes, the César Vallejo University, and the University of Guayaquil in Ecuador. He is a member of the board of examiners of the Doctorate in Education of the Federal University of Bahia in Brazil and of the advisory body of the Doctorate in Territorial Planning and Sustainable Development of the National University of Cuyo in Mendoza-Argentina. He is the author of texts, articles and reviews for scientific journals in Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile and Brazil. He has Level C accreditation from the PEII Programme in Venezuela. In July 2020 he obtained RENACYT accreditation from CONCYTEC in Peru, in the Carlos Monge Medrano Level III Programme.

Adriana Gabriela Sequera Morales , Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador

Bachelor's Degree in Education, mention: Preschool (Universidad Católica Andrés Bello, Caracas-Venezuela) Master's Degree in Education. Specialisation: Educational Management (UPEL, Instituto de Mejoramiento Profesional del Magisterio). Doctor in Educational Sciences (UPEL, Instituto Pedagógico Rural El Mácaro). Doctoral Thesis: Approximation to the construction of a theoretical framework on the praxis and pedagogical heritage of early childhood education teachers. She is an Associate Professor. She has held the positions of Teaching Coordinator, Community Service Coordinator, Evaluation Coordinator, Head of Special Teaching Publications, Tutor and Graduate Project Jury. She was part of the academic staff of the Masters in Educational Innovations, Educational Management and Educational Guidance at UPEL. Author of articles for national and international scientific journals. She coordinated the Masters in Educational Guidance at UPEL. She is a member of the Research and Innovation Stimulus Programme of the MPPCyT in Venezuela.

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Published

16/05/2022

How to Cite

CRESPO ANTEPARA, D. N. .; REYES, V. M.; SEQUERA MORALES , A. G. . Physical activity and body mass in college students during the "new normal" associated with COVID-19. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 11, n. 7, p. e10011729729, 2022. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/29729. Acesso em: 25 nov. 2024.

Issue

Section

Health Sciences