Dimensions of Leisure and Perceived Health in Young University Students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze the main leisure habits of students at the University of Huelva and the relationship with perceived health by grouping the various activities into components whilst also evaluating possible gender differences. The sample was selected through random cluster sampling and was composed of 903 students from various courses and degrees. Of the sample, 73.8% were female and 26.2% were male, with a mean age of 20.82 years. The participants responded to items measuring perceived health and the inventory of leisure activities extracted from the INJUVE (Spanish Youth Observatory) survey. The results obtained offered a solution of four components, grouping the activities into passive leisure, festive leisure, sports–competitive leisure and cultural leisure. Passive leisure was the most practiced and cultural leisure the least practiced. Statistically significant differences were observed between men and women in terms of the sports–competitive component and in the perception of health. In addition, a direct relationship was found between the sports–competitive dimension and health perception. These results support the existence of a “techno-active” profile in males and should be considered in the creation of university policies linked to health promotion or the prevention of risk behaviors.

Healthy Lifestyles in Italian and Latvian University Students, According to Demographics, Nationality, and Study Specialty with Special Reference to Sport Studies

“…The same study shows how self-rated health can be predicted by gender and ethnicity [15]. Another study of Spanish university students [17] found similar results for gender, showing that a significantly greater proportion of men perceived their health as excellent when compared to women, and that men were more involved in sports, both actively than passively. The cohort analyzed in this study, however, does not include sport students.…”

“…Interestingly, it seems that poor sleep of medical students was observed in different countries: 40.60% of Iranian students reported poor quality of sleep [24] while 69% of Lithuanian medical students reported good to excellent nocturnal sleep [25]; 70% of Hong Kong students of medicine reported sleep deprivation [26], 47.1% of medical students in India reported refreshing sleep [27], and 31.5% of medical students suffered from sleep deprivation according to a study conducted in Nepal [28]. Physical activity of university students has been largely researched in scientific literature [3,5,6,17,22,23,29] also comparing different geographical provenience [22]. Significant associations were established between physical inactivity and the time exposed to screens, studying time, feeling low,smoking, and anxiety [30,31].…”

Healthy Lifestyles in Italian and Latvian University Students, According to Demographics, Study Course, and Nationality

“…The same study shows how self-rated health can be predicted by gender and ethnicity [15]. Another study in Spanish university's students [17], found similar results for gender, showing that a significantly greater proportion of men perceived their health as excellent when compared to women, and that men were more involved in sports, both actively than passively. The analyzed cohort in this study, however, does not include sport students.…”

“…it seems that poor sleep of medical students depends on the country: 40.60% of Iranian students reported poor sleep quality [24] while 69% of Lithuanian medical students reported good to excellent nocturnal sleep [25]; 70% of Honk Kong students of medicine reported sleep deprivation [26], 47.1% of medical students in India reported refreshing sleep [27], and 31.5% of medical students suffered from sleep deprivation according to a study conducted in Nepal [28]. Physical activity of university students has been largely investigated in scientific literature [3,5,6,17,22,23,29] also comparing different geographical provenience [22]. Significant associations were established between physical inactivity and the time exposed to screens, time studying, feeling low and smoking, and anxiety [30,31].…”

The Influence of Socio-Demographic Factors on the Forms of Leisure for the Students at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports

“…The least represented were trips, hikes, participation in conferences, sports activities and going to the disco. Men had better scores for leisure and physical activities and the use of video games, as well as a higher level of self-perceived health, according to the authors of [ 6 ].…”