Effectiveness of Physical-Activity-Based Interventions Targeting Overweight and Obesity among University Students—A Systematic Review

Abstract

Overweight and obesity, including their prevalence and consequences, reflect a leading public health problem. Studies have already shown that physical activity leads to a reduction in body weight in children and adults. However, the university setting has rarely been investigated. The aim of this review is, therefore, to examine and summarize the effectiveness of physical-activity-based interventions to reduce obesity and overweight in university students. Three databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science) were searched for relevant studies published in English between January 2010 and February 2022. Quantitative studies conducting a physical-activity-based intervention with overweight or obese university students and reporting changes in BMI were included. Data were described in a narrative synthesis. Out of 16 included studies, 11 reported a significant reduction in BMI. However, all studies except one were able to demonstrate some BMI improvements, whereas all studies reported significant changes in at least one health-related indicator. Aerobic exercises were able to demonstrate the greatest reductions in BMI. This review is the first systematic presentation on the effectiveness of physical-activity-based interventions in overweight and obese university students. Future work should reconsider BMI as the primary outcome if appropriate within the respective study design (i.e., to measure long-term effects). More interventions are needed to improve strategies.

Effects on Children’s Physical and Mental Well-Being of a Physical-Activity-Based School Intervention Program: A Randomized Study

“…Albeit physical-activity-based interventions varying substantially between their intervention approaches, most of them have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on young people [26,51,52]. While not all of the studies showed significant effects on decrementing BMI, nevertheless, all of the studies reported at least one significant improvement in indicator-related health, such as improvements in body fat percentage, sedentary behavior, or serum biomarkers [51].…”

“…Albeit physical-activity-based interventions varying substantially between their intervention approaches, most of them have been demonstrated to have a positive impact on young people [26,51,52]. While not all of the studies showed significant effects on decrementing BMI, nevertheless, all of the studies reported at least one significant improvement in indicator-related health, such as improvements in body fat percentage, sedentary behavior, or serum biomarkers [51]. It is noteworthy to mention that there are also studies that did not report significant enhancements in obesity, BMI, and the WHR, and subsequently the various interventions [52,53], and that in some studies, an adequate control group was missing [54].…”

The Moderating Role of Gender in the Effects of an Exercise and Nutrition Intervention Module on Body Composition and Fitness Profiles Among Obese College Students

“…Exercise interventions involve systematically structured physical activity programmes specifically tailored for the purpose of elevating fitness levels, supporting weight management endeavours, and augmenting overall health parameters (Boukrim et al, 2021). These programmes, specifically designed to cater to the unique requirements of obese college students, may encompass aerobic activities, strength training regimens, or a synergistic combination of both modalities (Pfisterer et al, 2022). Conversely, nutrition interventions are pivotal in effecting positive modifications in the dietary behaviours of the targeted student cohort.…”

“…However, limited research specifically addresses the impact of exercise and dietary interventions on body image among obese college students (Grajek et al, 2022), a population facing unique challenges, including social stigma and media portrayal, which significantly influence body image perceptions (Koulanova et al, 2021). Consequently, there is a critical need to investigate the impact of these interventions on obese college students, gaining insights into their efficacy and tailoring interventions accordingly (Pfisterer et al, 2022).…”

General Well Being among Graduate and Undergraduate Students of Business Institute, Karachi: Retrospective Cross Sectional Study

“…Students face new challenges throughout this shift, including deciding for themselves what to study and how to live, adjusting to the demands of an unstructured classroom, and engaging with a wide variety of new people (Hernández-Torrano et al, 2020). In recent years, there have been multiple studies targeting university students for research (Ho & Lim, 2021;Pfisterer et al, 2022).…”