Relationship between body composition and level of physical activity among university students

Abstract

Introduction: the body composition and lifestyle of university students are infl uenced by behavioral, psychological, socioeconomic and cultural factors. Objective: to analyze body composition and its correlation with lifestyle in a sample of university students in the health area living at the Ribeirao Preto Campus of the University of São Paulo (USP). Methodology: a cross-sectional study was conducted on 501 students enrolled in USP courses of the Ribeirao Preto Campus. Weight and height were measured and body composition was determined by bioelectrical impedance. The short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was then applied. Results: The sample predominantly consisted of females (73.05%), with 26.95% males. The averages of age, weight, stature body mass index (BMI), total fat mass and fat-free mass were 20.4±2.8 years, 63.0±13.5 kg, 166.9±9.0 cm, 22.4±3.4 kg/m², 24.0±7.5%, 45.3±10.3 kg, respectively. Although almost 70% of the students were in the normal BMI range, 70.8% of them had high levels of fat mass. According to IPAQ, the individuals were classifi ed as sedentary (10.2%), irregularly active (39.3%), active (42.1%), and very active (8.4%). Conclusions: Most of the university students studied were classifi ed as being of normal weight according to the BMI, but the high levels of body fat mass detected should not be overlooked. In addition, even though most of the sample was considered to be active, according to the IPAQ, it can be seen that practically half the students (49.5%) were irregularly active or sedentary.

Stress and health risk behaviors among university students

“…The university is a moment of intense changes in students' lives. It can be a source of stress and influence the student's adaptation, or lead to the acquisition of behavior patterns that will have repercussions throughout their lives (1)(2) . These facts are concerning, since, according to Souza et al (3) and Faria, Gandolfi, Moura (4) , the adoption of health risk behaviors is associated with a low level of psychological well-being among university students, due to the stress experienced in the university environment.…”

Fat and fat‐free mass measurement agreement by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry versus bioelectrical impedance analysis: Effects of posture and waist circumference

“…The present study also observed poorer agreement in those with a WC above the median, especially in the seated position. The assumption of a uniform cylindrical shape for BIA‐based estimates of body composition 42 is most violated in a seated position and further violated in people with a high WC due to greater contact of the abdomen with the thighs. This contact reduces the total distance traveled by the electrical current, which is expected to underestimate FM.…”

Análisis de los niveles de adiposidad y condición física en jóvenes escolares colombianos

“…Se pudo apreciar cómo el grado de adiposidad de los chicos registraba mejores valores que los de las chicas en todos los grupos de edad. Es decir, el índice de masa corporal y el porcentaje de grasa en los hombres registraron valores menores que en las mujeres, lo cual coincide con los reportados en varios estudios llevados a cabo en muestras de diferentes grupos de edad (44,53). En el porcentaje de grasa, estas diferencias entre sexos tendieron a ser mayores al aumentar la edad (10 a 12 años: -9,1; 13 a 14 años: -12,1; 15 a 16 años: -15,5, y 17 a 20 años: -16,9), y fueron estadísticamente significativas en todos los grupos de edad (p<0,0001).…”