Self-reported knowledge and pattern of physical activity among school students in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to determine the self-reported knowledge and pattern of physical activity among a sample of 1240 male and 1331 female intermediate and secondary school students in Al-Khobar city, Saudi Arabia. The majority of male and female students knew that physical activity is protective against diseases in general (92.9% and 91.8% respectively) and in the prevention of obesity (69.4% and 78.5%) but had poor knowledge about the role of physical activity in the prevention of diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Significantly more male students than female students practised physical activity 3+ times per week (45.6% versus 33.7%). Age and the knowledge that exercise protects from obesity were the main determinants of the practice of physical activity among male students.
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Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. aztaha@hotmail.com
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D004521:Educational Measurement; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010290:Parents / Q000193:education; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D014505:Urban Population