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.
Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Dammam, Saudi Arabia. aztaha@hotmail.com
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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