Female university students' physical activity levels and associated factors--a cross-sectional study in southwestern Saudi Arabia.
BACKGROUND
The high prevalence of physical inactivity in Saudi Arabia is a growing challenge to public health. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of physical activity (PA) and associated factors among female university students.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study involved 663 randomly selected female university students who completed the Arab Teens Life Style questionnaire. Data included measurements of anthropometric, socioeconomic and environmental factors, as well as self-reported PA. Ordinal regression was used to identify associated factors with low, moderate and high PA levels.


RESULTS
The mean age of participants was 20.4 years (SD 1.5). Mean BMI of the students in relation to PA were 23.0, 22.9, 22.1 for high, moderate and low levels of activity, respectively. The analysis revealed significantly higher PA levels among married students, those with high educated mothers, and those who lived far from parks, and lower activity levels among underweight students.


CONCLUSIONS
This study raises four important determinants for female university students' PA levels. These factors could be of great importance in the endeavor to prevent the health-threatening increase in physical inactivity patterns and thus non-communicable diseases and obesity where the focus should be on the specific situation and needs of women in Saudi Arabia.
The PRO-CARE Group, School of Health and Society, Kristianstad University, SE-291 88 Kristianstad, Sweden. atika.khalaf@hkr.se
Atika
A
Khalaf
Örjan
Ö
Ekblom
Jan
J
Kowalski
Vanja
V
Berggren
Albert
A
Westergren
Hazzaa
H
Al-Hazzaa
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult