title: Physical activity and health promotion in Italian university students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Physical activity, diet plans, the mantainment of a certain Body Mass Index (BMI) and the use of various types of supplementation are common elements in the search for disease prevention, health promotion and well-being.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed the data regarding Italian university students' BMI, dieting behaviour, personal body perception, exercise habits, and use of dietary supplements and of doping substances.
  
  
  RESULTS
  13.7% resulted being underweight, 75.1% was in the normal range, 9.8% was overweight, and 1.4% was obese. 11.0% were on a diet. 25.8% of the students reported never doing any type of physical activity. 0.9% admitted consuming doping substances. The percentage of overweight/obese students increases from 8.8% of the 18-21 year olds to 18.1% of the 25-30 year olds. Similarly, the prevalence of overweight/obesity was 18.5% among male population and 7.5% among the female one.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data deriving from this questionnaire showed that while the majority of university students has a BMI in the normal range, 11.2% of the study population is overweight/obese. Males present a higher risk of being overweight or obese. An important part of the population showed to be sedentary even though data coming from our study are aligned to further evidence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most important concern arising from the questionnaire is represented by physical inactivity. Indeed, it is necessary to encourage and plan initiatives aimed at promoting physical activity in university students.
authors.forename: Adele Anna
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Teleman
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Waure
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Soffiani
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Sanità Pubblica, Sezione di Igiene, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poscia
authors.forename: Maria Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Di Pietro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult