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Active Commuting to University and its Association with Sociodemographic Factors and Physical Activity Levels in Chilean Students.

ABSTRACT: Background and Objectives: Active commuting to and from university (ACU) could be a strategy to increase physical activity levels (PA) and promote health in young university students. We aimed to a) examine the patterns of commuting to university in Chilean students; b) the association between the mode of commuting to and from university and socio-demographic factors and PA-levels. Materials and Methods: A total of 496 university students (21.6 ± 2.4 years old) from two universities from Valparaíso (central coast of Chile) participated in this study. Personal data, home address, socio-economic status, PA, and the usual mode of commuting to and from the university were self-reported by a questionnaire. The commute distances were objectively measured using Google-Maps-software. Associations were examined using binary logistic regressions. Results: The main mode of commuting was by bus (to university: 55.2% vs. from university: 59.3%; p < 0.001). The least used mode was cycling (1.4% to and from university). Students living >5-km from university were less active commuters than those living in closer distances: (2-5 km, odds ratio (OR): 4.424, 95% and 95% confidence intervals (CI): 2.443-8.011, p < 0.001; 2 km, OR: 143.052, 95% CI: 55.154-371.030, p < 0.001). Students with low PA-levels were less active commuters than those with medium (OR: 1.446; 95% CI: 0.864-2.421; p = 0.160) or higher levels (OR: 1.880; 95% CI: 1.880-1.094; p = 0.022). Students who lived between 2 and 5 km, presented a significant association to be active commuters when they showed medium PA-levels (OR: 5.244, 95% CI: 1.358-20.246; p = 0.016). Conclusions: Chilean university students from Valparaíso are mainly passive commuters using public transport as the main mode of commuting to and from university; longer distances from home to the university are associated with low PA levels. ACU in distances between 2-5 km (mainly walking) could contribute to having medium PA-levels in Chilean university students. Thus, promoting the ACU walking to and from the university in such distances could be an effective strategy to increase the overall PA levels in Chilean university students.

SUBMITTER: Barranco-Ruiz Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6571990 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundThe primary aim of this study was to examine the associations of normal weight obesity (NWO) with physical fitness in Chinese university students. As a secondary aim, we assessed whether possible differences in physical fitness between students classified as NWO and normal weight non-obese (NWNO) were mediated by skeletal muscles mass.MethodsA total of 383 students (205 males and 178 females, aged 18-24 years) from two universities volunteered to participate in this study. Body height and weight were measured by standard procedures and body composition was assessed by bio-impedance analysis (InBody 720). NWO was defined by a BMI of 18.5-23.9 kg/m2 and a body fat percentage of > 20% or > 30% in male and female students, respectively. Physical fitness was measured using a 10-min intermittent endurance running test (Andersen test), countermovement jumps (CMJ) and a 5 × 5 m shuttle run test (5mSR). The level of leisure time physical activity (PA) was assessed by a questionnaire.Results13.7% of male and 27.5% of female students were classified as NWO. Compared to NWNO, students classified as NWO showed a significantly poorer performance in the Andersen test (males: 1146 ± 70 m vs. 1046 ± 95 m, females: 968 ± 61 m vs. 907 ± 67 m, p < 0.001), CMJ (males: 55.0 ± 7.6 cm vs. 44.9 ± 7.5 cm, females: 39.8 ± 8.0 cm vs. 33.7 ± 5.9 cm, p < 0.001) and 5mSR (males: 18.7 ± 1.0 s vs. 20.0 ± 0.9 s, females: 21.1 ± 1.1 s vs. 22.4 ± 1.3 s, p < 0.001), respectively. The lower levels of physical fitness in NWO were partially explained by lower skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.001) both in male and female students.ConclusionsNWO was associated with poorer physical fitness and the relationship was partially mediated by lower skeletal muscle mass. The study indicated that attention should be paid for the potential hidden health risk in university students with normal body mass index but excessive fat mass.

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Active Commuting to University and its Association with Sociodemographic Factors and Physical Activity Levels in Chilean Students.

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