The relationship between physical activity and health status in collegiate students at the University of Danang in Vietnam

Abstract

Colleges and universities in Vietnam over the years have paid more attention to physical training with an aim to enhance health status among students. The present study sought to explore the relationship between physical activity (PA) level and health status among college students and determine whether PA level has a positive effect on students’ health status as measured by self-reported questionnaire. A random sample of 604 students from four different colleges under the University of Danang in Central Vietnam were assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) Short Form and categorized according to their physical activity levels (low, medium and high PA levels) and the association between the PA levels and self-reported health status variables were investigated. For statistical analysis, the data were analyzed using basic statistical characteristics, one-way ANOVA, and the correlation (Spearman and Kendall) conducted on SPSS, Version 18. The studied sample showed that physical activity levels had significant effects on health status as reported by students (p<0.05). Significant differences were found between the high and low PA level groups and between the high and medium PA level groups (p<0.05). However, no statistically significant differences were found between the low and medium PA level groups (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that PA levels are positively associated with improvements in health status but these improvements take place when a certain PA level is acquired. Implications for educational policy makers, educational administrators and physical training instructors have been discussed for the betterment of physical education in the collegiate context