Physical Activity of Male and Female University Students …
87
Table 2 Socio-demographic and somatic characteristics of male and female university students
from Wrocław
Variable
Category
Total
Women
Men
f
p
f
p
f
p
Age
18–24 years
280
44.0
173
39.2
107
54.6
25–34 years
357
56.0
268
60.8
89
45.4
Education
Secondary
592
92.9
419
95.0
173
88.3
University
45
7.1
22
5.0
23
11.7
Body mass index
Normal weight
(18.5–24.9 kg/m 2 )
552
86.7
405
91.8
147
75.0
Overweight
(25.0–29.9 kg/m 2 )
85
13.3
36
8.2
49
25.0
Notes f—frequency, p—percent of participants
of men). The body mass of most of the surveyed students (86.7% in total, 91.8% of
women and 75% of men) was in accordance with the WHO standards, while 13.3%
of the respondents (8.2% of women and 25% of men) were overweight (Table 2).
The main research method was a diagnostic survey using the International Physical
Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF). The Polish version of the IPAQSF was developed by Biernat et al. (2007) and approved by the IPAQ Research
Committee. The IPAQ-SF contains 6 items regarding the assessment of respondents’
physical activity on three levels of intensity (vigorous, moderate, light), and 1 item
regarding the respondents’ sedentary behaviors. The IPAQ-SF can be used to collect
data on the respondents’ last 7-day recall of physical activity or on an average week
of their life. The latter option, which allows for the assessment of habitual physical
activity, is used in this study. In preparing IPAQ-SF results, the metabolic equivalent
of task—MET (Table 3) was used as a quantitative measure of physical activity
intensity.
The following indices were used to assess the habitual physical activity of male
and female university students:
• frequency of vigorous-intensity physical activity—FVPA, frequency of moderateintensity physical activity—FMPA, frequency of light-intensity physical
activity—FLPA;
• time of vigorous-intensity physical activity—MVPA, time of moderate-intensity
physical activity—TMPA; time of light-intensity physical activity—TLPA;
Table 3 MET values for
physical activity intensity
levels assessed with IPAQ-SF
(Biernat et al. 2007)
Physical activity intensity
Metabolic equivalent of task
Vigorous
8.0 METs
Moderate
4.0 METs
Light
3.3 METs
87
Table 2 Socio-demographic and somatic characteristics of male and female university students
from Wrocław
Variable
Category
Total
Women
Men
f
p
f
p
f
p
Age
18–24 years
280
44.0
173
39.2
107
54.6
25–34 years
357
56.0
268
60.8
89
45.4
Education
Secondary
592
92.9
419
95.0
173
88.3
University
45
7.1
22
5.0
23
11.7
Body mass index
Normal weight
(18.5–24.9 kg/m 2 )
552
86.7
405
91.8
147
75.0
Overweight
(25.0–29.9 kg/m 2 )
85
13.3
36
8.2
49
25.0
Notes f—frequency, p—percent of participants
of men). The body mass of most of the surveyed students (86.7% in total, 91.8% of
women and 75% of men) was in accordance with the WHO standards, while 13.3%
of the respondents (8.2% of women and 25% of men) were overweight (Table 2).
The main research method was a diagnostic survey using the International Physical
Activity Questionnaire—Short Form (IPAQ-SF). The Polish version of the IPAQSF was developed by Biernat et al. (2007) and approved by the IPAQ Research
Committee. The IPAQ-SF contains 6 items regarding the assessment of respondents’
physical activity on three levels of intensity (vigorous, moderate, light), and 1 item
regarding the respondents’ sedentary behaviors. The IPAQ-SF can be used to collect
data on the respondents’ last 7-day recall of physical activity or on an average week
of their life. The latter option, which allows for the assessment of habitual physical
activity, is used in this study. In preparing IPAQ-SF results, the metabolic equivalent
of task—MET (Table 3) was used as a quantitative measure of physical activity
intensity.
The following indices were used to assess the habitual physical activity of male
and female university students:
• frequency of vigorous-intensity physical activity—FVPA, frequency of moderateintensity physical activity—FMPA, frequency of light-intensity physical
activity—FLPA;
• time of vigorous-intensity physical activity—MVPA, time of moderate-intensity
physical activity—TMPA; time of light-intensity physical activity—TLPA;
Table 3 MET values for
physical activity intensity
levels assessed with IPAQ-SF
(Biernat et al. 2007)
Physical activity intensity
Metabolic equivalent of task
Vigorous
8.0 METs
Moderate
4.0 METs
Light
3.3 METs