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Is Achieving the Guidelines of Four Forms of Physical Activity Associated with Less Self-Reported Health Complaints? Cross-Sectional Study of Undergraduates at the University of Turku, Finland

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  • Walid El Ansari

    (Department of Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Doha 3050, Qatar
    College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha 3050, Qatar
    School of Health and Education, University of Skovde, 54128 Skövde, Sweden)

  • Abdul Salam

    (Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Dammam 31444, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Very little research has assessed the physical activity (PA) of university students in in Finland, and their associations with self-reported health complaints (HCs), whilst simultaneously accounting for a range of other potential confounders. Students at the University of Turku (1177) completed an online health and wellbeing questionnaire that assessed 22 physical and somatic HCs, and students’ achievement of the international guidelines of four forms of PA (moderate, vigorous, moderate-to-vigorous and muscle strengthening PA; MPA, VPA, MVPA, MSPA respectively). We also explored the associations between HCs and PA, controlling for sociodemographic and health confounders (age, sex, year of study, marital status, accommodation during semesters, health awareness). Factor analysis reduced the HCs into three factors (psychological, pains/aches, circulatory/breathing). Bivariate relationships (no controlling for confounders) between these 3 factors and four forms of PA guideline achievement showed significant effects of achieving the PA guidelines against various groups of HCs, where more strenuous PA was associated with significantly less HCs in a step-ladder pattern. Multiple regression analyses (controlling for confounders) showed that achievement of PA guidelines was significantly independently associated with self-reported HCs scores in most cases. Psychological HCs were negatively associated with achieving any type of PA; pains/aches were negatively associated with achieving two types of PA or with achieving MSPA guidelines; and circulatory/breathing HCs were negatively associated with achieving the VPA guidelines only. This is the first study in Finland to examine such relationships, and highlights the critical role of PA for the health of these young adults. Programs and policies to strengthen and improve the PA of university students would be beneficial, recognizing the benefits of instilling life-long PA habits among this group of young adults.

Suggested Citation

  • Walid El Ansari & Abdul Salam, 2020. "Is Achieving the Guidelines of Four Forms of Physical Activity Associated with Less Self-Reported Health Complaints? Cross-Sectional Study of Undergraduates at the University of Turku, Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-19, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:15:p:5595-:d:393904
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Walid El Ansari & Christiane Stock, 2010. "Is the Health and Wellbeing of University Students Associated with their Academic Performance? Cross Sectional Findings from the United Kingdom," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 7(2), pages 1-19, February.
    2. Walid El Ansari & Abdul Salam & Sakari Suominen, 2020. "Prevalence and Socio-Demographic, Academic, Health and Lifestyle Predictors of Illicit Drug/s Use among University Undergraduate Students in Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-20, July.
    3. Walid El Ansari & Reza Oskrochi & Ghollamreza Haghgoo, 2014. "Are Students’ Symptoms and Health Complaints Associated with Perceived Stress at University? Perspectives from the United Kingdom and Egypt," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Zhen Xu & Qiuxia Xu & Yifan Wang & Jielu Zhang & Jiapei Liu & Fei Xu, 2020. "Association of Sedentary Behavior and Depression among College Students Majoring in Design," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-8, May.
    5. Walid El Ansari & Khalid Khalil & Christiane Stock, 2014. "Symptoms and Health Complaints and Their Association with Perceived Stressors among Students at Nine Libyan Universities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-20, November.
    6. Walid El Ansari & Abdul Salam & Sakari Suominen, 2020. "Is Alcohol Consumption Associated with Poor Perceived Academic Performance? Survey of Undergraduates in Finland," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-19, February.
    7. Janet Junqing Chu & Mobarak Hossain Khan & Heiko J. Jahn & Alexander Kraemer, 2015. "Comparison of Subjective Health Complaints between Chinese and German University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-13, December.
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