Physical activity and sedentary behavior in medical students at a Peruvian public university

Abstract

Introduction Studies show a high prevalence of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior among university students. However, the relationship between physical activity and sedentary behavior in medical students is unknown. Objectives To determine the prevalence of physical activity, sedentary behavior, and related factors among medical students at a public university. Methods We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study that included students from the first to the sixth year of medical school. We used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). We analyzed study variables using Poisson regression, estimating crude and adjusted prevalence ratios. Results The final sample consisted of 513 students, of which 35% of women and 30.1% of all pre-clinical students had a low level of physical activity. Male sex and 20 to 24 age group were associated with a lower prevalence of low level of physical activity. Sedentary behavior was 60.9% among students under 20 years old and 55.5% among pre-clinical students. A lower prevalence of sedentary behavior was found in students over 25 years old, clinical students, and those with high levels of physical activity. Conclusion Most medical students presented a moderate level of physical activity. We found a higher presence of low-level physical activity among females and pre-clinical students. We found that sedentary behavior was higher than reported in similar populations. The relationship between physical activity and lower sedentary behavior was significant only for students with a high-level physical activity.