Practice of Physical Activity among Future Doctors: A Cross Sectional Analysis

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Sports Science

Background:

• Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a significant global health burden.
• Physical activity is a key factor in NCD prevention.
• Medical student lifestyles may negatively impact exercise habits due to academic stress.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the physical activity practices of undergraduate medical students.
• To identify factors influencing exercise among this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 240 undergraduate medical students.
• Quota sampling was used, selecting 60 students from each of four even semesters.
• Data was collected via a pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16.

Main Results:

• 62% of students currently engage in physical activity, with higher participation among males (62%) than females (38%).
• Common barriers to exercise include lack of time (60.5%), laziness (61.8%), and academic exhaustion (42%).
• The majority of students (69%) had a normal BMI, while 21% were overweight and 3% obese.

Conclusions:

• Further longitudinal research is recommended to understand the long-term behavioral patterns of physical activity in medical students.
• Identifying factors that promote physical activity is essential for student well-being.