Physical activity levels among college students in Saudi Arabia

To synthesize the literature on Saudi college students physical activity (PA) levels, barriers, and facilitators, as well as the proportion of college students meeting WHO-recommended PA guidelines METHODS: A comprehensive search strategy was developed, and the databases PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus were searched for relevant studies. The systematic review protocol was registered in PROSPERO and the PRISMA reporting guidelines were followed. Studies that enrolled Saudi college students and reported PA levels, barriers to PA, facilitators of PA, or adherence to WHO PA recommendations were included. Reviews, animal studies, and conference proceedings were excluded. The quality of the studies was assessed with a relevant study quality assessment tools and data were extracted and synthesized from all the included studies.

A total of 44 studies were included, with a combined sample of 29,580 students. Most of these studies used cross-sectional designs and self-reported PA levels using various scales, with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire being the most common one. The results show that a substantial proportion of students exhibited low PA levels, with only 27% meeting WHO-recommended PA cutoffs. The barriers to engaging in PA included lack of time, motivation, and facilities, while the facilitators comprised health benefits, social support, and weight management.

Physical activity levels among Saudi university students are concerningly low, with many failing to meet the WHO-recommended PA cutoffs. Barriers such as time constraints and limited resources must be addressed through culturally tailored interventions, improved infrastructure, and awareness campaigns. Future scholars should conduct longitudinal studies and employ objective measures of PA to further inform public-health policy.PROSPERO Reg. No.: CRD42024542313.