Analysis of 24-hour movement patterns in university students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17561/jump.n13.10587Keywords:
physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep, 24-hour movement patterns, university students, genderAbstract
Introduction: The integrated analysis of 24-hour movement patterns, including physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep, constitutes a relevant approach to understanding health habits among university students. The aim of this study was to analyse compliance with 24-hour movement guidelines and their relationship with gender in young university adults. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 165 university students (65 men and 100 women). Compliance with 24-hour movement patterns was assessed over 7 days during a typical week. Physical activity was assessed using a Xiaomi Mi Band 4 activity tracker, sedentary behaviour was assessed using the Leisure-Time Sedentary Behaviour Questionnaire, and sleep was assessed using a diary. Results: The results revealed that only 4.8% of the sample simultaneously met all three recommendations, while more than 90% presented high levels of daily sedentary behaviour, with no gender differences observed. When the movement patterns were analysed separately, statistically significant differences were found in physical activity, with men showing higher values than women. No significant differences were observed in sedentary behaviour or sleep duration. Discussion: It was concluded that adherence to the integrated 24-hour movement paradigm is critically low among university students. Furthermore, gender influences physical activity exclusively, whereas prolonged digital inactivity constitutes a widespread problem in this population. These findings highlight the need to implement institutional interventions aimed at promoting healthier movement behaviours in the university context.
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