Physical activity and lifestyle aspects of female students at a tertiary institution
| dc.contributor.advisor | Opperman, M. M. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Coetzee, F. F. | |
| dc.contributor.advisor | Bloemhoff, H. J. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Losper, T'Neil Sarelle | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2017-11-01T09:37:40Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2017-11-01T09:37:40Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2013-07 | |
| dc.description.abstract | English: BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE: It is generally believed that a sharp rise in chronic diseases and unhealthy living has occurred. Researchers believe that the modern lifestyle and a lack in physical activity (PA) are the main reasons for this problem (McGinnis, 1992:S196). Chronic diseases and obesity are factors that can be prevented or reduced with physical activity and a healthy way of living. The way in which physical activity can have an indirect influence on conserving health can be explained in two ways: Firstly physical activity can be used as trigger mechanism to change other destructive lifestyle habits (Weinstein, 1987:8; Eddy & Beltz, 1989: 168). Secondly, participation in PA can have an indirect effect on the reduction of coronary diseases because of its reducing effect on depression, anxiety and tension, to name a few (Willis & Campbell, 1992:47). According to Bray and Born, (2004:181) there is an increasing need for physical activity among young adults. Young adults attending universities gain increased control over their lifestyles. However, they may not necessarily develop positive behaviors like regular PA. The lifestyle that students live is questionable. Whether their activity levels are adequate and whether they generally lead to healthy lifestyles is unknown as little research is available on this matter, especially in South Africa. Keating, Guan, Pinero and Bridges (2005:116) stated that it is well known that students' PA as a research topic has been seriously neglected. Young adulthood is considered to be an important phase of life, as many lifelong health behaviour patterns are established during this phase (Timperio, Salmon & Ball, 2004:20). OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study is twofold: 1. To identify PA levels of undergraduate female students indifferent ethnic groups on a South African university campus, and 2. To establish the lifestyle profile and body composition of female students in different ethnic groups in a South African university campus. RESEARCH METHODS: The sample constituted of female students at the University of the Free State in their 1st, 2nd and 3rd year+ of study residing on the campus. The sample consisted of 244 students (78 1st years, 98 2nd years, 68 3rd years-: 139 black, 21 coloured and 84 white students). The following three research instruments were used: • International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) (2012) • Belloc and Breslow's 7 lifestyle habits questionnaire • The Heath and Carter anthropometrical assessment. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: By comparing the 1st, 2nd and 3rd year groups it is evident that 40.16% of the group as a whole (all ethnic groups) did take part in some form of physical activity. Fifty five point one percent (55.13%) of 1st year female students, 42.86% of the 2nd year and 44.12% of the 3rd year female students participated in PA. The White female students had the highest physical activity participation rate (67.86%), followed by the coloured students (38.10%). The black students' physical activity participation (35.97%) was the lowest. An average of 4 out of the 7 lifestyle habits being followed by the majority of the participants. The majority of participants eat breakfast daily (51.64%) but they do not eat 3 meals per day. Eighty seven present (87.70%) of the sample are nonsmokers, with 77.05% of the respondents consuming little to no alcohol, and at least 66.80% of the group maintains a healthy body weight. Unfortunately their eating, sleeping and exercise habits are not optimal. It is evident that the lifestyle habits of the students decrease from the 1st to the s= year, but that by the time they progress to the 3rd year-, they start trying to change their lifestyles habits to a certain extent. The ethnic groups do not show a significant difference among their lifestyle habits but white female students do have a more positive profile. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | Afrikaans: AGTERGROND EN RASIONAAL: Dit is algemeen bekend dat 'n skerp styging in chroniese siektes en ongesonde lewensomstandighede plaasgevind het. Navorsers glo dat die moderne leefstyl en 'n gebrek aan fisieke aktiwiteit (FA) die vernaamste redes vir hierdie probleem is (McGinnis, 1992:8196). Chroniese siektes en vetsug is faktore wat kan verminder of voorkom word met fisieke aktiwiteit en 'n gesonde leefwyse. Die wyse waarop die fisieke aktiwiteit 'n indirekte invloed op die behoud van gesondheid kan uitoefen kan op twee maniere verduidelik word: fisieke aktiwiteit kan eerstens as sneller meganisme vir destruktiewe afbrekende lewenstyl gewoontes gebruik word (Weinstein, 1987:8; Eddy & Beltz, 1989:168). Tweedens, kan deelname aan FA 'n indirekte invloed uitoefen op die vermindering van koronêre siektes wat op sy beurt vermindering van depressie, angs en spanning, om 'n paar tot gevolg het, te noem (Willis & Campbell, 1992:47). Volgens Bray en Born (2004:181) is daar 'n toenemende behoefte aan fisieke aktiwiteit onder jong volwassenes. Jong studente verbonde aan universiteite het beheer oor hul lewenstyl. Nogtans is dit nie noodwendig dat hulle die ontwikkeling van positiewe gedrag soos gereelde FA salontwikkel nie. Die lewenstyl van studente word bevraagteken. Vanweë min navorsing beskikbaar veral is dit nie moontlik om te bepaal of studente se aktiwiteitsvlakke voldoende is om 'n gesonde lewenstyl te bewerkstellig nie. Keating et a/., (2005:116) is van mening dat dit algemeen bekend is dat studente se FA as 'n navorsingsonderwerp ernstig verwaarloos is. Die jong volwassestadium word beskou as 'n belangrike fase van lewe, aangesien lewenslange gesondheidsgedragspatrone reeds tydens hierdie fase gevestig word (Timperio et a/., 2004:20). DOELWITIE: Die doel van die studie is tweeledig: 1. Om die FA vlakke van voorgraadse vroulike studente in die verskillende etniese groepe aan 'n Suid-Afrikaanse universiteitskampus te bepaal, en 2. Om die leefstyl profiel en liggaamsamestelling van die vroulike studente in die verskillende etniese groepe aan 'n Suid-Afrikaanse universiteitskampus te bepaal. NAVORSINGSMETODES: Die steekproef is saamgestel uit vroulike studente aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat in hul 1, 2 en 3 jaar + van studie wat op die kampus woonagtig was. Die steekproef het verder bestaan uit 244 studente (78 1ste jaar, 98 2de jaar, 68 3de jaar +, 139 swart, 21 bruin en 84 wit studente). Die volgende drie navorsing instrumente is gebruik: • Die Internasionale Fisieke Aktiwiteitsvraelys (IPAO) (2012); • Belloe en Breslow se 7 lewenstyl vraelys; • Die Heath en Carter antropometriese assessering. RESULTATE EN BESPREKING: Deur die vergelyking van die 1, 2 en 3 jaar groepe is dit duidelik dat 40,16% van die groep as 'n geheel (alle etniese groepe) wel aan FA deelgeneem het. Vyf en vyftig punt een persent (55,13%) van eerste of 1ste jaar vroulike studente, 42,86% van die 2de jaar en 44,12% van die 3de jaar vroulike studente het onderskeidelik aan FA deelgeneem. Die wit vroulike studente het die hoogste fisieke aktiwiteit deelname getoon (67,86%), gevolg deur die bruin studente (38,10%). Die swart studente se fisieke aktiwiteit deelname (35,97%) was die laagste. 'n Gemiddeld van 4 uit die 7 lewenstyl gewoonte is deur die meerderheid van die deelnemers gevolg. Die meerderheid van die deelnemers eet ontbyt daagliks (51,64%), maar hulle eet nie 3 maaltye per dag nie. Sewe en tagtig persent van die (87,70%) steekproef is nie-rokers, terwyl 77,05% min of tot geen alkohol gebruik nie, en ten minste 66,80% van die groep 'n gesonde liggaamsgewig handhaaf. Ongelukkig was hulle eet, slaap en oefen gewoontes nie optimaal nie. Dit is duidelik dat die lewenstyl van die studente afneem van die 1ste tot die 2de jaar, maar teen die tyd dat hulle vorder na die 3de jaar +, het hulle begin om hul lewenstyl gewoontes tot In sekere mate te verander. Die etniese groepe toon geen beduidende verskil in lewenstyl gewoontes nie , maar wit vroulike studente het In meer positiewe profiel. | af |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11660/7379 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | University of the Free State | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Physical activity | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Lifestyle | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Body composition | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Female students | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Physical fitness | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Exercise | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Students -- Recreation | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Women college students | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Dissertation (M.A. (Human Movement Science (Sport Science))--University of the Free State, 2013 | en_ZA |
| dc.title | Physical activity and lifestyle aspects of female students at a tertiary institution | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Dissertation | en_ZA |