Associations between Sport Practice, Educational and Demographic Data in Sports Sciences Students in Salerno

The relationship between physical inactivity and students is a topic of growing interest, as lifestyle during academics can influence their general health and mental and physical well-being. The aim of the present study was to perform a survey on the sports habits of university students, to detect associations between physical practice, demographic and educational data. The sample consisted of 246 Sports Science students (age: 22.35±3.39 years) whom a survey, based on literature review and ISTAT survey, was administered via e-mail. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize data, while Chi-Square was performed to test the relationship between demographic, educational and physical practice data. Significant associations emerged between leisure-time physical practice and gender, personal beliefs and the arithmetic mean of the exams (p<0.05). Women predominantly practised fitness and dance, while men fitness and soccer. Men participated more in extracurricular activities than women. Most of the students who practised physical activity x 4/5 times a week had a grade average between 26-28, while those who practise it for 2/3 times a week also obtained grades between 28-30. Finally, most of those who considered physical activity important for daily life, did it in their free time. This study highlighted the importance of considering environmental, cultural, social, and spatial variables, variation in which can significantly affect the sports practice.