Factors associated with an active lifestyle in physical education students

a cross-sectional study

Resumo

This cross-sectional analytical study examined the associations between active lifestyle indicators, study shifts (full-time vs. evening), and academic years (early vs. later) among 56 Physical Education students from a public university in Northwestern Paraná, Brazil. The lifestyle indicators assessed were physical activity level, body mass index (BMI), screen time, active transportation, weight change initiative, and sports participation. Most students demonstrated healthy behaviors, including a normal BMI (76.8%), regular physical activity (91.1%), active behavior (69.3%), and weight-loss initiative (84.9%). However, lower frequencies were found for low screen time (19.6%), active transportation (39.3%), and sports participation during high school (14.3%), university (28.6%), and extracurricular activities (30.4%). No significant differences were observed in lifestyle indicators across study shifts or academic years. In conclusion, although students presented a generally healthy profile, risk behaviors—minimal active commuting and high screen time—remain prevalent, reinforcing the need for ongoing health promotion strategies in the academic setting.