Physical activity: is a lack of time or a lack of motivation?

• Main Authors: Beatriz Eugenia Bastidas-Sanchez, Gissel Viviana Ruíz-Astudillo, Andres Martin Mellizo-Gaviria, Juan Pablo Muñoz-Manzano, Guido Andres Chicangana-Recalde, Juan David Ospina-Suarez, Maria Camila Pantoja-Montenegro
• Format: Article
• Language: Spanish
• Published: Universidad del Cauca 2015-08-01
• Series: Revista de la Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud
• Subjects: Actividad física, estudiantes universitarios, ocio, tiempo libre, sedentarismo
• Online Access: http://revistas.unicauca.edu.co/index.php/rfcs/article/view/2
• ISSN: 0124-308X; 2538-9971

Objective: To describe the physical activity and leisure time in medical students at the University of Cauca during the first period of 2013. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted with a population of 270 medical students. Multistage probability sampling was used. A survey taken from the University Students’ Life-style Questionnaire was applied. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 14 and the analysis included frequency measures (percentages and measures of central tendency and dispersion) and a bivariate analysis with Chi square test, with a level of statistical significance of p < 0.05. Results: 121 men and 149 (n= 154) women participated, of whom 57% rarely or never do physical activity 30 minutes a day, three days a week, with lack of time and tools . In general, women do less physical activity (67.7%) than men (43.8%); 35% chose the “laziness” as one of the aspects that influence in not doing physical activity. Conclusion: Students in the Medicine Program of Universidad of Cauca mostly make little or null physical activity, being the women more sedentary than men, having as main reason for not performing this activity the laziness. Also the women devote more time to leisure activities than men, while they devote more time to physical activity.