2021, Volume 13, Issue 3
Correlation between participation in physical activity and healthy nutrition: An example of a sports science faculty
Yasemin Ari1, Ergün Çakır2
1School of Physical Education and Sports, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University
2School of Physical Education and Sports, Van Yüzüncü Yıl University
Author for correspondence: Yasemin Ari; School of Physical Education and Sports, Tekirdağ Namık Kemal University; email: yari@nku.edu.tr
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Abstract
Background: It is important to encourage people to participate in physical activities and to develop motivational approaches to healthy nutrition in order to maintain a healthy life. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between the physical activity levels of university students and their attitudes to healthy nutrition.
Material and methods: 392 (153 female and 239 male) university students voluntarily participated in the study. In the study, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form (IPAQ-SF) and the Attitude Scale for Healthy Nutrition (ASHN) were used.
Results: As a result of the analysis conducted in the study group, in the comparison of the students studying at the sports sciences department in terms of gender, smoking and regular exercise variables, a statistically significant difference was found in the level of participation in physical activity in the variable of meals consumed during the day. A positive significant relationship was found between the participants’ attitude towards healthy nutrition and their level of participation in physical activity.
Conclusions: It was determined that students with high participation in physical activity also have high attitudes towards healthy nutrition.
Key words: physical activity, healthy nutrition, student, health-related behavior