Body Composition and Activity Level in Female University Students

• Main Author: Yung, Clarice Ping
• Other Authors: Burns Stephen Francis
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/70055
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The rising prevalence of obesity is a concern. Increasing exercise-related activity thermogenesis prevents the accumulation of body fat caused by long-term positive mismatch of energy balance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between activity levels and body composition parameters in female university students and to understand the effectiveness of recommended physical activity guidelines on activity levels. This study hypothesizes that there will be a relationship between activity level and body composition as well as knowledge and activity levels. An observational cross-sectional study was carried out, recruiting 40 female university students, separated into two groups: Active group and Sedentary group. Participants were between the age of 19 to 49 and possessed no physical injuries or any form of illness in the past 6 months that would affect activities of daily living and/or training pattern. Two questionnaires and a body analysis were administered and performed at the Exercise Physiology Laboratory, National Institute of Education. Self-report method collected the total activity level for 7 days: leisure activities, physical activities and sedentary behaviour. Statistical significance was set at alpha= 0.05. The results show significant correlation in total activity level and percentage body fat as well as waist-to-hip ratio (p=.020 and p=.004) and no significant correlation between knowledge and activity levels (p=.652 and p=.556). The findings support that it is necessary to promote physical activities to the young population; educating and motivating young adults to adopt an active lifestyle to increase energy expenditure and to cope with their energy intake.