Predictors of Physical Activity Among University Students in Jordan: The Role of Health Awareness and Socio-Demographic Factors
TL;DR
Investigation of physical activity practices among university students in Jordan found that health awareness significantly contributes to physical activity practices among university students, and structured exercise programs and awareness-based interventions that foster community awareness might help overcome low participation in physical activity and improve long-term health outcomes.
Abstract
Background: Physical inactivity is a global issue and remains one of the major public health problems, particularly among university students. Purpose: This research aimed to investigate the predictive role of health awareness in physical activity practices and whether these practices differ according to selected socio-demographic variables among university students in Jordan. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study recruited 1202 students (770 males and 432 females) from Jadara University, Jordan. Data were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire comprising 21 items, including 6 socio-demographic items and 15 construct items: Physical Activity Practice, Physical Health awareness, and Mental Health awareness. IBM SPSS Statistics Version 26.0 was used to implement descriptive statistics, multiple linear regression analyses, Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA), and Scheffé post hoc tests. Results: Physical and mental health awareness significantly predicted university students’ physical activity practices, explaining 35.1% and 36.8% of the variance, respectively. Awareness related to muscle strength and endurance, stress reduction, and sleep quality emerged as the strongest predictors of physical activity participation. Significant multivariate differences in Physical Activity Practice were identified according to gender, college major type, and sport type (p .001). Male students and those who participated in resistance training, aerobic exercise or organized sports had significantly higher physical activity practice scores than those who reported low or no exercise participation. Conclusion: Health awareness significantly contributes to physical activity practices among university students. Structured exercise programs and awareness-based interventions that foster community awareness might help overcome low participation in physical activity and improve long-term health outcomes.