Association between Physical Activity Levels and Physical Symptoms or Illness among University Students in Korea

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

Background: Low levels of physical activity can cause various physical symptoms or illness. However, few studies on this association have been conducted in young adults. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between physical activity levels and physical symptoms or illness in young adults.Methods: Subjects were university students who participated in a web-based self-administered questionnaire in a university in Seoul in 2013. We obtained information on physical activities and physical symptoms or illness in the past year. Independent variables were defined as symptoms or illness which were associated with decreased aca-demic performance. Logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of each physical symptom or illness with adjustment for covariables.Results: A total of 2,201 participants were included in the study. The main physical symptoms or illness among participants were severe fatigue (64.2%), muscle or joint pain (46.3%), gastrointestinal problems (43.1%), headache or dizziness (38.6%), frequent colds (35.1%), and sleep problems (33.3%). Low physical activity levels were signifi-cantly associated with high ORs of physical symptoms or illness. Multivariable-adjusted ORs (95% CIs) in the low-est vs. highest tertile of physical activity were 1.45 (1.14–1.83) for severe fatigue, 1.35 (1.07–1.70) for frequent colds, and 1.29 (1.02–1.63) for headaches or dizziness. We also found that lower levels of physical activity were associated with more physical symptoms or bouts of illness.Conclusion: Low physical activity levels were significantly associated with various physical symptoms or illness among university students. Also, individuals in the lower levels of physical activity were more likely to experience more physical symptoms or bouts of illness than those in the highest tertile of physical activity.

참고문헌 (Reference)

1 오지연, "한국어판 단문형 국제신처활동설문(IPAQ)의 신뢰도와 타당도" 대한가정의학회 28 (28): 532-541, 2007

2 박지연, "대학생의 신체활동량, 건강상태 및 삶의 질과의 관계" 한국보건간호학회 27 (27): 153-165, 2013

3 김영복, "대학생의 건강생활 실천 및 대학보건실 활용 수준에 관한 연구" 한국학교·지역보건교육학회 11 (11): 79-91, 2010

4 Stahl SM, "The psychopharmacology of energy and fatigue" 63 : 7-8, 2002

5 Inoue S, "The Asia-Pacific perspective: redefining obesity and its treatment" Health Communications Australia

6 Kikuchi H, "Tension-type headache and physical activity: an actigraphic study" 27 : 1236-1243, 2007

7 Seoul National University Health Service Center, "Student health checkup report 2013" Seoul National University 2013

8 Atkinson G, "Relationships between sleep, physical activity and human health" 90 : 229-235, 2007

9 Cimmino MA, "Prevalence of self-reported peripheral joint pain and swelling in an Italian population:the Chiavari study" 19 : 35-40, 2001

10 Spierings EL, "Precipitating and aggravating factors of migraine versus tension-type headache" 41 : 554-558, 2001

11 Peters HP, "Potential benefits and hazards of physical activity and exercise on the gastrointestinal tract" 48 : 435-439, 2001

12 Sigal RJ, "Physical activity/exercise and type 2 diabetes: a consensus statement from the American Diabetes Association" 29 : 1433-1438, 2006

13 Bize R, "Physical activity level and health-related quality of life in the general adult population: a systematic review" 45 : 401-415, 2007

14 Vercoulen JH, "Physical activity in chronic fatigue syndrome: assessment and its role in fatigue" 31 : 661-673, 1997

15 Simren M, "Physical activity and the gastrointestinal tract" 14 : 1053-1056, 2002

16 Hemila H, "Physical activity and the common cold in men administered vitamin E and beta-carotene" 35 : 1815-1820, 2003

17 Haskell WL, "Physical activity and public health: updated recommendation for adults from the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association" 116 : 1081-1093, 2007

18 Heneweer H, "Physical activity and low back pain: a U-shaped relation?" 143 : 21-25, 2009

19 Varkey E, "Physical activity and headache:results from the Nord-Trondelag Health Study (HUNT)" 28 : 1292-1297, 2008

20 Puetz TW, "Physical activity and feelings of energy and fatigue: epidemiological evidence" 36 : 767-780, 2006

21 World Health Organization, "Physical activity" World Health Organization

22 Government of the Republic of Korea, "National health plan 2020"

23 Matthews CE, "Moderate to vigorous physical activity and risk of upper-respiratory tract infection" 34 : 1242-1248, 2002

24 McCann BA, "Measuring the health effects of sprawl: a national analysis of physical activity, obesity and chronic disease" Smart Growth America 2003

25 Brown WJ, "Leisure time physical activity in Australian women: relationship with well being and symptoms" 71 : 206-216, 2000

26 Kujala UM, "Leisure physical activity and various pain symptoms among adolescents" 33 : 325-328, 1999

27 Ministry of Health and Welfare, "Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Korea health statistics 2013: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANESVI-1)" Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2014

28 Seoul National University Health Service Center, "Health statistics annual report 2012" Seoul National University 2012

29 World Health Organization, "Health for the world’s adolescents: a second chance in the second decade" World Health Organization 2014

30 International Physical Activity Questionnaire Research Committee, "Guidelines for data processing and analysis of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-short and long forms"

31 Driver HS, "Exercise and sleep" 4 : 387-402, 2000

32 Jones BH, "Epidemiology of injuries associated with physical training among young men in the army" 25 : 197-203, 1993

33 Dimeo FC, "Effects of physical activity on the fatigue and psychologic status of cancer patients during chemotherapy" 85 : 2273-2277, 1999

34 Garber CE, "Effects of fatigue on physical activity and function in patients with Parkinson’s disease" 60 : 1119-1124, 2003

35 Mostert S, "Effects of a short-term exercise training program on aerobic fitness, fatigue, health perception and activity level of subjects with multiple sclerosis" 8 : 161-168, 2002

36 Lee IM, "Effect of physical inactivity on major non-communicable diseases worldwide: an analysis of burden of disease and life expectancy" 380 : 219-229, 2012

37 Vuori IM, "Dose-response of physical activity and low back pain, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis" 33 (33): S551-S586, 2001

38 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "CDC global school-based student health survey (GSHS)" Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

39 Speck RM, "An update of controlled physical activity trials in cancer survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis" 4 : 87-100, 2010

40 American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment, "ACHA-NCHA data" American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment

41 Berlin JA, "A meta-analysis of physical activity in the prevention of coronary heart disease" 132 : 612-628, 1990