The practice of physical activity: A comparative study among UNICAMP (State University of Campinas, Brazil) graduating students

Abstract

Regular and systematic practice is fundamental to the health of the human being. Facing this perspective, we became interested in knowing and comparing the level of importance and interest given to the practice of physical activity by the State University of Campinas (UNICAMP)students. 1350 Unicamp students from 17 to 22 years old, of both sexes, and enrolled in nine full-time graduation courses such as Nursery, Physical Education, Biology, Pedagogy, Dancing, Music, History, Mathematics and Computer Science, were selected. It could be observed that only in the Physical Education course, more than half of them (89%) practiced a physical activity in a satisfactory way, that being a minimum of 30 minutes, three times a week. It could also be observed that the practice of a physical activity is due to the following considered aspects: Combat and control of stressing factors, followed by the maintenance of physical conditioning, esthetics, socializing, health, quality of life, and last, leisure and the gain or maintenance muscular hypertrophy. Soccer, weightlifting, physical conditioning, running and localized gymnastics were the most enrolled activities. Therefore we suggest to the coordinators of UNICAMP’s graduation courses that they save time and space for students to practice a physical activity.