Investigation of the relationship between physical activity level and meaning in life of university students

Abstract

Background and Study Aim. In this study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between physical activity level and meaning of life in university students and to reveal possible differences according to demographic characteristics. Material and Methods. A total of 376 students studying in different departments (Coaching, Physical Education Teaching, Physical Education and Sports Master's Degree, Occupational Health and Safety, Private Security and Protection, Software Engineering) voluntarily participated in the study. The data of the study were collected online using the "Personal Information Form", "International Physical Activity Questionnaire" and "Meaning in Life Questionnaire" prepared by the researcher and Google Forms. SPSS 26 package program was used for data analysis. Results. The findings obtained from the data analysis revealed a significant difference in the physical activity levels among the students based on variables such as gender, age, and the department of study. However, no significant difference was found according to other demographic variables (income status, BMI). A significant difference was also found between the sub-dimensions of the search for meaning according to gender, income status, the department they study at and BMI. Based on the correlation analysis between physical activity and the sub-dimensions of the meaning of life, specifically the search for meaning and the presence of meaning, a statistically significant but weak relationship was found between physical activity and the search for meaning. The significant difference between the groups in the meaning seeking sub-dimension was found to be due to inactive students. Conclusions. As a result, it can be concluded that students who engage in less physical activity show a lower inclination towards the search for meaning. In other words, an increase in physical activity can be interpreted as corresponding to an increase in the search for meaning. It can be suggested that both the school and the family should support young people in finding meaning in their lives and increasing their physical activity levels in gaining healthy behavioral habits.