Physical activity of university students with disabilities: accomplishment of recommendations and differences by age, sex, disability and weight status.

Abstract

This article aims to study physical activity and the achievement of World Health Organization physical activity recommendations in university students with disabilities, and to examine differences by sex, age, disability characteristics and weight status. Cross-sectional data from a wider research project conducted at the Spanish universities from Autumn 2016 to Autumn 2017 were analysed. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form was administered to 1103 Spanish university students with different disabilities. Nonparametric tests were performed to examine the differences in physical activity based on the interest variables. The mean metabolic equivalent (MET)-minutes/week was 1772.75 (±2161.00) for total physical activity, 642.93 (±1303.08) for vigorous physical activity, 344.31 (±699.53) for moderate physical activity and 785.50 (±1053.31) for walking intensity physical activity. Overall, 72.2% of the participants did not meet the recommendation of 75min/week of vigorous physical activity, 80.3% did not meet the recommendation of 150min/week of moderate physical activity and 63.1% did not meet any of these recommendations. Nonparametric tests revealed that students with multiple disabilities, chronic illnesses, acquired disabilities, older students, obese students and women were less active than their counterparts. A high number of participants did not meet the World Health Organization physical activity recommendations, and some subgroups were especially inactive. Public health policies should implement interventions to encourage people with disabilities to engage in physical activity, paying extra attention to the most inactive subgroups.