Lifestyle and Self-Perceived Quality of Life in Sports Students: A Case Study

Adolescence has been considered a crucial stage for the adoption of healthy habits such as physical activity. In addition, numerous research studies have shown that physical activity is a positive factor for health behaviors and quality of life. In this sense, the aim of this study was to examine the relationship between physical activity levels and perceived quality of life in a sample of students studying physical activity and sport. This is a descriptive observational study with a population of physical activity and sports students from the San Pablo High School in Seville, Spain. The participants (N = 86), with a mean age of 18.56 +/- 1.88 years, were pursuing professional qualifications in Physical Activity and Sport. They were administered the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ-SF) and the SF-36 questionnaire on perceived health status. For data analysis, a correlation analysis (Spearman's rho) was performed. The results indicate that students attending sports-related vocational training programs engaged in more physical activity (96.9%) than the population average suggested by the World Health Organization (20%). In addition, a direct relationship was shown between participating in physical activity and perceived health. Depending on the intensity of the physical activity, students found less physical interference (IPAQ Vigorous-Physical Function (rho = 0.252; p = 0.019); IPAQ Sedentary-Bodily Pain (rho = 0. 223; p < 0.039); IPAQ Total-Physical Function (rho = 0.256; p = 0.018)) and emotional interference (IPAQ Moderate-Emotional Role (rho = 0.237; p = 0.028)) when performing exercise or activities of daily life; therefore, physical activity appears to be beneficial for self-perception of quality of life.