ArticleInternational journal of public health2015
Physical inactivity and associated factors among university students in 23 low-, middle- and high-income countries.
Article in International journal of public health, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 126 papers, 10 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
126 citing papers in PubMed, 10 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of high-intensity interval training for physical fitness in university students.BMC public health · 2025Pooled it
- Physical activity measurement tools among college students in intervention studies: A systematic review.PloS one · 2025Pooled it
- Barriers and facilitators of physical activity for individuals with depression: a systematic review within the socio-ecological model framework.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Pooled it
- Effects of active video games on mental health among college students: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- The effectiveness of physical activity interventions in improving higher education students' mental health: A systematic review.Health promotion international · 2024Pooled it
- Prevalence of health risk behaviours related to non-communicable diseases amongst South African university students: a systematic review.Journal of public health (Oxford, England) · 2023Pooled it
- The Effectiveness of E-Health Interventions Promoting Physical Activity and Reducing Sedentary Behavior in College Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Pooled it
- Barriers to high school and university students' physical activity: A systematic review.PloS one · 2022Pooled it
- Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on University Students' Physical Activity Levels: An Early Systematic Review.Frontiers in psychology · 2020Pooled it
- Correlates of physical activity and sedentary behaviour in the Thai population: a systematic review.BMC public health · 2019Pooled it
- Trial
- Trial
- Psychosocial Mediators of Web-Based Interventions for Promoting a Healthy Lifestyle Among Chinese College Students: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Trial
- Nutrition, Sedentary Behaviour and Physical Activity in Undergraduate Students: A Scoping Review with PRISMA-ScR Checklist.Nutrients · 2026Article
- Motivation and Perceived Barriers to Physical Activity Among Lithuanian Students: A Cross-Sectional Study.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Discordance Between Self-Reported Physical Activity and Field-Assessed Functional Capacity Among University Students: An Agreement and Directional Discordance Analysis.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Physical Activity, Body Appreciation, and Perceived Stress in Relation to Life Satisfaction Among University Students.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Exploratory assessment of the correlates of lifestyle medicine among Spanish university students: UNILIFE-M study.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Comparative effects of supervised and unsupervised physical activity on physical fitness among doctoral scholars: a non-randomized parallel-group feasibility trial.BMC public health · 2026Article
- Barriers to youth physical activity in urban green spaces: evidence from a Turkish city.BMC public health · 2026Article
66 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesThe aim of this study was to determine estimates of the prevalence and social correlates of physical inactivity among university students in 23 low-, middle- and high-income countries.
methodThe International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to collect data from 17,928 undergraduate university students (mean age 20.8, SD = 2.8) from 24 universities in 23 countries.
resultsThe prevalence of physical inactivity was 41.4 %, ranging from 21.9 % in Kyrgyzstan to 80.6 % in Pakistan. In multivariate logistic regression, older age (22-30 years), studying in a low- or lower middle-income country, skipping breakfast and lack of social support were associated with physical inactivity. In men, being underweight, being overweight or obese, not avoiding fat and cholesterol, not having severe depression symptoms, low beliefs in the health benefits of physical activity, low personal control and knowledge of exercise-heart link, and in women, not trying to eat fibre, low personal mastery and medium personal control were additionally associated with physical inactivity.
conclusionFour in each ten students are physically inactive, calling for strategic interventions by relevant professionals in higher educational institutions.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.