EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PROMOTION AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: THE #STUDIOXLAVITA PROJECT

INTRODUCTION: Sedentariness is a major health problem in our time and physical activity promotion is an imperative commitment for healthcare systems. Recommendations from WHO indicate a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise as weekly standard for adults. Strategies to increment PA practice are implemented in different settings, such as house care, school, University and workplace. The project #studioxlavita <#SXLV> was launched by the University of Brescia in 2016 with the aim of collecting data about undergraduates lifestyle and encourage healthy behaviours. In particular we focused on PA assessment and promotion in a Universitybased setting. METHODS: Two consecutive surveys were sent to all students . Q0 included the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire , the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale and additional questions on several lifestyle aspects. Among responders, we selected 40 students who agreed to take part in one of the following 15-week practical sport courses: ultimate frisbee, muscle strengthening and dance fitness. Before and after being engaged in practical sport courses, students underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test and skinfold thickness measurements, in order to assess peak oxygen consumption and percent body fat . Finally, to assess possible lifestyle changes, we sent them additional surveys at the end of the practical sport courses and 30 days after . Paired t-test was used to analyse significant differences. RESULTS: 27 students <16 female, 11 male; age: 22.7±3.7> concluded sport activity courses and filled in Q1. Of them, 20 completed also Q2. Overall courses attendance was 57%. At T1 , normalized Q̇O2peak increased with respect to T0 <37.0±6.9 vs 35.2±7.4 ml/min/Kg, p=0.03>. Conversely, percent body fat decreased <16.5±6.4 vs 18.3±7.5, p=0.01>. In Q1, 20 students declared to have a more active lifestyle since the beginning of the courses. In Q2, IPAQ-SF-derived total weekly energy expenditure was higher than in Q0, although not significant <5,839 ±7,035 MET*min vs 2,770±2,457 MET*min, p=0.1>. Q2 showed a reduced K6 scale score with respect to Q0 <13.8±4.6 vs 15.8±4.9, p=0.03>. CONCLUSION: With the sport activity courses established in #SXLV we gave students the opportunity to comply with WHO recommendations. After courses, they appeared to practice more PA, have a higher maximal aerobic capacity, a lower percent body fat and a lower grade of psychological distress than before courses. Simple activities as those proposed by #SXLV are sufficient to reduce sedentariness and improve the quality of life of students