Association between physical activity and sociodemographic and behavioural factors among physical education students at a Brazilian public university

This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of physical activity and its association with sociodemographic factors and lifestyle indicators among physical education students at a Brazilian public university. This was a cross-sectional observational study with a quantitative approach. A total of 190 students enrolled in on-site undergraduate programs (teacher training and bachelor’s degree) participated, with a mean age of 21.2 ± 4.5 years; 52.1% were men and 47.9% were women. Data were collected in person using an electronic form (Google Forms) comprising sociodemographic variables, physical activity level (IPAQ-short version), and the Fantastic Lifestyle questionnaire. The primary outcome was physical activity level, classified as active (≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity MVPA) or inactive (<150 min/week of MVPA). Sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle-related variables, including overall lifestyle, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, leisure, sleep, and health perception, were examined as independent variables associated with physical activity level. Analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.0, employing descriptive statistics, chi-square/Fisher’s exact tests, and binary logistic regression (Odds Ratio – OR; 95%CI; p ≤ 0.05). Among participants, 94.2% were classified as physically active; 82.6% presented an adequate lifestyle; and 37.9% were classified as overweight or obese according to BMI. No significant associations were observed between physical activity level and sociodemographic or behavioural variables, except for health perception, which was significantly associated with physical inactivity. Negative health perception was the only factor associated with physical inactivity (OR = 14.30; 95%CI: 2.48–82.22; p = 0.003), suggesting that subjective health perception may be more strongly associated with physical inactivity than sociodemographic or behavioural characteristics among future health-promotion professionals. In summary, physical education students demonstrated a high prevalence of physical activity and a predominantly adequate lifestyle. Negative health perception was the only factor associated with physical inactivity. Future investigations are encouraged to include additional variables to provide a broader analytical perspective.