Patterns of physical exercise amongst educated young adults residing in a metropolitan city

Abstract

This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 167 respondents (67 females: 40.12%; 100 males: 59.88%) to determine their pattern of physical exercise. The mean age of females was 19.94±1.20 years while that for males was 20.51±1.61 years. The mean body mass index was 20.88±2.39 kg/m2 and 22.37±2.99 kg/m2 for females and males, respectively. Among the respondents who exercised, 11.54% females and 39.77% males were exercising for more than six years; while 13.46% females and 19.32% males took dietary supplements and of these, less than one-third females and about two-thirds of males reported that their physique improved after they started consuming dietary supplements. Gender differences were significant in the pattern of physical activity. Significant gender differences (with female preponderances) were observed in the daily physical inactivity profile during waking hours: sitting (Z=2.207; p=0.027), watching television (Z=3.518; 0.0004), and Internet surfing (Z=3.311; p=0.0009).