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Article

Assessment of the Level of Physical Activity and Mood in Students after a Year of Study in a Mixed Mode in the Conditions of Restrictions Resulting from the Pandemic

by
Małgorzata Stefańska
1,
Reninka De Koker
2,
Jeroen Vos
2,
Eveline De Wachter
2,
Agnieszka Dębiec-Bąk
1 and
Agnieszka Ptak
1,*
1
Physiotherapy Faculty, Wroclaw University of Health and Sport Science, 51-612 Wrocław, Poland
2
Odisee Campus Brussel Terranova, 1000 Brussel, Belgium
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(5), 4311; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054311
Submission received: 29 January 2023 / Revised: 25 February 2023 / Accepted: 26 February 2023 / Published: 28 February 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue From Junior to Senior—Physiotherapy Connects Generations)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced social isolation affecting all areas of life. It also affected the functioning of schools and universities. Many countries have introduced full or partial distance learning. The aim of the study was to assess the level of physical activity and student mood of the Faculty of Physiotherapy of the Academy of Physical Education in Wrocław (Poland) and students of the Faculty of Health of the ODISSE University in Brussels (Belgium) after a year of the study conducted in a mixed mode due to contact restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and checking which of the analyzed factors increases the risk of depression to the greatest extent. Material and methods: 297 students from the 2nd to 4th year of full-time studies took part in the observation. The academic year 2020/2021 was assessed. Physical activity was assessed using the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) recommended for this type of analysis by WHO. The GPAQ questionnaire enables the assessment of activity performed at work, movement, and leisure time and assesses the time of sitting or resting in a supine position. The Beck Depression Inventory was used to assess mental health. The subjects also completed a questionnaire concerning selected somatic features and describing their living conditions in the previous year. Results: In the group of Polish students, classes conducted in a completely remote mode accounted for about 50%, while in the group of Belgian students, about 75%. In the described period, 19% of students from Poland and 22% of students from Belgium were infected with COVID-19. The median of the results of the Beck Depression Scale in both groups was lower than 12 points (7 points in the AWF group and 8 points in the ODISSE group, respectively). A detailed analysis showed that in both study groups, more than 30% of students received results showing a depressed mood. A total of 19% of the surveyed students of the University of Physical Education and 27% of the ODISSE students were characterized by a result indicating mild depression. The results of the GPAQ questionnaire show that the total physical activity, including work/study, recreation, and mobility was 16.5 h a week for students from Poland and 7.4 h a week for students from Belgium. Conclusions: Both groups of subjects reached all the thresholds recommended by the WHO as a sufficient level of weekly physical activity. A group of students of the Faculty of Physiotherapy of the University of Physical Education in Wrocław was characterized by more than twice as high (statistically significant) level of weekly physical activity as compared to the group of participants from the ODISSE University in Brussels. In both study groups, more than 30% of students experienced a lowered mood of varying intensity. It is necessary to monitor the mental state of students and, in the event of obtaining control results at a similar level, to implement psychological assistance for willing participants.
Keywords: physical activity; depression; depressed mood; young adult; COVID-19 physical activity; depression; depressed mood; young adult; COVID-19

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Stefańska, M.; De Koker, R.; Vos, J.; De Wachter, E.; Dębiec-Bąk, A.; Ptak, A. Assessment of the Level of Physical Activity and Mood in Students after a Year of Study in a Mixed Mode in the Conditions of Restrictions Resulting from the Pandemic. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20, 4311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054311

AMA Style

Stefańska M, De Koker R, Vos J, De Wachter E, Dębiec-Bąk A, Ptak A. Assessment of the Level of Physical Activity and Mood in Students after a Year of Study in a Mixed Mode in the Conditions of Restrictions Resulting from the Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2023; 20(5):4311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054311

Chicago/Turabian Style

Stefańska, Małgorzata, Reninka De Koker, Jeroen Vos, Eveline De Wachter, Agnieszka Dębiec-Bąk, and Agnieszka Ptak. 2023. "Assessment of the Level of Physical Activity and Mood in Students after a Year of Study in a Mixed Mode in the Conditions of Restrictions Resulting from the Pandemic" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 20, no. 5: 4311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054311

APA Style

Stefańska, M., De Koker, R., Vos, J., De Wachter, E., Dębiec-Bąk, A., & Ptak, A. (2023). Assessment of the Level of Physical Activity and Mood in Students after a Year of Study in a Mixed Mode in the Conditions of Restrictions Resulting from the Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(5), 4311. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20054311

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