**2. Literature Review**

Because of its importance, students' physical activity has been drawing the attention for many years. The researches were conducted in different countries, among different departments, and usually were focused on examining significant physical activity determinants.

For example, physical activity, exercise and sedentary behaviors were analyzed, taking into account demographic variables of students enrolled in conditioning activity classes [30]. Among the others, their results concluded that men had greater levels of exercise and sedentary (TV/videos and computer) activities than women. Considering age, significant relationships between this variable and variables related to sedentary behaviors and physical activities were found as well. Hereby, younger students were more active when it comes to stretching and vigorous intensity activities, while older students spent more time with computers. In addition, the age analysis was also conducted separately for men and women.

Physical activity levels have also been investigated among medicine and nursing students [31]. The results have shown that 48% and 38% of surveyed nursing and medicine students, respectively, did not meet recommended physical activity levels. When comparing groups of students with low, moderate and high physical activity levels, significant differences were recorded in age, self-efficiency, benefits to barriers ratio, perceived support, and years of study. On the other hand, significant differences were not detected in perceived stress and gender ratio. In the same research, the application of the linear regression model showed that among eight factors (perceived stress, subject discipline, self-efficiency,

perceived support, benefits/barriers, gender, age, and year of the degree), only self-efficiency and perceived support had significant positive relationships with the reported level of physical activity.

In another study [32], the physical activity and quality of life (QoL) were examined for sports (SDS) and other department students (ODS). The scores of physical activity and QoL significantly differed between those departments, both in favor to SDS. In regard to gender-specific physical activity levels, significantly higher scores were recorded for men in total, high, medium, and low activities. When it comes to QoL, a significant difference between genders was detected in social relationships, while in other parameters, (physical health, environment, and psychological health) it wasn't the case. Furthermore, the results of the study pointed to the existence of positive relationship between physical activity and QoL levels.

The overall health behavior and its six dimensions, including physical activity, were also examined among Mexican University students at the Psychology School [33]. The subject of the analysis also included their relations with socio-demographic variables. As a separate dimension, physical activity was significantly related to student status, gender, age, marital status, socio-economical level, and mother's education. Hereby, full time students, men, and younger students were more active than part time students, women and students with 25 years or above, respectively. A higher level of physical activity was also recorded for single students, students with a medium-high socio-economic level, and students whose mothers had college education. In addition, when it comes to predicting, the multiple regression model included three variables (gender, marital status, and mother's education), which explained 11.1% of the total variance of physical activity.

Among the others, the influence of socio-demographic factors (gender, age, mother tongue, marital status, and the mother's and father's educational level) on physical activity was examined as one of the lifestyle behavior indicators [34]. According to the results of the research, which involved Swedish university students, significant relations were reported between physical activity and three out of six analyzed factors (gender, father's, and mother's educational level). When considering gender, male students had a higher physical activity score than female students, while in the case of two other factors, physical activity score was positively related to mother's education and it was highest for students whose fathers had a high school diploma.

Similar to previous research, physical activity was considered in the context of lifestyle behavior [35]. The study, realized among university students in Lebanon, showed that a larger percentage of respondents was physically active. In regard to the type of physical activity, more than a half of them did regular walking or running, while the others did exercise (playing games, aerobics, swimming, weight lifting etc.). As expected, male students had higher physical activity rate opposite to female. Moreover, authors analyzed relations between socio-demographic, environmental and lifestyle behavioral characteristics on one side, and health related quality of life (HRQoL), on the other. Hereby, they pointed to the importance of physical activity as a significant determinant of HRQoL.

Socio-demographic and lifestyle determinants of physical activity practice were also investigated among Spanish university students [36]. Following the obtained results, a significantly larger percent of men engaged in sport or physical activities compared to women. When it comes to food, male students who reported to be physically active ate more fruits, potatoes, rice, pasta, meat, and poultry opposite to physically inactive men. On the other hand, in the case of female students, those who were physically active, in addition to fruits, ate more vegetables and legumes. Body Mass Index (BMI), hours of PC, smoking habit and mother's educational level were important determinants of men's physical activity, while age, hours of TV, smoking habit, alcohol consumption, and mother's physical activity practice were significant determinants of women's physical activity. Besides determinants, the authors analyzed physical activity patterns and reasons for not practicing. For both genders, the main motive to practice physical activity was related to working out, i.e., maintaining their fitness. Other reported motives referred to health, enjoyment, affiliation, and others. Additionally, starting university and lack of time were the main reasons for having stopped practicing and not practicing physical activity, respectively.

Physical activity was analyzed among Portuguese university students as well [19]. In the study, the attention was dedicated to the effects of day of a week and gender on daily physical activity levels. For recording the number of steps and time spent in sedentary and physical activities, students were carrying an ActiGraph wGT3X-BT accelerometer during seven consecutive days. The results revealed that both male and female students were physically more active during weekdays in comparison to weekend days. From the aspect of gender, statistical differences in physical activity patterns were found only during weekdays in a way that male students spent more time in physical activities than female students, who, on the other hand, spent more sedentary time.

Undergraduate students from one of the U.S. universities were studied when it comes to changes in eating and physical activity behavior during a period of seven semesters [37]. The minority of students exercised at optimal levels during that period, and within it, there is also a significant decrease. The results pointed to the existence of gender differences since men were more likely to engage in physical activity. However, it should be noticed that men were more likely to engage in sedentary activities as well. Furthermore, the research included into consideration students' accommodation. Hereby, living outside of the campus showed negative influence. Nevertheless, it should be stated that students living with parents were excluded from the research.

In another study, students' physical activity motivation was examined by focusing on two types of physical activity: exercise and sport participation [38]. The analysis of the responses of United States college students revealed that intensity and frequency of exercise engaging were greater compared with sport, while adherence and duration of these two physical activity forms were similar. The authors analyzed 14 motivational variables: strength and endurance, appearance, weight management, stress management, positive health, Ill-health avoidance, health pressure, social recognition, competition, challenge, enjoyment, affiliation, nimbleness, and revitalization. When ranking them, positive health was the most important motive for exercise, and competition was the most important for sport participation. The respondents' rates for all motivational variables were examined in the context of mentioned types of physical activity and gender as well.

A number of socio-demographic characteristics are noticed in previous research [19,30–38]—gender, age, living standard, year of study, accommodation, marital status, student status, mother's and father's education, and mother's tongue. In this paper, students' physical activity was analyzed in relation to several socio-demographic variables: gender, age, living standard, emotional status, household size, year of study, and accommodation. Some of the variables listed in studies abroad were not found as appropriate for domestic context—student status, marital status, and mother's tongue, since almost all students are regular, not in a marriage, and with common culture. Parents' education was also not included since their fundamental education was unified in the period of their growing-up. However, we added some variables as well: emotional status and household-size. Having all previously stated in mind, the following model can be presented (Figure 1).

**Figure 1.** Conceptual model.

The influences of all the independent variables were considered from the gender aspect as well.
