ORIGINAL ARTICLE  PSYCHOLOGY 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2021 July;61(7):1013-9

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.20.11551-2

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Estimated physical fitness and sociability: an interdisciplinary pilot study among French students

Alessandro PORROVECCHIO ¹ ✉, Philippe MASSON ², Irina BRUMBOIU ³, Carl KUEHN ¹, Thierry PEZE ¹, Rémy HURDIEL ¹

¹ Univ. Littoral Côte d’Opale, Univ. Lille, Univ. Artois, ULR 7369 - URePSSS - Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Sport Santé Société, Dunkerque, France; ² Univ. Lille, Univ. Littoral Côte d’Opale, Univ. Artois, ULR 7369 - URePSSS - Unité de Recherche Pluridisciplinaire Sport Santé Société, Lille, France; ³ Department of Epidemiology, Iuliu Hatieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania

BACKGROUND: The aim of this pilot study is to explore the main social factors influencing estimated physical fitness.
METHODS: During the academic year of 2014/2015, 909 students from two French universities of the Hauts-de-France region completed a study including standardized anonymous self-reported questionnaires. Data were related to age, sex, social class, physical activity, social life and sociability. Physical fitness estimation was assessed through a validated VO2max questionnaire.
RESULTS: A total of 749 17- to 24-year-old students were included. The mean age was 19.58. The sample was composed mainly of girls (59.68%). The mean estimated VO2max was 39.30±2.29 for males and 32.79±2.56 for girls. Some significant dependence and risk factors were found between estimated PF and some sociocultural aspects.
CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows the importance of the socialization environment. The role, the age and the employment status of the parents are significant as they are a reference for the practice of sports and physical activities. The level of independence and sociability is strongly correlated to estimated physical fitness. These findings stress the need to develop a more holistic study, based on comprehensive and interdisciplinary approaches.

KEY WORDS: Physical fitness; Exercise; Sports; Social determinants of health; Students; Sedentary behavior