Physical activity and quality of life among college students without comorbidities for cardiometabolic diseases: systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Purpose: To systematically review studies on the relationship between physical activity (PA) and quality of life (QOL) in university students without comorbidities for cardiometabolic diseases from around the world.

Methods: We included observational studies with university students of both sexes, from public or private institutions, and that investigated the association or correlation between physical activity and quality of life among these students, without delimitation of date, language, or location. Reviews, letters to the editors, studies with qualitative methodologies, case studies, book chapters, articles with college students who had some specific disease or condition, such as obesity, diabetes, and others; studies with children of parents with chronic diseases, and those that were institutions aimed only at very specific populations, were excluded. Meta-analysis was calculated.

Results: Thirty studies, consisting of 19,731 students, were included. The most commonly used instruments to assess the quality of life of the university population were the Quality of Life Questionnaire-short version (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was the most commonly used instrument to assess PA. For the meta-analysis, 22 studies were included. Weak but positive correlations were found between PA and the QOL domains: physical health (0.16. 95% CI 0.11 0.22; I² = 99.96%); mental health (0.14; 95% CI 0.07-0.20; I² = 99.97%); social relations (0.24, 95% CI 0.08-0. 38; I² = 99.99%); environment (0.23, 95% CI 0.14-0.32; I² = 99.90%); vitality (0.17. 95% CI 0.15-0.20; I² = 99.49%) pain (0.02. 95% CI - 0.02 to 0.12; I² = 99.96%); QOL and PA (0.21, 95% CI 0.08-0.34; I² = 99.99%).An association of R = 0.60 (95% CI 0.25-0.95; I² = 85.61%) was found between QOL and PA in total.

Conclusion: The results of our study showed a weak but positive relationship between physical activity and overall quality of life in college students, and also between PA and the domains of QL: physical health, social relationships, mental health, environment, and vitality, in this same population. It is important to study this population, since risk behaviors in this phase tend to perpetuate in the other phases of life.

Keywords: Higher education; Meta-analysis; Physical activity; Quality of life; Systematic review; University students.

Fig. 1

Flow diagram of the literature search and selection criteria ( Adapted from PRISMA)

Fig. 2

Risk of bias in the included studies (The Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Case Series)

Fig. 3

Correlation between physical activity (PA) and physical domain. Chang a: Exercise Frequency X Physical Component Summary (PCS) in male; Chang b: Exercise Frequency X PCS in female; Çiçek: Total Activity X Physical Health; Dunn: PA X Physical health-related quality of life; Kilinç: Moderate Physical Activity (OFA) X Physical area; Kokic: "My level of PA is adequate" X PCS; Legey: Physical Activity Level (PAL) X Physical Capacity; Nieves: PAL X Physical Functioning; Pedisic a:Total PA X Physical functioning in female; Pedisic b: Total PA X Physical functioning in male; Pourranjbar: High PA Level X Physical Health; Yildirim: Sports-based physical activity and socialization X QOL ( Physical Health)

Fig. 4

Correlation between physical activity and mental domain. Chang a: Exercise Frequency X Mental Component Summary (MCS) in male; Chang b: Exercise Frequency X Mental Health in female; Çiçek: Severe Activity X Psychological Health; Dunn: PA X Psychosocial health-related quality of life; Kilinç: Heavy physical activities(EFA) X Psychological Area; Kocaaga: IPAQ moderate X SF36 Emotional Status; Kokic: Total PA X Mental health; Legey: PAL X Emotional Aspect; Nieves: Physical Activity Rating Scal (PA-R) X Role limits due to emotional problems; Pedisic a: Total PA X Mental Health in female; Pedisic b: Total PA X Mental Health in male; Pourranjbar: Moderate PA Level X Psycological Health Yildirim: Sports-based physical activity and socialization X QoL ( Mental Health)

Fig. 5

Correlation between physical activity and social relationships domain. Chang a: Exercise Frequency X Social functioning (SF) in male; Chang b: Exercise Frequency X Social functioning (SF) in female; Çiçek: Total Activity X Social Relationships; Kilinç: EFA X Social Domain; Legey: PAL X Social Aspect; Pedisic a: Total PA X Social functioning in female; Pedisic b:: Total PA X Social functioning in male; Pourranjbar: High PA Level X Social Relationships; Yildirim: Sports-based physical activity and socialization X QOL (Social Relationships)

Fig. 6

Correlation between physical activity (PA and environment domain. Çiçek: Total Activity X Environment; Kilinç: EFA X Environmental area; Pourranjbar: High PA Level X Environment; Yildirim: Sports-based physical activity and socialization X Environmental Health

Fig. 7

Correlation between the vitality domain (VT) and physical activity (PA). Chang a: Exercise Frequency X VT in male; Chang b: Exercise Frequency X VT in female; Kokic: Total PA X VT; Legey: Physical Activity Level X VT; Pedisic a: PA total X VT in female; Pedisic b: PA total X VT in male

Fig. 8

Correlation between physical activity and pain domain. Chang a: Exercise Frequency X Bodily pain (BP) in male; Chang b: Exercise Frequency X Bodily pain (BP) in female; Legey: PAL X Pain; Pedisic a: Total PA X Bodily pain in female; Pedisic b: Total PA X Bodily pain in male

Fig. 9

Correlation between physical activity and general quality of life. Ji- Yeon (Park): Total physical activity X Quality of Life (QoL); Khan: Overall Physical Activity X QoL; Kilinç: Physical Activity X QoL; Kruger: PA X QoL; Legey: Physical Activity Level (PAL)X HRQoL Total; Yildirim: Physical activity based on sports and socializing X QoL; Zhang: PA X Mastery-approach goal orientation

Fig. 10

Association between physical activity and general quality of life. Goldsby: Moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) X Health Related Quality of Life; Lemos: Vigorous physical activity X QoL; Mak: PA (HPL) X QoL; Peleias: High PA X QoL self-assessment—general total