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. 2023 Feb 28:16:557-569.
doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S397341. eCollection 2023.

Evaluation of Young Adults' Physical Activity Status and Perceived Barriers in the Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia

Adel Bashatah  1 , Omaimah A Qadhi  2 , Ahmed Al Sadoun  2 , Wajid Syed  3 , Mahmood Basil A Al-Rawi  4
Affiliations

Evaluation of Young Adults' Physical Activity Status and Perceived Barriers in the Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia

Adel Bashatah et al. J Multidiscip Healthc. .

Abstract

Background: Physical activity (PA) is any prolonged movement produced by muscular tissues that cause the muscles to exert force. Despite its beneficial effect, it is frequently neglected by individuals. The present study aimed to determine the PA among young adults living in Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi adults living in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia from June to August 2022 through a self-administered online survey. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess the PA among participants. The data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS v. 26.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Results: Among the surveyed adult males were the predominant 67.8% (n= 240). Most of them were young, aged between 24 to 34 years 62.4% (n=221), and 37.6% (n=133) of them were between 35 and 44 years old. The current findings reported that 63% (n=223) of the adults had PA on weekly basis. Walking 45.2% (n=160) followed by bodybuilding 12.7% (n=45) was the most common type of PA identified among adults. The barriers identified for not practicing PA were lack of time 46.9% (n=166). With regard to a sedentary lifestyle, it was reported that 9.55 (SD= 4.887) hours per day are spent sedentary or in a constant sitting. The adults gender (p=0.046) employment (p=0.0001) and educational status (p=0.0001) was significantly associated with the type of PA engaged. Although being a female were shown more sitting behavior than males (p<0.047), similarly the nationality of the adults (6.67; SD=1.649) (p <0.001), education (p=0.028) and monthly household income (p =0.024) were significantly associated with the overall mean sitting behavior.

Conclusion: The findings of this study confirmed that Saudi adults yet posing highly sedentary behavior and physical inactivity, despite knowing the harmful outcomes of inactivity. Thus educating individuals about the importance of PA is warranted.

Keywords: football; playing; running; sedentary behavior; sitting; walking; weightlifting.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow chart of the study.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Most common types of physical activity.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Barriers of physical activity among participants.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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