RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, NUTRITION HABITS AND BODY COMPOSITION OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

The aim of the present study was to determine the physical activity levels of university students with a pedometer and investigate into the relationship between the physical activity and body composition and energy intake. A total of 1113 female and male university students participated in the present study. Pedometer determined number of daily step method was used to assess physical activity of subjects (Yamax PW610). Body composition was analyzed by bioelectrical impedance method (Tanita BC-418MA). Mean±SD number of daily steps of female and male students were found 8020±3117 steps/day and 8652±3258 steps/day, respectively. Both female and male subjects there was inversely correlation between the number of daily steps and BMI (r = -.115 and -.129), right leg fat percentage (r = -.110 and -.131), left leg fat percentage (r = -.119 and -.103) (p = 0.05). There was not significantly correlation between the number of daily steps and energy consumption of subjects. As a result, can be said that university students' physical activity levels are insufficient, daily step number of the males was higher than the female subjects. In addition, there was a negative relation between the daily number of steps and body fat percentage.