Investigation of University Students' Recreation Benefit Awareness and Physical Activity Levels

Abstract

Physical activity level is an important factor that affects health of people of all ages and awareness level about the benefits obtained from recreational activities may increase the frequency of participation. The objective of the study is to review the correlation between university students’ recreation benefit awareness and their physical activity levels and to demonstrate whether or not there is a difference about this subject in terms of gender and faculty. A total of 909 university students 541 female students and 368 male students who studied at different universities in Turkey joined the study. Information Request Form, Leisure Benefit Scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire were administered to the participants. The data obtained from the study were analyzed using Pearson Correlation Analysis and Independent Samples t Test. The study results indicate that there is a positive correlation between participants’ recreation benefit awareness and their physical activity levels. Besides, it is seen that female participants’ physical and psychological recreation benefit awareness was higher; however, as for the male participants their physical activity levels were higher. It was identified that of the participant students, those who studied on sports sciences had higher psychological and social recreation benefit awareness and physical activity levels. In light of the study findings, the fact that the university students’ benefit awareness perception on recreational activities had increased made a positive contribution to their physical activity levels and dimensions of recreation benefit awareness and as a result, physical activity levels differed in terms of gender and the type of the faculty.

Keywords

• Physical activity
• Recreation benefit awareness
• University students

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Rekreasyon Fayda Farkındalıkları ile Fiziksel Aktivite Düzeylerinin İncelenmesi

Öz

Fiziksel aktivite düzeyi her yaştan bireyin sağlığına etki eden önemli bir faktördür ve rekreatif aktivitelerinden elde edilen faydalar ile ilgili farkındalık düzeyi aktivitelere katılım sıklığını artırabilir. Üniversite öğrenim sürecinin rekreatif aktivite fırsatları açısından zengin bir dönem olduğu düşünüldüğünde araştırmamız üniversite öğrencilerinin rekreasyon fayda farkındalığı ile fiziksel aktivite düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi tespit etmeği amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmaya Türkiye’nin farklı bölgelerinde üniversitelerde öğrenim gören 541 kadın, 368 erkek toplam 909 üniversite öğrencisi katılmış ve Kişisel Bigi Formu, Rekreasyon Fayda Farkındalığı ve Fiziksel Aktivite Düzeyleri ölçeklerinden oluşan anket formu ile veriler elde edilmiştir. Sayısal değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler Pearson korelasyon analizi ve iki grup arasında nicel değişkeninin ortalamaları arasında anlamlı bir fark olup olmadığını sınamak için bağımsız örneklemler t testi kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonuçları katılımcıların rekreasyon fayda farkındalıkları ve fiziksel aktivite düzeyleri arasında pozitif ilişki olduğu göstermektedir. Ayrıca kadınların fiziksel ve psikolojik rekreasyon fayda farkındalıklarının, erkeklerin ise fiziksel aktivite düzeylerinin daha yüksek olduğunu görülmüştür. Katılımcılarından spor bilimleri alanında eğitim gören öğrencilerin psikolojik ve sosyal rekreasyon fayda farkındalıkları ile fiziksel aktivite düzeylerinin daha yüksek olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Sonuç olarak üniversite öğrencilerinin rekreatif aktivitelerde fayda farkındalık algısının artması fiziksel aktivite düzeylerine olumlu katkı sağlamaktadır. Ayrıca cinsiyet ve eğitim alanı bazı fakörler ile ilişkili olarak rekreasyonel fayda farkındalığı alt boyutlarında değişkenlik göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Fiziksel aktivite
• Rekreasyon fayda
• Farkındalık

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