Dietary Habits, Body Composition and Life Satisfaction Among Saudi University Female Students by Physical Activity

The undergraduate stage plays a crucial role in promoting healthy habits. Therefore, this study aimed to determine and compare the body composition, dietary assessment, and life satisfaction level among physically active and inactive female students at King Abdulaziz University (KAU). This cross-sectional study was conducted on 257 university students between March and November 2022. This study used the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), Healthy Eating Assessment, and Life Satisfaction-11 (LISAT-11) to collect data, and the body composition was measured. 45.5% of the participants were in a low level of physical activity (PA), 36.2% had a moderate level, and 18.3% had a high level. Students spent 8.11±3.94 hours/day of sitting time. 78.2% of students were satisfied with their life. 63.4% of students had a good eating pattern while 33.1% were in a “Fair” zone. Significant inverse differences were found between eating patterns and PA levels, body fat percentage, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio (p ≤ 0.05). This study concluded a high prevalence of sedentary behavior and insufficient PA levels among KAU students. Furthermore, the majority of students fell within the normal weight range, reported high life satisfaction, and demonstrated good dietary patterns. There were no significant differences in life satisfaction and body composition among physically active and inactive students.

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