Association between the level of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and back pain in nutrition and dietetics students of a university in Lima in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

Objective: To verify the association between the levels of physical activity, sedentary lifestyle and the presence of back pain in nutrition and dietetics students from a private university. Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study, the population were students of nutrition and dietetics. Adults with at least one semester of studies were included. Back pain was evaluated using the Nordic standardized Kourinka questionnaire, physical activity and sedentary behavior using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short version. Controlling for sex, age, cycle, hours spent studying, practicing physical activity and qualified athlete status. The instruments were applied using virtual format. Results: 108 participants of both sexes were analyzed. The students carry out an average of 4.6 hours of study per day outside the virtual classes received, 74.1% were physically active and 74% sit for more than eight hours a day. 65.7% refer to having suffered from back pain and the associated factors are the hours of study per day (RPa = 1,088), the average sitting hours per day (RPa = 1,047), as well as accumulating more than 8 hours sitting a day has an RPa = 1,372 compared to that they accumulate less than eight hours sitting daily. Conclusions: sedentary behavior and especially the hours of study outside the class carried out by nutrition and dietetic students are directly related to back pain, thus greater sedentary behavior increases the probability of suffering from back pain.