Comparison of perceived barriers to physical activity between Ecuadorian university students in physical activity and sports pedagogy and other social science majors

Abstract

[Abstract]: Research suggests a relationship between university majors and the perception of contextual barriers to physical activity (PA). This study aims to identify and compare, differentiating by the sexes, the perceived barriers to PA among students of Physical Activity and Sport Pedagogy (PASP) and students from other social science majors at the Technical University of Machala. Methods. This research is descriptive and cross-sectional with a quantitative approach. A convenience sample of 526 students (168 men and 358 women) was obtained using a non-probabilistic intentional sampling technique by accessibility. Of these, 100 were PASP students (68 males and 32 females) and 426 were studying other majors (100 males and 326 females). The instrument used was the Barriers to Being Active Quiz (BBAQ) scale adapted to Spanish. The 21 items and the seven instrument categories were analyzed according to their nature and scale. Results. Female PASP students did not perceive barriers in any of the seven BBAQ categories, while women from other majors perceived barriers in four categories: lack of energy, lack of time, lack of will, and lack of resources. Significant differences were found in only one of the 21 scale items and in the associations of barriers with studies in the categories of lack of time (p<0.023) and lack of energy (p<0.042), with lower perception of barriers in PASP students. In male students, the main barriers for both groups were lack of time and lack of energy. Lack of resources was a barrier for men in other majors, while lack of willingness was a barrier for PASP students. Significant differences were found in four of the 21 scale items and in the associations in two categories: social influence (p<0.036) and fear of injury (p<0.016), with a higher perception of barriers in men from other majors. Conclusions. The type of university major affects the perception of barriers to PA among university students. This should be addressed with specific university policies to reconcile academic life with regular physical exercise programs.