The practice of physical exercise: a comparative study with undergraduate pupils of a university from Campinas city

DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.200731.4.3

Abstract

Practicing physical exercise is vital for human beings health. Because of this, we became interested in knowing and compare
the level of importance given to and the interest aroused by the practice of physical exercise by State University of Campinas, UNICAMP,
undergraduate students. 1350 individuals had been selected, both male and female, with ages between 17 and 22 years, studying at
UNICAMP, enlisted in nine full period undergraduate courses, namely, Nursing, Physical Education, Biology, Pedagogy, Dance, Music,
History, Mathematics and Computer Science. We observed that only students from the Physical Education course, more than half
(89%) of our subjects, practice satisfactorily physical activities with a minimum of three times a week and during thirty minutes each.
We observed that the practices are due to the following aspects: the combating and controlling stress-inducing factors, coming next
maintaining physical conditioning, aesthetic reasons, socialization, health, quality of life and lastly leisure and gaining or maintaining
muscular hypertrophy. Soccer, musculation exercises, physical conditioning, running and localized exercises were the most looked for
modalities. Thus, we present to university coordinators of universities the suggestion to offer facilities and time in schedules for students
to practice physical exercises.