A Study of the Effects of Facility and Service Provision on Physical Activity among Students and Staff at MCAST

Abstract

Physical Inactivity is considered a key global risk factor for non-communicable diseases and premature mortality. In its 2017 global action plan, the World Health Organization (WHO) committed to reducing inactivity by 10% by 2025, representing a call-to-action for researchers worldwide to further explore physical activity (PA) trends in applied real world contexts. While research in Malta has revealed some valuable insights about PA among children and youths in compulsory education settings, less is known about the early adulthood years and the effect of higher education settings on PA habits. A cross-sectional survey design, and mixed methods approach to analysis was therefore developed to investigate PA trends among students and staff at MCAST, in light of various international trends and existing organizational structures at the college, namely, the effects of the provision and organization of facilities and activities on campus. The results show that 44% of students and staff at MCAST achieve WHO recommendations, while controlling for the effects of sports students’ PA levels the rate fell to 31% among the remaining student population, and 36% among staff. The achievement of PA recommendations was generally reflective of international trends in college and university settings, while the data on facility-use and activity-participation among various stratifications of students and staff are presented in the findings as a detailed model for assisting prospective development of more relevant, engaging, and effective PA-related initiatives and policies at MCAST.

Application of theoretical domains framework to explore the enablers of, and barriers to, physical activity among university staff and Students: A qualitative study

“…Consistent with previous studies [29,30], a signi cant proportion of university staff and students mentioned that the provision of a convenient and accessible onsite sports centre was one of the major environmental resources that encourages them to engage in PA. This was further evidenced by another study conducted with university students and staff in Spain [31], which revealed that the promotion of PA among this population can be achieved through the design of an attractive campus layout, such as the building of jogging trails, cycling paths, tennis courts and so on. In order to promote a comprehensive underpinning culture of PA among university populations, onsite sport venues should be enhanced.…”