EXAMINING THE CHANGES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION, SEDENTARY BEHAVIORS, AND EATING HABITS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2023-2
Öksüz, Güncem Dilan
Show full item record
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
387
views
329
downloads
During the COVID-19 pandemic, measures such as curfews and social distancing that will seriously change people's daily lives have been taken by the authorities to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection. This study aimed to examine the changes in physical activity (PA) participation, sedentary behaviors (SB), and eating habits of university students, one of the most affected populations of society by these changes, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mixed-methods sequential explanatory design was used in this study. Participants from different universities in Ankara were reached. There were 294 students surveyed online, and then 10 of whom also participated in the semi-structured interviews. The results revealed that the number of participants participating in physical activities such as walking, running, and team sports decreased, while participation in sports (workouts) that can be done at home increased. Besides, a considerable increase in sedentary behaviors was revealed, specifically in screen time. Moreover, it is possible to say that there is a decrease in the consumption of fast food, and participants preferred to consume more vegetables and fruits. However, participants’ snack consumption also increased. The findings clarified both the positive and negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on university students' PA participation, SB, and eating habits. This study emphasizes the need for strategies that can be developed by experts to increase university students' participation in physical activity and to reinforce their healthy eating habits in unusual situations, such as the COVID-19 outbreak and the spread of online education with developing technology.
Physical Exercise, Physical Inactivity, Dietary Habits, Coronavirus, College Students
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/102114
Graduate School of Social Sciences, Thesis

Suggestions

A MIXED METHODS APPROACH TO INVESTIGATING THE CHANGES OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY BEHAVIORS OF CHILDREN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: PARENT REPORT
ALKAN, LEYLA; Hürmeriç Altunsöz, Irmak; Department of Physical Education and Sports (2022-9)
After the COVID-19 pandemic was announced, a series of measures were taken by governments, including home confinement and social distancing due to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Though the importance of physical activity in childhood is well known, pandemic-related restrictions affected opportunities to reach healthy movement behaviors. The present study aimed to reveal the evidence of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on physical activity behaviors of children aged between 5-12 years. The s...
Examining Fears of Turkish Children and Adolescents with Regard to Age, Gender and Socioeconomic Status
ERDUR BAKER, ÖZGÜR; Erdur Baker, Özgür (2012-05-12)
The aim of this study is to examine the nature and severity of children and adolescents fears with regard to age, gender and socioeconomic status in Turkey. 1315 children and adolescents (642 females and 673 males) between the ages of 8 and 18 from low and middle socioeconomic status were administered Turkish version of Fear Survey Schedule for Children (Serim-Yildiz & Erdur-Baker, in press). Female children at age 8 coming from low socioeconomic status reported the highest fear scores for all fear factors,...
EVALUATION OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC MEASURES FOR MASS TRANSPORTATION IN ANKARA
Shahin, Hind; Yetişkul Şenbil, Emine; Department of Urban Policy Planning and Local Governments (2021-7)
COVID-19 was labeled a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by WHO on the 30th of January 2020. Countries enacted measures to curb the spread of the virus, many of which resulted in limiting peoples’ mobility; mass transportation systems worldwide took the hardest hit. Thus, research emerged on the impact of COVID-19 on mass transit systems worldwide. This thesis analyzes COVID-19’s effect on Ankara’s mass transit through detailing the measures taken by the city and the effects those decisions ...
The change of university students' place attachment in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic: a case study on the Middle East Technical University campus
Yılmaz, Deniz; Aral, Hacer Ela; Ataöv Demirkan, Anlı; Department of Architecture (2022-12-02)
With the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which emerged in Wuhan in December 2019 and spread rapidly all over the world in a short time, there have been significant changes in people's lives. As in the rest of the world, quarantine, restriction, and social isolation measures were implemented to control the spread of the virus in Turkey. Within these measures, mobility was restricted, and people had to stay home. University students have taken their place in society as a mobile and social group. Restrictions, quarantines, ...
DECISION-MAKING OF SCHOOL PRINCIPALS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION
Sarıhan, Selin; Gökalp, Gökçe; Department of Educational Administration and Planning (2022-1)
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global-scale crisis at schools, leading to a huge disruption in educational activities. This study explores crisis perceptions and the decision-making process of the school principals, using the ongoing COVID-19 crisis as an example. The study is designed as a qualitative exploration with semi-structured interviews conducted with nineteen school principals in a district of Gaziantep province in Turkey. Data were analyzed through descriptive and content analysis. In ...
Citation Formats
G. D. Öksüz, “EXAMINING THE CHANGES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PARTICIPATION, SEDENTARY BEHAVIORS, AND EATING HABITS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2023.
METU IIS - Integrated Information Service open@metu.edu.tr