COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students
The global COVID-19 pandemic that is ongoing because of the Coronavirus II (SARS-CoV-2) has had until now a great impact on physical education and sports, especially due to the closure of training facilities and people’s lack of motivation. In Romania, physical activity (PA) and physical education (...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/8944 |
| _version_ | 1797491596170625024 |
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| author | Mihai Adrian Olanescu Marius Adrian Suciu Claude Scheuer Miruna Peris |
| author_facet | Mihai Adrian Olanescu Marius Adrian Suciu Claude Scheuer Miruna Peris |
| author_sort | Mihai Adrian Olanescu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The global COVID-19 pandemic that is ongoing because of the Coronavirus II (SARS-CoV-2) has had until now a great impact on physical education and sports, especially due to the closure of training facilities and people’s lack of motivation. In Romania, physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE) have also been highly affected, especially among university students. To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted in Romania regarding the influence of the lockdown on the physical health and well-being of university students. This study aims to determine if and how the pandemic affected the university students’ mental and physical health in Romania, but also to highlight new strategies and approaches suggested by them through a questionnaire to enhance and motivate their participation in physical activities. Based on a cross-sectional design, a survey designed in two languages—Romanian and English—was completed by the students from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and foreign students that were on a mobility study visit through the Erasmus+ program in Romania. The questionnaire was filled out by 836 university students (age = 18–24 years; males: 57.73%). The findings showed that quarantine in Romania led to a significant increase in sedentarism among students and a reduction in energy for physical activity, which also affected their psychological well-being. The absence of social interactions and onsite classes led to a sedentary lifestyle among students and increased their fear and stress levels. The cancellation of all sports events and PA also led to fewer students remaining physically active. Time off training and leisure time activities caused by the ongoing restrictions might be used for new purposes, such as goal setting, overcoming injury, improving mobility, psychological development, and emphasizing strength sports for health. During the COVID-19 lockdown, sedentarism increased dramatically, especially among young people. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:51:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-170714b111b94cada7d4c27c7965fa9c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:51:34Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-170714b111b94cada7d4c27c7965fa9c2023-11-23T14:50:39ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172022-09-011218894410.3390/app12188944COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University StudentsMihai Adrian Olanescu0Marius Adrian Suciu1Claude Scheuer2Miruna Peris3Faculty of Automotive, Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Automotive, Mechatronics and Mechanical Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, University of Luxembourg, 1855 Luxembourg, LuxembourgFaculty of Industrial Engineering, Robotics and Production Management, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400641 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaThe global COVID-19 pandemic that is ongoing because of the Coronavirus II (SARS-CoV-2) has had until now a great impact on physical education and sports, especially due to the closure of training facilities and people’s lack of motivation. In Romania, physical activity (PA) and physical education (PE) have also been highly affected, especially among university students. To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted in Romania regarding the influence of the lockdown on the physical health and well-being of university students. This study aims to determine if and how the pandemic affected the university students’ mental and physical health in Romania, but also to highlight new strategies and approaches suggested by them through a questionnaire to enhance and motivate their participation in physical activities. Based on a cross-sectional design, a survey designed in two languages—Romanian and English—was completed by the students from the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca and foreign students that were on a mobility study visit through the Erasmus+ program in Romania. The questionnaire was filled out by 836 university students (age = 18–24 years; males: 57.73%). The findings showed that quarantine in Romania led to a significant increase in sedentarism among students and a reduction in energy for physical activity, which also affected their psychological well-being. The absence of social interactions and onsite classes led to a sedentary lifestyle among students and increased their fear and stress levels. The cancellation of all sports events and PA also led to fewer students remaining physically active. Time off training and leisure time activities caused by the ongoing restrictions might be used for new purposes, such as goal setting, overcoming injury, improving mobility, psychological development, and emphasizing strength sports for health. During the COVID-19 lockdown, sedentarism increased dramatically, especially among young people.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/8944physical activityphysical educationCOVID-19studentslockdownsedentarism |
| spellingShingle | Mihai Adrian Olanescu Marius Adrian Suciu Claude Scheuer Miruna Peris COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students Applied Sciences physical activity physical education COVID-19 students lockdown sedentarism |
| title | COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students |
| title_full | COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students |
| title_fullStr | COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students |
| title_full_unstemmed | COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students |
| title_short | COVID-19 Pandemic: Impediment or Opportunity? Considerations Regarding the Physical-Health Impact and Well-Being among Romanian University Students |
| title_sort | covid 19 pandemic impediment or opportunity considerations regarding the physical health impact and well being among romanian university students |
| topic | physical activity physical education COVID-19 students lockdown sedentarism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/8944 |
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