Conducta sedentaria y actividad física en estudiantes universitarios: un estudio piloto;
Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity in University Students: A Pilot Study

La efectividad de la actividad física como estrategia de prevención primaria y secundariade diversos trastornos crónicos ha sido bien documentada. Recientemente se introdujo otrofactor, la conducta sedentaria, que se asocia con dichos trastornos y que parece actuar demanera independiente del nivel de actividad física. La conducta sedentaria hace referenciaa actividades que no incrementan sustancialmente el gasto energético por encima del nivelde reposo. Niveles altos de conducta sedentaria se asocian con el padecimiento de obesidad,síndrome metabólico y mortalidad por enfermedad cardiovascular y por toda causa, con independenciadel nivel de actividad física que se realice. (continúa en pdf) 

 The effectiveness of physical activity as primary andsecondary prevention strategy of several chronic diseasesis well documented. Sedentary behavior, a factorthat has been recently introduced, is associated withthese disorders and seems to act independently of thelevel of physical activity. Sedentary behavior refersto activities that do not increase energy expendituresubstantially above the resting level. Increased levelsof sedentary behaviors, independent of physical activitylevels, are associated with increased risk of obesity,metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular mortality and allcause mortality. We analyzed the sedentary behaviorin a local university population of a group of studentsfrom the University of Flores (n = 425). The sedentarybehavior and the level of physical activity werestudied using the self reporting questionnaire GPAQ.We found that the sedentary behavior is a variablewith a heterogeneous response. Sedentary behaviorswere more frequent in women, yet the differences werenon-significant. Sixteen percent of students had highlevels of sedentary behaviors and, simultaneously, lowlevels of physical activity, with higher risk of chronicdiseases. Further surveys are needed about sedentarybehaviors during work, motorized transportation andspare time in the general population.