1. Physical activity, body appreciation, and perceived stress in relation to life satisfaction among university studentsVojko Vučković, Tanja Kajtna, Klemen Širok, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Physical Activity, Body Appreciation, and Perceived Stress in Relation to Life Satisfaction Among University Students by Vojko Vučković 1,*ORCID,Tanja Kajtna 1ORCID andKlemen Širok 2ORCID 1 Faculty of Sport, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 2 Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Primorska, 6310 Izola, Slovenia * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Healthcare 2026, 14(11), 1572; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14111572 Submission received: 31 March 2026 / Revised: 29 May 2026 / Accepted: 2 June 2026 / Published: 4 June 2026 (This article belongs to the Special Issue The Role of Physical Activity and Sports in Enhancing Psychological Well-Being and Quality of Life) Downloadkeyboard_arrow_down Versions Notes Abstract Background: University students experience increased psychological distress during academic transitions, yet modifiable lifestyle determinants of their subjective well-being remain incompletely understood within integrated analytical frameworks. Methods: A cross-sectional survey (N = 194 undergraduates; 52.6% women; M age = 21.9 years) used validated instruments: the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Body Appreciation Scale-2 Short Form (BAS-2SF), Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form (IPAQ-SF), and single-item measures of financial security and screen time. Physical activity (PA) was log-transformed (MET_log). Multiple simultaneous regression and structural equation modelling (SEM) were conducted. Results: Perceived stress was the strongest negative predictor of life satisfaction (B = −0.561, p < 0.001), while financial security was a significant positive predictor (B = +0.171, p = 0.023). SEM showed that body appreciation was associated with life satisfaction primarily through lower perceived stress (indirect effect = 0.107; consistent with indirect-only association pattern), while PA showed a significant direct association with life satisfaction (β = +0.143, p = 0.030), independent of the stress pathway. The indirect effect of PA via stress was not significant in the SEM. Model fit was acceptable (CFI = 0.951; RMSEA = 0.067). Conclusions: Perceived stress was statistically associated with the relationship between body appreciation and subjective well-being, while PA showed a direct statistical association with well-being that was independent of the stress pathway. Given the cross-sectional nature of this study, these findings suggest that university health promotion programmes may consider integrating positive body image and stress management components alongside PA promotion to support student psychological well-being.
Keywords: physical activity, life satisfaction, perceived stress, body appreciation, university students, structural equation modelling, well-being
Published in RUP: 07.06.2026; Views: 136; Downloads: 6
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2. Explaining physical activity and self-rated health through motivation and perceived service quality : a structural equation modelVojko Vučković, Klemen Širok, Marta Bon, 2026, original scientific article Keywords: service quality, exercise motivation, physical activity, self-rated health, self-determination theory, SEM, health promotion
Published in RUP: 21.02.2026; Views: 490; Downloads: 5
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3. Preserving health : the main motive for exercising in the senior exercise park for a nursing home residentsMitja Gerževič, Marko Vidnjevič, Matej Plevnik, Andrej Raspor, Tjaša Gerževič, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the motives and attitudes of the Nursing Home residents for exercising in Senior Exercise Park (SEP). Methods: Fifty volunteers (79.3 ± 8.4 years; 80% women; 50% exercising in SEP) were interviewed. Beside the descriptive statistics, a one-sample t-test and a chi-square test were used. Results: The results showed that physical activity (PA) performed by the respondents in the past was not significantly (p>0.05) related to their engagement in the SEP. More than a half of those who had been exercising in the SEP were exercising five or more times per week, which was also significantly (p<0.05) more frequent than the recommended three times per week. The majority of those who exercised in the SEP spent up to 30 minutes for each exercise session. The most frequent motives for exercising in the SEP were medical/health factors, challenge/benefit and curiosity. Among the reasons why some Nursing Home residents had not engaged in the SEP exercise, the most frequently mentioned were health problems, physical difficulties and lack of interest. The main benefit of the SEP exercise was the ability to perform everyday tasks much easier, feeling better and being in a better mood. Discussion and Conclusions: Installation of SEPs in the Nursing Homes is reasonable and could represent an important home’s achievement, as it can significantly contribute to the increase in PA of its residents. Moreover, it can also have an indirect positive effect on their health and overall home\'s atmosphere.
Keywords: elderly, physical activity, outdoor exercise, motives, attitudes
Published in RUP: 25.07.2025; Views: 1166; Downloads: 0 |
4. “Goldilocks day” : identifying the optimal awake movement behaviour composition for predicted cardiometabolic health outcomes in youthJoey Murphy, Charlotte Lund Rasmussen, Javier Brazo-Sayavera, Ademola Victor Damilola, Nastja Podrekar, Aoko Oluwayomi, Luís Bettencourt Sardinha, Niels Wedderkopp, Elaine M. Murtagh, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Background Most research focuses on the relationship of individual movement behaviours, neglecting how different compositions throughout the day associate with cardiometabolic health outcomes. Aim The aim of this study was to explore the optimal awake movement behaviour composition associated with predicted cardiometabolic health outcomes in youth. Subjects and methods The study included participants (N = 1,310 participants; 11.1 ± 2.5 [range = 7.98–17.1 years]; 55.9% female; 100% European) from the International Children’s Accelerometry Database. Accelerometer measured sedentary behaviour (SB), light-(LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) defined the awake movement behaviour composition. Four cardiometabolic health outcomes (lipid profile, blood pressure, glucose metabolism, and body mass) were assessed through nine parameters. These were regressed against the awake movement behaviour composition, adjusting for relevant covariates to estimate the optimal awake movement behaviour composition for each predicted cardiometabolic health outcome (i.e. “Goldilocks Day”). Results The final models found a significant relationship between the awake movement behaviour composition and cardiometabolic health outcome, excluding lipid profile indicators. For indicators of glucose metabolism, blood pressure and body mass, the Goldilocks Day consisted of less SB (–12 to −39 min), LPA (–8 to −32 min) and more MVPA (+44 to 47 min) when compared to the sample mean. Conclusion These findings concur with current guidelines that more MVPA and less SB are better, but the optimal time youth should spend in each behaviour depends on the health outcome of interest. This indicates that one size does not fit all when making recommendations for multiple cardiometabolic health outcomes.
Keywords: ICAD, physical activity, adolescents, children, sedentary behaviour
Published in RUP: 20.07.2025; Views: 1458; Downloads: 24
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6. The mind-body connection : how physical activity and physical fitness affect academic performanceVedrana Sember, Shawnda A. Morrison, 2018, scientific monograph Abstract: Physical activity is behavior and is influenced by many factors. These factors are classified into four levels: physiological, psychological, sociocultural, and ecological (Lindquist, Reynolds, & Goran, 1999). Many experts note that additional hours of physical education have a positive impact on the academic success (Shephard, 1997) since learning of complex movements stimulates the frontal cortex in the brain, which is also active in learning and problem solving (Jensen, 2005). The results of these studies suggest a positive relationship between physical and academic achievement (Singh, Uitjtdewilligen, Twisk, Van Mechelen, & Chinapaw, 2012). Indeed, how physical activity affects the intellectual development or academic performance of the child and how academic performance changes through different quantities of physical activity and time are explored in this work.
Keywords: sport, physical activity, physical education, physical fitness
Published in RUP: 09.11.2021; Views: 4072; Downloads: 39
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9. Motiviranje posameznikov za povečanje gibalne/športne aktivnosti skozi načrtovanje uvajanja vedenjskih sprememb : diplomska nalogaPia Grm, 2017, undergraduate thesis Keywords: motivacija, transteoretični model spreminjanja vedenja, gibalna/športna aktivnost, program vadbe, odrasli, motivation, transtheoretical model of behavior change, physical activity, physical exercise program, adults
Published in RUP: 13.11.2017; Views: 4309; Downloads: 39
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