Abstract:

Physical activity (PA) is indispensable in life-long learning (L3), especially in developing a healthy lifestyle. PA has been associated with many favourable outcomes such as improved health and longer life expectancy. However, the habit of PA has been reported to be abandoned by some students when transitioning into higher education, bringing about a decrease in overall health and well-being. Consequently, universities aim at promoting PA among students, however, mostly taking a marketing approach focused on selling the idea of PA in general and also on providing opportunity at affordable cost. However, different kinds of PA practice, especially those connected to team-practice, competition and coaching have been said to contribute more to the increase of favourable outcomes (i.e. psychological need satisfaction, intrinsic motivation, well-being) and the decrease of adverse ones (i.e. depression, anxiety, stress).

Taking into account the aforementioned, the present study analysed, based on the data of (N = 662 university students) if PA being practised competitively, on a certain type of day, with a coach, in leagues or federations, or in teams or coordinated with others, was connected to aspects of well-being, such as physical, psychological, social, and environmental dimensions of the World health organisation quality of life scale (WHOQOL-BREF), and with Satisfaction with life (SWL), and to aspects of ill-being, (i.e. depression, anxiety, and stress; DASS-21).

As expected, students who practised PA, reported higher well-being and lower ill-being in all variables. But even among students already practising PA, those who practised competitively, reported higher scores in physical and environmental well-being (WHOQOL), and lower scores in depression, anxiety, and stress (DASS-21). Similarly, those who practiced as part of federations or leagues, reported higher physical wellbeing and overall lower ill-being (DASS-21). Students who practised PA without a set regularity reported lowest physical well-being and highest depression scores among those who practised. And lastly, somewhat unsurprisingly, students who practised in the same space but without coordination with other practitioners scored lower in environmental well-being than those who practiced using the same space but in a coordinated fashion.

These findings show that PA is positively related with well-being and negatively with ill-being, and that certain types of physical activity may be more beneficial for well-being than PA per se. This could mean that some favourable conditions are especially fulfilled in PA engagement that has a longer time-span and is related to others participating together. This study suggests that what could be bringing about the favourable outcomes (i.e. well-being) may be regularity and social embeddedness of PA practice. PA is part of healthy life-style, but regular and socially connected practice may add more to perceived well-being. Future studies are encouraged to draw longitudinal data from panel designs in the transition into adulthood, and organisations developing interventions aiming at the promotion of healthier life-styles are hinted towards providing early opportunity for talent development and PA as sports practice, given its close connection to competition and group sports practice.

Keywords:

Life long learning, physical activity, well-being, ill-being, quality of life.