Physical activity among Portuguese university students and its relation to knowledge and perceived barriers

University students, regardless of the country, have a very high prevalence physical inactivity and health habits acquired during this period tend to remain throughout life, including those related exercise. The purpose study was analyse relationship between knowledge about recommendations on practice activity (PA), perceived barriers towards PA by higher education students. This cross-sectional used self-reported questionnaire with stratified sample university students (n = 840) from in Portugal. An ordinal logistic regression model calculated determine predictive variables PA. results showed that 35.7% surveyed were sedentary, level low, correctly answering 2.79 (SD .090) questions total 6, lack time most evident barrier. constructed predicted having more (β -.750, p .000) being female decreased likelihood practising .578, .000). increase levels is social necessity and, context, institutions should undertake key role promoting student health, implementing actions reduce their students’ inactivity, developing transmission information benefits