Physical Activity, Sedentary Lifestlye, Sleep Quality, Well-being
Conditions
Keywords
Sedentary lifestyle, University students, Physical activity, Exercise intervention, Weekend Warrior, Sleep quality, well-being, Mental health, Fatigue, Randomized controlled trial
Brief summary
This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the effects of a regular weekly physical activity program versus a "Weekend Warrior" activity pattern on sleep quality, physical well-being, and mental well-being in sedentary university students. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the intervention groups or to a control group and assessed at baseline and after the intervention.
Detailed description
Sedentary behavior is a growing concern among university students and is associated with poor sleep quality, fatigue, and lower mental well-being. Physical activity interventions can improve these outcomes, but the optimal frequency and pattern of activity remain unclear. This randomized controlled trial will evaluate and compare the effects of a regular weekly physical activity schedule with those of a "Weekend Warrior" pattern, in which the recommended amount of exercise is concentrated in two sessions per week. Sedentary university students will be randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups or to a control group for an 8 week period. Sleep quality (measured by actigraphy), physical well-being, and mental well-being will be assessed before and after the intervention. The findings of this study may help to inform public health recommendations for physical activity patterns among young adults.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALRegular Weekly Physical Activity Program
Structured physical activity sessions three times per week, 50 minutes each, over 8 weeks. Includes aerobic exercises, supervised by trained instructors. Goal is to distribute the recommended weekly activity evenly.
BEHAVIORALWeekend Warrior Physical Activity Program
Same total weekly activity as Arm 1, but concentrated in 2 weekend sessions of 75 minutes each. Includes aerobic exercises, supervised by the same trained instructors.
Sponsors
University of Sfax
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Intervention model description
This randomized controlled trial uses a parallel-group design in which sedentary university students are randomly assigned to one of three groups: a regular weekly physical activity schedule group, a 'Weekend Warrior' physical activity group, or a control group. Each group participates concurrently throughout the 8 week intervention period. The parallel structure allows direct comparison of the effects of different physical activity patterns on sleep quality, mental well-being, and physical well-being.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 25 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Aged 18 to 25 years. * Low level of physical activity, determined using the validated International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) according to its scoring thresholds. * Provided written informed consent. * Available to participate in the entire intervention program and all planned assessments.
Exclusion criteria
* Current use of medications that may affect sleep quality or alertness (e.g., sedative hypnotics, sedative antidepressants, psychostimulants). * History of serious medical conditions or any contraindication to moderate physical activity. * Morbid obesity. * Current pregnancy during the study period. * Participation in another intervention program simultaneously.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep Efficiency (Actigraphy) | Baseline (Week 0) and Post-intervention (Week 8) | Sleep efficiency calculated as the ratio of total sleep time to time in bed, expressed as a percentage (%). ≥85% is considered good sleep, \<85% indicates impaired sleep quality. Range: 0-100%. Higher percentages indicate better sleep efficiency. |
| Subjective Sleep Quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, PSQI) | Baseline (Week 0) and End of Intervention (Week 8) | Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index total score ranges 0-21. Score ≤5 indicates good sleep quality, \>5 indicates poor sleep quality. Higher scores indicate worse sleep. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Psychological Well-Being (WHO-5 Well-Being Index) | Baseline (Week 0) and End of Intervention (Week 8) | WHO-5 score ranges 0-25, converted to 0-100%. Higher scores indicate better well-being. Raw score \<13 (\<52%) suggests poor well-being. |
| Mental Health (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale, DASS-21) | Baseline (Week 0) and End of Intervention (Week 8) | DASS-21 measures depression, anxiety, and stress. Each subscale score ranges 0-42; higher scores indicate greater severity. |
| Fatigue (Fatigue Assessment Scale, FAS) | Baseline (Week 0) and End of Intervention (Week 8) | FAS a 10-item questionnaire rated on a five-point Likert scale (1 = "Never" to 5 = "Always"). Total scores range from 10 to 50, with scores ≥22 indicating substantial fatigue. |
| Functional Endurance (6-Minute Walk Test, 6MWT) | Baseline (Week 0) and End of Intervention (Week 8) | 6-Minute Walk Test measures distance (meters) walked in 6 minutes along a flat corridor. Higher distance indicates better functional endurance. |
Countries
Tunisia
Contacts
STUDY_DIRECTORJihen JDIDI TRABELSI, Professor
Faculty of Medicine of Sfax, Tunisia
STUDY_DIRECTORRiadh DAHMEN, Professor
Higher Institute of Sport and Physical Education of Sfax, TUNISIA
Outcome results
None listed