Assessment of the level of physical activity in the final year students of the faculty of medicine in relation to the students of the faculty of agriculture during the covid-19 epidemic

Introduction. The coronavirus pandemic has affected various aspects of human life around the world and, among other things, the quality and level of physical activity, which is one of the main preventive mechanisms for many chronic diseases, for both young and adults. It has been shown that physical activity improves mental health and quality of life. Due to the strict measures during the pandemic, people spent more time at home, inactive, sitting or lying for long periods of time. The aim of this study is to assess the level of physical activity of students during the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic and to determine the impact of these measures on its level. Material and Methods. The study was conducted as a retrospective study including a total of 60 students, aged 22 to 30 years, of which 30 students were final year students of the Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad and 30 students of the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess the level of physical activity. Results. The strictest epidemiological measures affected the level of physical activity of students, mostly reducing the level of light-intensity physical activity. Students of the Faculty of Agriculture were more physically active during the quarantine, especially regarding moderate physical activities. There is no statistically significant association between gender, body mass index, and length of study with the level of physical activity during the epidemic. Conclusion. Students of the Faculty of Medicine showed a lower level of physical activity during the strict epidemiological measures compared to the following period. Students of the Faculty of Agriculture were more physically active during the quarantine compared to the following period and compared to the students of the Faculty of Medicine; they were more active both during and after the strict measures during the coronavirus disease 2019 epidemic.