Design of Physical Exercises Adapted to Improve the Nursing Students Physical Activity in Cienfuegos

Background: physical activity reduces the risk of obesity and is associated with mental health, emotional well-being and greater longevity. Nursing students at the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences have negative results regarding the physical activity level. Objective: to design a set of adapted physical exercises that allows improving the nursing student’s physical activity levels at the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences. Methods: a descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was carried out in nursing students from the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences from January to December 2019. The universe consisted of 133 nursing students from 3rd to 5th year and the sample by sex; 15 females and 15 males, which represents the 25 % of the chosen population. Among the applied techniques were: the nominal group, the survey and the participant observation. Descriptive statistics were used to obtain data on means and percentages. Results: a proposal of physical exercises for different muscular planes was designed in an affordable way for the practitioners, consisting of practicing them three times a week with the required methodology. Conclusions: the design of physical exercises, turned out to be a methodological tool that responds to the need to develop the organic motor capacities in its dimensions: strength, speed, flexibility and resistance, using with creativity methods, techniques and strategies of physical activity to achieve a change in attitude to the growing sedentary lifestyle that affects the university population so much

Levels of Physical Activity in Nursing Students

Background: the benefits of physical exercise are well known and include a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases, obesity, insulin resistance and certain types of cancer such as colon and breast cancer. Physical activity reduces the risk of obesity and is associated with mental health, emotional well-being, and increased longevity. Objective: to determine the level of physical activity developed by nursing students from the Cienfuegos University of Medical Sciences. Methods: a descriptive, cross-sectional quantitative research was carried out. The instrument used to determine physical activity was the International Physical Activity Questionnaire the long version, this instrument measures the level of physical activity in low level, moderate level and vigorous level. Results: regarding the level of physical activity, it was found that the 22.38 % of the nursing students presented a moderate level, the 8.95 % vigorous level physical activity and the 68.65 % low-level physical activity, but males are more active than females. Conclusions: an evaluation of the level of physical activity established by the international questionnaire was determined for the first time, these results being negative since the students lead a sedentary life which is detrimental to health and may affect the appearance of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and arterial hypertension</p