Mahsarakham University (MSU) has been a member of the Asean University Network on Health Promotion Network (AUN-HPN) since 2020. (AUN-HPN website https://aun-hpn.mahidol.ac.th/.) The first collaboration under AUN-HPN is to conduct a study on Prevalence of Physical Activity Participation and Its Correlates among Students in Higher Education Institutions in Asia (PACS Project). There are more than 20 Asean universities participate in this study including Mahasarakham University and Associate Professor Dr. Surasak Chaiyasong is a project investigator of the MSU arm.
The objective of this study is to investigate prevalence of physical activity participation in different domains and its correlates, as well as sedentary levels among higher institution students in Asian countries. This study uses a Global Physical Activity Questionnaire to measure participation in overall and domain specific physical activity. Measures of correlates include some specific health behaviors i.e. alcohol and tobacco consumption, and diet using selected items from Healthway Community Survey. The questionnaire also includes other items to measure university’s environment, mental well-being, attitude toward physical activity; support from family and friends, and sociodemographic and contextual information, and opinions about university support for physical activity. The PACS project could inform policy makers and stakeholders in higher institutions and healthcare organizations regarding current state of physical activity among higher institution students. This study could be baseline for future prospective cohort study on effects of physical activity toward potential outcomes.
Th AUN-HPN PACS project supports development of healthy public policy and action to achieve NCD global target and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The AUN-HPN PACS project is part of the Children and Youth Physical Activity (CYPAS) which is led by Mahidol University. For more information of the project, see on this website https://aun-hpn.mahidol.ac.th/thailand-health-promotion-foundation-physical-health-research-project-september-2018/
