EXERCISE ACTIVITY AND MOTIVATION AMONG MEDICAL STUDENTS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY FROM INDONESIA

Nova Sylviana (Physiology Division, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Putri Karisa (Doctoral Student in Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Aldia Maharani Padantyasari (Undergraduate Student, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Yuni Susanti Pratiwi (Physiology Division, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)
Setiawan Setiawan (Physiology Division, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung)

Jurnal Pendidikan Kedokteran Indonesia: The Indonesian Journal of Medical Education
Vol 15, No 1 (2026): March

Background: Medical students are at a critical stage of life, facing intense academic, psychological, and social demands. Regular exercise can support physical and mental well-being. However, physical inactivity remains a common issue among university students, particularly those in demanding academic environments. Aims: This study aimed to examine exercise activity, motivational profiles, and their associations among medical students.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in October 2020 using an online survey among undergraduate medical students at Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia (n = 651). Physical activity was measured using the Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire (GLTEQ), and motivational regulation was assessed using the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 (BREQ-3). Non-parametric tests and Spearman correlations were applied to analyze group differences and associations.Results: Although 89.7% of participants reported engaging in exercise, only 31.5% met recommended physical activity levels, with 68.5% classified as insufficiently active. Identified regulation showed the highest median score, followed by intrinsic and integrated regulation, indicating a predominance of autonomous motivation. Active students demonstrated significantly higher intrinsic, integrated, and identified regulation compared to insufficiently active students (p < 0.001). Integrated regulation showed the strongest positive correlation with GLTEQ-METS (r = 0.451), while amotivation was negatively correlated (r = –0.192, p < 0.01). Male students were more likely than female students to meet recommended activity levels (p = 0.001).Conclusions: Despite relatively strong autonomous motivation, most medical students did not achieve recommended physical activity levels, suggesting an intention-behaviour gap influenced by contextual and structural factors. These findings highlight the need for institutional strategies within medical education to support sustainable physical activity behaviors and promote student well-being.