sports and student health

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Despite the importance of sports for maintaining student health, inadequate or unsuitable sports spaces, limited accessibility, lack of social support, and weaknesses in urban planning have led to decreased sports participation among students. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between urban conditions and the levels of health and physical activity among students at Payame Noor University of Sari. METHODS: This research employed a descriptive–survey approach. The statistical population comprised 3,400 undergraduate students at Payame Noor University of Sari. According to Krejcie and Morgan’s table, 351 individuals were selected as the sample size, but to enhance reliability, data were collected from 390 participants. Data were gathered using a questionnaire, and analyzed through Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and path analysis modeling. FINDINGS: Results from the multiple regression analysis indicated that out of six urban condition components, three—social support, access to urban sports facilities, and the quality and diversity of sports spaces—exhibited a direct and significant relationship with students’ sports participation and health. The standardized beta coefficients showed that social support (β=0.34), access to sports facilities (β=0.33), and quality of sports spaces (β=0.18) had the greatest impact. CONCLUSION: The present study confirmed that urban infrastructure and social support are key factors in enhancing students’ physical activity and health. Easy access to sports facilities and the presence of high-quality environments increase motivation for physical activity and improve both physical and mental well-being.