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Background <p>Physical inactivity is highly prevalent among young women and is shaped by interacting biological and psychophysiological factors. Although fatigue and sleep disturbances have been associated with perceived physical activity barriers, the role of physiological indicators, particularly body composition, remains insufficiently clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between body composition, fatigue, sleep quality, and perceived physical activity barriers in young women.</p> Methods <p>A total of 392 female university students (aged 19–24 years) participated in the study. The mean body fat percentage was 28.18 ± 7.79, and the mean personal barrier score was 2.41 ± 0.70. Fatigue, sleep quality, and perceived physical activity barriers were assessed using validated scales, and body composition was measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted.</p> Results <p>Body fat percentage and physical fatigue were positively associated with perceived physical activity barriers, with stronger associations observed for personal barriers (<i>r</i> = .35 and <i>r</i> = .32, respectively). Sleep-related variables showed weaker and less consistent associations across barrier dimensions (r values ranged from 0.12 to 0.26). In regression models, body fat percentage showed the strongest and most consistent association with perceived physical activity barriers (β values ranged from 0.24 to 0.28), followed by physical fatigue (β values ranged from 0.12 to 0.22), whereas sleep-onset difficulties demonstrated smaller and less stable associations (β values ranged from 0.11 to 0.15). The overall explained variance was limited (R² values ranged from 0.09 to 0.18).</p> Conclusion <p>Perceived physical activity barriers among young women were associated with body fat percentage, fatigue, and sleep-related difficulties, with body fat percentage emerging as the most consistent physiological correlate. Physical fatigue demonstrated stronger and more consistent associations with perceived barriers than sleep-related variables. These findings should be interpreted as associative rather than causal because of the cross-sectional design and highlight the importance of considering both physiological and psychophysiological factors when examining perceived barriers to physical activity.</p>

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The importance of body fat percentage: associations between fatigue, sleep, body composition, and perceived physical activity barriers in young women

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月30日

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  • Melek Gülem Güngör,
  • Mustafa Akil

摘要

Background

Physical inactivity is highly prevalent among young women and is shaped by interacting biological and psychophysiological factors. Although fatigue and sleep disturbances have been associated with perceived physical activity barriers, the role of physiological indicators, particularly body composition, remains insufficiently clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the associations between body composition, fatigue, sleep quality, and perceived physical activity barriers in young women.

Methods

A total of 392 female university students (aged 19–24 years) participated in the study. The mean body fat percentage was 28.18 ± 7.79, and the mean personal barrier score was 2.41 ± 0.70. Fatigue, sleep quality, and perceived physical activity barriers were assessed using validated scales, and body composition was measured via bioelectrical impedance analysis. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted.

Results

Body fat percentage and physical fatigue were positively associated with perceived physical activity barriers, with stronger associations observed for personal barriers (r = .35 and r = .32, respectively). Sleep-related variables showed weaker and less consistent associations across barrier dimensions (r values ranged from 0.12 to 0.26). In regression models, body fat percentage showed the strongest and most consistent association with perceived physical activity barriers (β values ranged from 0.24 to 0.28), followed by physical fatigue (β values ranged from 0.12 to 0.22), whereas sleep-onset difficulties demonstrated smaller and less stable associations (β values ranged from 0.11 to 0.15). The overall explained variance was limited (R² values ranged from 0.09 to 0.18).

Conclusion

Perceived physical activity barriers among young women were associated with body fat percentage, fatigue, and sleep-related difficulties, with body fat percentage emerging as the most consistent physiological correlate. Physical fatigue demonstrated stronger and more consistent associations with perceived barriers than sleep-related variables. These findings should be interpreted as associative rather than causal because of the cross-sectional design and highlight the importance of considering both physiological and psychophysiological factors when examining perceived barriers to physical activity.