The Impact of Sports Media on Promoting Healthy Behavior among Students of Al-Marj Colleges at the University of Benghazi

Abstract

This study examined the impact of sports media on promoting healthy behavior among students at Al-Marj Colleges, University of Benghazi during the academic year 2024–2025. The study investigated the contribution of sports media channels (print, audio, and visual) to students’ healthy behavior and tested whether differences exist by gender and college. A descriptive research design was employed. The study population consisted of 3,970 students, and a sample of 397 students (10%) was selected. Data were collected using a questionnaire developed by the researcher; the overall reliability (Cronbach’s alpha) reached 0.892. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation, and simple linear regression. Findings indicated no statistically significant differences in healthy behavior attributable to college (F=0.707, p=0.619). However, significant differences were found by gender in favor of males (F=5.461, p=0.020). Pearson correlations showed positive and significant associations between healthy behavior and sports media dimensions: print sports press (r=0.387), audio/radio sports media (r=0.430), and visual/TV sports media (r=0.457). The overall sports media index was also positively correlated with healthy behavior (r=0.527; Sig=0.00). Regression analysis confirmed a significant effect of sports media on healthy behavior, with R²=0.227 and F=151.579 (p=0.000). The study concludes that sports media plays an influential role in fostering healthy behavior among university students and recommends strengthening specialized health-oriented sports content, implementing sustained awareness programs and campaigns, and providing targeted support for groups requiring greater health-behavior reinforcement within the university context.