Abstract
Background: Although physical activity is generally associated with better health and well-being, limited evidence has examined the relative associations of body mass index (BMI) and physical activity with quality of life among sport science students. Objectives: This study examined the relationships between BMI, physical activity, and quality of life and assessed sex differences among sport science students. Methods: A cross-sectional study involved 93 sport science students aged 18–25 years. BMI was measured directly, physical activity was assessed using the GPAQ, and quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF. Associations were examined using multiple linear regression after testing regression assumptions. Results: Most participants had normal BMI (68.89%) and high physical activity levels (47.31%). The mean quality of life score was 97.41 ± 11.87. Quality of life differed significantly across physical activity levels (p = 0.024), but not across BMI categories (p = 0.914) or by sex (p = 0.473). Physical activity was positively associated with quality of life (β = 0.278, p = 0.007), whereas BMI was not (β = −0.045, p = 0.657). The regression model explained 8.1% of the variance in quality of life (R² = 0.081, p = 0.022). Conclusion: Physical activity showed a stronger association with quality of life than BMI among sport science students, highlighting the importance of maintaining adequate physical activity to support student well-being.