Abstracts Division 1
27. The association between academic schedule and physical activity behavior in university students
Yingyi Wu1, Pascal W.M. Van Gerven2, Renate H.M. de Groot 3, Bert O Eijnde4, Jan Seghers5, Bjorn Winkens6, Hans H.C.M. Savelberg1
1 Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism and School of Health Professions Education, Maastricht University
2 Department of Educational Development & Research, School of Health Professions Education
3 Faculty of Educational Sciences, Open University of the Netherlands
4 SMRC Sports Medical Research Center, BIOMED Biomedical Research Institute, Faculty of Medicine & Life Sciences, Hasselt University
5 Department of Movement Sciences, KU Leuven
6 Department of Methodology and Statistics, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University
Background
University students sit too much, which is detrimental to physical and mental health. Academic schedules, including scheduled education time and self-study time, may influence their physical activity behavior.
Objectives
To investigate (1) the association between scheduled education time and students’ physical activity levels during weekdays; (2) the association between self-study time and students’ physical activity levels during weekdays and weekend days.
Methods
126 (68 Maastricht University; 58 KU Leuven) first-year undergraduate students in biomedical sciences (mean ± SD age: 19.3 ± 1.0, BMI: 22.0 ± 3.0, 17% men, 83% women) completed a demographics questionnaire, reported their academic activities with a 7-day logbook, and their physical activity behavior were measured with the activPAL monitor for 7 days. Linear mixed models were used to examine the associations of university and academic activities with students’ activity levels.
Results
During weekdays, each hour of scheduled education time per day was significantly associated with 1.3 minutes decrease of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. Scheduled education time was not significantly associated with sedentary time, light-intensity physical activity, and active sedentary behavior ratio. Each hour of self-study time per day was significantly associated with 8 minutes more sedentary time per day, 6 minutes less LPA per day, and 1.3 minutes less MVPA per day. Self-study time was not significantly associated with active sedentary behavior ratio. During weekend days, each hour of self-study time per day was associated with an additional 17.8 minutes of sedentary time per day and a reduction of 15.2 minutes of LPA per day. Self-study time was not significantly associated with time spent on MVPA and active sedentary behavior ratio.
Conclusions
It could be relatively more efficient to change their physical activity behavior during self-study time than scheduled education time. This suggests that offering a study environment that reduces sedentary behavior and promotes physical activity is crucial.
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