Academic Schedule and Day-to-Day Variations in Sedentary Behavior and Physical Activity of University Students

H. Q. Chim, Mirjam G. A. oude Egbrink, Pascal W. M. Van Gerven, Renate H. M. de Groot, Bjorn Winkens and Hans H. C. M. Savelberg
Additional contact information
H. Q. Chim: Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, School of Health Professions Education (SHE), Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML), Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Mirjam G. A. oude Egbrink: Department of Physiology, SHE, FHML, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Pascal W. M. Van Gerven: Department of Educational Development and Research, SHE, FHML, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Renate H. M. de Groot: Department of Complex Genetics, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (NUTRIM), FHML, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Bjorn Winkens: Department of Methodology and Statistics, Care and Public Health Research Institute (CAPHRI), FHML, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
Hans H. C. M. Savelberg: Department of Nutrition and Movement Sciences, SHE, NUTRIM, FHML, Maastricht University, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 8, 1-16

Abstract: Students starting at university tend to adopt unhealthy behaviors. With students expected to sit during classes, their academic schedule may be responsible for their activity patterns. The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between university students’ academic schedule and day-to-day variations in sedentary behavior (SB) and physical activity (PA). The activity of 317 first-year undergraduate students (mean age 19.6 ± 1.4 years, 69.4% female, 30.0% male, and 0.6% other) was measured with the activPAL3™ triaxial monitor for seven consecutive days. Each class hour was found to be associated with 9.0 additional minutes of SB (95% CI [4.9, 13.1]), 54 additional seconds of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA; 95% CI [12, 96]), and 12.2 min less time in bed (95% CI [−16.6, −7.8]). Active SB ratio (total duration of SB bouts < 30 min divided by total SB duration) decreased by 0.011 per hour of class scheduled for the students (95% CI [−0.016, −0.006]). Light PA (LPA) was not significantly associated with class duration. Students tend to cycle more on days with classes. Seated transportation was not significantly related to whether the students had classes or not. Overall, the academic schedule is associated with SB and PA in students.

Keywords: activity monitoring; education; lifestyle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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