An Exploration of Domain-Specific Sedentary Behaviors in College Students by Lifestyle Factors and Sociodemographics

Chelsea Carpenter, Sang-Eun Byun, Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy and Delia West
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Chelsea Carpenter: Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
Sang-Eun Byun: Department of Retailing, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Gabrielle Turner-McGrievy: Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Delia West: Department of Exercise Science, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-11

Abstract: College students exhibit high levels of sedentary time and/or poor lifestyle factors (e.g., poor sleep, stress, physical inactivity). It is unknown; however, in what domains college students spend their sedentary time and whether there are associations between sedentary time and these lifestyle factors. This study examined sedentary behavior of college students by domains, current lifestyle factors and sociodemographics. Undergraduates (n = 272, M age = 20 years, 79% female) self-reported their sedentary behavior, sleep, stress, physical activity, anthropometrics and sociodemographics. Sedentary time was categorized as: total, recreational screen, education and social. Students reported spending > 12 h of their day sedentary on average, with over a third of this time spent in recreational screen time. All categories of sedentary time were significantly correlated with body mass index, and both total sedentary time and screen time were significantly correlated with sleep score, with poorer sleep quality associated with greater sedentary time. Physical activity was negatively correlated with social sedentary time only. Subgroups with elevated sedentary time included minority students, those with low parental education and students with overweight/obesity. Given the negative health impacts of sedentary behavior, college students would likely benefit from interventions tailored to this population which target reducing sedentary time, particularly recreational screen time.

Keywords: screen-time; sedentary behavior; adolescents; obesity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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