Variability in Physical Inactivity Responses of University Students during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Monitoring of Daily Step Counts Using a Smartphone Application

Shoji Konda, Issei Ogasawara, Kazuki Fujita, Chisa Aoyama, Teruki Yokoyama, Takuya Magome, Chen Yulong, Ken Hashizume, Tomoyuki Matsuo and Ken Nakata
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Shoji Konda: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Issei Ogasawara: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Kazuki Fujita: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Chisa Aoyama: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Teruki Yokoyama: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Takuya Magome: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Chen Yulong: Center for Education in Liberal Arts and Sciences, Osaka University, Suita 5600043, Japan
Ken Hashizume: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Tomoyuki Matsuo: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan
Ken Nakata: Department of Health and Sport Sciences, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita 5650871, Japan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: This study investigated the changes in physical inactivity of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic, with reference to their academic calendar. We used the daily step counts recorded by a smartphone application (iPhone Health App) from April 2020 to January 2021 (287 days) for 603 participants. The data for 287 days were divided into five periods based on their academic calendar. The median value of daily step counts across each period was calculated. A k-means clustering analysis was performed to classify the 603 participants into subgroups to demonstrate the variability in the physical inactivity responses. The median daily step counts, with a 7-day moving average, dramatically decreased from 5000 to 2000 steps/day in early April. It remained at a lower level (less than 2000 steps/day) during the first semester, then increased to more than 5000 steps/day at the start of summer vacation. The clustering analysis demonstrated the variability in physical inactivity responses. The inactive students did not recover daily step counts throughout the year. Consequently, promoting physical activity is recommended for inactive university students over the course of the whole semester.

Keywords: health promotion; physical activity; academic calendar; online class; clustering analysis; mobile sensing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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