Scheduled for Poster Session: The Impact of Physical Activity Across Society, Lifespans, and Cultures, Wednesday, April 9, 2008, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall, Reseach Consortium Poster Sessions


Semester Differences in Body Weight, Physical Activity, and Screen Time

Charles Fountaine, Gary Liguori and Arupendra Mozumdar, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

Lack of physical activity (PA) and increased television viewing has been associated with unhealthy increases in body weight. For the current generation of college students, television viewing is just one part of the sedentary behavior known as screen time, which may also include computer use and video games. The extent of participation in sedentary habits has not been well established in college students. The purpose of this study was to describe the patterns of body weight change, levels of PA, and screen time in college students during fall and spring semesters. A fall cohort of 220 college students (141 male, 79 female, mean age 19.20 ± 2.12 y) enrolled in a university required wellness course was compared to a spring cohort of 304 students (184 male, 120 female, mean age 19.39 ± 2.08 y) enrolled in the equivalent spring semester course. Students were asked to complete a comprehensive online health survey at the beginning and end of their respective semester, including questions specifically pertaining to screen time and PA. Student's anthropometric measurements were determined through direct height and weight measures at the start and conclusion of each semester. Male and female students experienced increases in bodyweight in fall (0.99 ± 3.38 kg, p=0.001; 1.56 ± 2.56 kg, p=0.000, respectively) and spring semesters (0.78 ± 2.53 kg, p=0.000; 0.48 ± 2.86 kg, p=0.068, respectively). Male and female students reported increases in screen time for fall (46.11 ± 164.53 min, p=0.001; 18.20 ± 77.14 min, p=0.039, respectively) and spring (36.95 ± 138.72 min, p=0.000; 31.47 ± 132.64 min, p=0.011, respectively). Males and females reported decreases in PA throughout the fall (0.25 ± 1.72 days/wk, p=0.084; 0.15 ± 1.59 days/wk, p=0.400, respectively) but increased PA in spring (0.29 ± 1.53 days/wk, p=0.011; 0.26 ± 1.62 days/wk, p=0.083, respectively). Students from both cohorts increased in both body weight and screen time over the course of their respective semester. From baseline to endpoint, students in the fall cohort decreased in PA, whereas students from the spring cohort reported an increase. Two interesting observations are noted: First, the weight gain in males was relatively consistent between semesters, while females gained considerably more weight in fall and considerably less weight in spring. Second, the pattern of change in screen time (consistently increases) and physical activity (decrease in fall, increase in spring) are quite different, and therefore likely to be independent of each other.
Keyword(s): college level issues, health education college/univ

Back to the 2008 AAHPERD National Convention and Exposition (April 8 - 12, 2008)