Scheduled for AAHE/RCB Professional Poster Session, Wednesday, April 1, 2009, 1:45 PM - 3:15 PM, Tampa Convention Center: Exhibit Hall NA Poster Sessions


Relationship of Health Behaviors to GPA in Higher Education

Lisa Lewis, Austin Peay State University, Clarkville, TN

This study examined the relationship of physical activity, self-esteem, and percent body-fat to grade point average of students at Middle Tennessee State University. Demographics and characteristics of the participants included age, gender, ethnicity, major, and school status. The NASA/Johnson Space Center Physical Activity Rating (Jackson, et al.,1990) was used to determine maximum oxygen uptake by self-reported activity levels. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) was used to determine level of self-esteem and a three site skin-fold measurement was used to determined percent body-fat.

The study sample consisted of 266 sophomores, juniors, and seniors from Middle Tennessee State University. Forty-nine percent were females and 51% were males with varied majors. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at the .05 level of significance. A positive significant relationship existed between body-fat and grade point average and a negative significant relationship existed between physical activity and grade point average. A significant relationship was not found between self-esteem and grade point average. A significant negative relationship was found between

physical activity and percent body-fat. A significant relationship was not found between physical activity and self-esteem and self-esteem and percent body-fat.

Males had overall higher levels of self-esteem, higher percentage participated in enough physical activity to improve maximal oxygen uptake, and was less than one percent overweight. Females had higher grade point average and 44% were considered overweight.

The researcher concluded that higher grade point averages were not related to lower body-fat, high self-esteem, and high levels of physical activity. However, the more physical activity that was performed by the students, the lower the student's percent body-fat. Females tended to be more overweight and participated less in physical activity. Further research is needed to understand why females do not participate in physical activity.


Keyword(s): health education college/univ, measurement/evaluation, research

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