Abstract
PURPOSE: To determine how much of the variance in physical activity (PA) can be explained by daily behavioral patterns. METHODS: A total of 483 college students (302 male, 181 female) were recruited from two general education wellness courses at a Midwestern university. Participants were given a 24-hour time diary to log the following behaviors: PA, TV, computer use, video game use, class time, duration of homework, duration of employment, and sleep. Data were categorized to represent the two primary time blocks in which PA occurs: 3:00 pm-7:00 pm (T1) and 7:00 pm-11:00 pm (T2). Multiple regression was used to assess how much of the variance in PA can be explained by the independent variables separately in T1 and T2. RESULTS: The T1 regression model explained 38.3% of the variance in PA (R=.619, F(7,475) = 42.184, p<.001), with employment (beta = -.712, p<.001) and homework (beta = -.511, p<.001) contributing the most. Other significant variables included class time (beta = -.420, p<.001), TV (beta = -.313, p<.001), sleep (beta = -.256, p<.001), computer use (beta = -.248, p<.001), and video games (beta = -.186, p<.001). The T2 regression model explained 27.1% of the variance (R=.521, F(7,475)=25.221, p<.001), with employment (beta = -.523, p<.001) and homework (beta = -.496, p<.001) again making the largest contribution. Additional significant variables included TV (beta = -.377, p=.025), sleep (beta = -.225, p<.001), video games (beta = -.202, p<.001), class time (beta = -.137, p=.001), and computer use (beta = -.158, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Duration of employment and homework accounted for the largest amount of variance in both key time blocks. Implications of this study are not to suggest that college students abandon homework or employment in lieu of PA. Instead, for students to maintain a physically active lifestyle, they must recognize the time constraints employment and homework impose on discretionary leisure time and plan their schedules accordingly.
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