Self-Reported Physical Activity Patterns and Plans for Future Physical Activity in University Students

Abstract

Physical activity recommendations for health include muscular conditioning exercises and regular moderate- to vigorous-intensity activities of an aerobic nature. However, it is unclear how times spent in these activities differ from each other and track over time. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences among past, current and projected future physical activity patterns in undergraduate students at a private university in the Pacific Northwest. METHODS: Volunteers (77 females and 42 males aged 19.94 ± 3.32 y and registered in non-majors biology courses), anonymously reported typical weekly minutes of mo derate-intensity, vigorous-intensity, and muscular fitness activities in the 6 months previously, during the past month, and projected 6 months in the future. resULt s: To determine if activity reports varied from past, present, and future projections, a series of within subject ANOVAs were performed for each intensity level. The multivariate analyses for mo derate-intensity indicated a significant effect of time, Wilks' · = .93, F (2, 117) = 4.50, p = .013, multivariate n2 = .071. RESULTS: from the follow up planned comparisons indicated that this omnibus finding was accounted for by the significant difference between current time reports and future time projections, t (118) = −2.99, p = .003, n2 = .07 when family wise error was controlled for at the .02 level. Similar results were observed with vigorous activity reports with a significant omnibus result (Wilks' · = .841, F (2, 117) = 11.03, p <.001, multivariate n2 = .16) accounted for by the difference between current and future activity projections (t (118) = −4.58, p < .001, n2 = .15) with family wise error accounted for. When these same analyses were run on muscle strengthening activity reports, the omnibus test was again significant (Wilks' · = .712, F (2, 117) = 23.68, p <.001, multivariate n2 = .29). However, pairwise comparisons were significant between future projections with past and current reports (P < .01 for both comparisons). Recall accounts of time in moderate-intensity and vigorous activity significantly differed from projected future accounts of these activities. A “J” relationship appeared with more time reported for past and future then current activity irrespective of activity type. CONCLUSION: In this sample, we found that students were more likely to report being active in the past than at present. Furthermore, for each measure of activity assessed, students give their highest time endorsement to future activity – there hopes for the future being greater than either current realities or recollections of the past.