Relationships between College Students' Sedentary Behavior, Sleep Quality, and Body Mass Index

The association of zero walking cadence minutes with sleep quality in adults 18-65

PURPOSE

Physical activity (PA) guidelines suggest a link between PA, sedentary time, and sleep quality (SQ). Step cadence is an emerging proxy for PA intensity, with zero cadence (ZC) indicating sedentary time. No research has explored the relationship between ZC and SQ. This study examines the relationship between ZC and SC, compared to traditional PA and sedentary metrics, all measured via accelerometry.

METHODS

Sleep and PA was assessed in 138 adults (53 male, 85 female, age = 23.5 ± 8.0 year.) via accelerometry. Sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous intensity PA, and ZC minutes per day were measured. SQ variables included sleep efficiency (SE), total sleep time (TST), and minutes of awake time after sleep onset (WASO). Correlation analysis and analysis of covariance was used to assess relationships between study variables and to assess differences in PA and sedentary behavior between normal and poor sleepers.

RESULTS

Sedentary time was negatively associated with SE (r = -0.24, P < 0.05) and TST (r = -0.51, P < 0.001). ZC was negatively associated with SE (r = -0.25, P < 0.05), TST (r = -0.39, P < 0.001) and positively associated with WASO (r = 0.17, P < 0.001). Poor sleepers accumulated greater ZC minutes than normal sleepers when categorized by SE (555.9 ± 69.1 vs. 521.6 ± 83.7, P = 0.02)) or TST (570.4 ± 77.7 vs. 524.5 ± 76.7, P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Results suggest that zero cadence minutes is a viable metric for assessing sedentary time and may be of greater utility to more traditional measure of sedentary time.

Can the sports apps using play an intervening role in the process of college students' exercise motivation affecting mental health by exercise adherence?

The continuous increase in college students' use of the Internet and their mental health problems caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, and obesity have gradually attracted researchers' attention. There is still more work to be done to understand "how" and "under what circumstances" exercise motivation effects mental health, despite the fact that many of these studies have demonstrated that it has a significant impact on it. Four hundred forty-three college students in China were selected to participate in this study in order to explore the impact of exercise motivation on mental health. The mediating role of exercise adherence and the moderating role of sports apps using in this relationship. The results show that exercise motivation has a significant positive impact on college students' mental health; exercise adherence partially mediates the relationship between exercise motivation and mental health; and the relationship between exercise motivation and exercise adherence is moderated by sports apps using. Specifically, the relationship between exercise motivation and exercise adherence is stronger for college students with high sports apps using. This study is based on the Internet using to promote physical exercise to college students, thereby alleviating their psychological problems caused by a sedentary lifestyle, lack of exercise, and obesity in the Internet era. New ideas are also provided for intervention in college students' mental health.

Associations between levels of physical literacy and adherence to the 24-h movement guidelines among university students: A cross-sectional study

Objectives

Emerging evidence indicates that the composition of movement behaviours within a 24-h period is associated with multiple health benefits across the lifespan. A concept that emphasises an individual's active lifestyle is physical literacy (PL), yet empirical research exploring the potential associations between PL and 24-h movement guidelines remains scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between levels of PL and adherence to the guidelines among Chinese university students.

Study design

A cross-sectional study.

Methods

Seven hundred and ninety-eight university students (390 male, 19.2 ± 1.2 years) completed all the measurements. Levels of PL and participants' adherence to guidelines including physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep were self-reported through Perceived Physical Literacy Instrument, International Physical Activity Questionnaire and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. Two-way ANOVA was conducted to determine the associations between the number of guidelines met (0, 1, 2, or 3) and levels of PL.

Results

The results demonstrate that 36.5% (n = 291) of the participants met all the three guidelines, while 4.1% (n = 33) met none. Further analysis indicated that meeting physical activity or sedentary behaviour guidelines was associated with significantly higher total PL scores, and scores in the sub-domains of Confidence and Physical Competence and Motivation.

Conclusions

The findings provide evidence that young adults who obtained higher PL scores may meet more guidelines during a 24-h period. Future studies should incorporate accelerometer-based physical activity measurements and investigate the causal relationship between PL and adherence to the movement guidelines.

Relationship between Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior, Spinal Curvatures, Endurance and Balance of the Trunk Muscles-Extended Physical Health Analysis in Young Adults

BACKGROUND

Physical inactivity and sedentary behavior are associated with poor well-being in young people with adverse effects extending into adulthood. To date, there are many studies investigating the relationship between physical activity (PA) and posture, but there are no data on the relationship between the type and intensity of PA and sedentary behavior, their association with thoracic and lumbar spine angles, and with endurance and balance of the trunk muscles, especially in healthy young adults aged 18-25 years. Moreover, there are no data on the relationship between PA and sedentary behavior and musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary health, as well as quality of life (QoL) and sleep that would provide a more comprehensive picture of physical health status.

AIM

Therefore, the aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the extent to which PA and sedentary behavior are associated with each other and with changes in spinal curvatures, endurance and balance of trunk muscles in an extended analysis of physical health status in young adults aged 18-25 years by additionally including measures of body composition, cardiorespiratory capacity, and QoL and sleep.

METHODS

A total of 82 students (58% female, 42% male) aged 18-25 years completed all required tests. Primary outcome measures included the following: PA and sedentary behavior calculated from the long form of International PA Questionnaire (IPAQ-LF), spinal curvatures measured by a Spinal Mouse® device, endurance and balance of the trunk muscles measured using trunk endurance tests and their ratio.

RESULTS

Overall, 50% of students were classified as minimally active and 50% as health-enhancing PA (HEPA) active. The angles of thoracic kyphosis and lumbar lordosis showed no correlation with PA or time spent sitting. However, students with the lowest PA had significantly higher scores on the trunk extensor endurance test and trunk extensor/flexor endurance test ratio, indicating imbalanced trunk muscles. Moreover, these students spent the most their time sitting. Only PA of vigorous intensity and PA during recreation, leisure, and sports significantly correlated with QoL related to physical health. QoL related to physical and psychosocial health had significantly higher scores when students spent less time sitting. In addition, we found significantly better respiratory performance and SQ at higher PA values, i.e., PA during recreation, leisure, and sport.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that students with low PA levels and more time spent sitting have imbalanced trunk muscles, worse respiratory function, and poorer QoL and sleep. Moreover, these findings in college students may reflect their lifestyle and suggest that more PA needs to be promoted to prevent the development of chronic diseases including musculoskeletal disorders.

[Association between sleep quality and quantity and body mass index in college adolescents: A cross-sectional studyAssociaáo entre qualidade e quantidade de sono e índice de massa corporal em adolescentes universitários: Estudo transversal]

Introduction

Changes in sleep patterns increase susceptibility to weight gain.

Objective

To estimate the association between the quality and quantity of sleep hours per night and Body Mass Index (BMI) in Mexican college adolescents.

Materials and methods

Cross-sectional study conducted among incoming nursing students in a public university in Mexico. Convenience sampling was used, involving n=134 students (18-19 years old), volunteers, and enrolled in the nursing program. Sleep quality and quantity were measured through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). BMI was calculated using the standard formula. The protocol was approved by the School of Nursing Ethics Committee, and the participants signed informed consent.

Results

Mean age 18.21 years (SD= .42 years), 82.84% female, 45.52% overweight or obese (95% CI= 35.46 -52.86%). 44.02% of participants reported sleeping < 6 hours per night, and 50.00% reported poor sleep quality in the past four weeks. After adjustment for age, sex, and occupation, sleep quality was not associated with BMI (OR= 1.01; 95% CI= .94 -1.08; z= .31; p= .75); increased BMI was associated with a greater likelihood of sleeping 6 hours or less (OR= 1.08; 95% CI= 1.01 - 1.16; z= 2.25; p= .02).

Discussion

Hormonal changes, behavioral factors, and the environment may explain the association.

Conclusions

It is advisable to implement educational strategies to improve sleep hygiene among this population.

Health-promoting lifestyle and its predictors among health-related and non-health-related university students in Taiwan: a cross-sectional quantitative study

BACKGROUND

University students majoring in different disciplines are believed to have different personality traits, courses exposure, and future roles, which may further affect their health behaviors and health status. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) and its predictors among health-related and non-health-related students.

METHODS

The research participants were university students in the main island of Taiwan, and a two-stage sampling approach was adopted to obtain the samples from November 2020 to March 2021. First, 37 universities were randomly selected based on the ratio of public and private universities in each region of Taiwan. Then, based on the ratio of health-related and non-health-related majors of selected university, 25-30 students were randomly drawn from each university according to the student ID number to complete self-administered questionnaires, which included items for personal factors, perceived health status (PHS), health conception (HC), and health-promoting lifestyle profile (HPLP). A total of 1062 valid questionnaires were recovered, including 458 from health-related students and 604 from non-health-related students. Chi-squared test, independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson product-moment correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis were performed.

RESULTS

The results showed that gender (p < 0.001), residential status (p = 0.023), body mass index (p = 0.016), and daily sleep duration (p = 0.034) of the students majoring in different disciplines were different. Health-related students having better HC (p = 0.002) and HPLP (p = 0.040) than non-health-related students. In addition, for both majors, females, low PHS scores, and low scores for functional/role, clinical, and eudaimonistic dimensions of HC were important indicators of a relatively negative HPLP, while health-related students who exercised 75 min or less per week and non-health-related students with a monthly disposable income of 15,000 TWD or less or who dined out 15 times or more per week also required attention in the promotion of HPL (health-related majors: adjusted R² = 0.481, p < 0.001; non-health-related majors: adjusted R² = 0.443, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Students majoring in each discipline who had poor HPLP which is mentioned above should be prioritized in the provision of appropriate exercise or nutritional support programs on campus to promote their awareness and ability to pay attention to their health.

Relationship between free-time physical activity and sleep quality in Brazilian university students

Poor sleep quality and low or no free-time physical activity (FTPA) practice are highly prevalent among university students, but the association between these conditions is still unclear. This cross-sectional study analyzed the relationship between FTPA and sleep quality. An online questionnaire was conducted with university students from a public university in southern Brazil in 2019. The weekly frequency of FTPA was self-reported, and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Logistic regression and ANCOVA models were performed and adjusted for confounders. Among the 2,626 students analyzed, 52.2% did not practice the FTPA, and 75.6% had poor sleep quality (PSQI > 5). In the adjusted analysis, practicing FTPA 4-7 times/week was associated with poor sleep quality (odds ratio = 0.71; 95% confidence interval = 0.52, 0.97) compared with not practicing FTPA. In addition, those who practiced FTPA had significantly lower means of the global PSQI, subjective sleep quality and duration, sleep disturbances, and daytime dysfunction scores than those who did not practice FTPA. In conclusion, the FTPA may contribute to better sleep quality among university students.

Validation of Physical Activity Correlates Questionnaire from Social Ecological Model in College Students

More than 50% of Chinese college students rarely engage in any type of physical activity (PA). The literature shows several issues in college students' health due to lack of PA. Promoting college students' PA participation across the country has become a challenging task. This study aims to create a questionnaire into the correlates that affect Chinese college students' engagement in leisure time PA. We first determined the factor structure of college students' PA engagements. Then, we tested and verified the reliability and validity of the factor structure of the questionnaire. The Chinese college students' PA correlates questionnaire was designed according to the Social Ecological Model. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) extracted all the included items, whereas confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) verified the validity of the model. We recruited 1290 college students to complete the questionnaire. A second-order structural model was constructed. Specifically, the first-order included individual, social, and environmental as dimensions, while the second-order had interest, media, social support, traditional culture, facilities, and environment as factors. The six factors have polymerized 22 items. The model demonstrated a good fit (X²/df = 1.4; CFI = 0.98; GFI = 0.94; RMSEA = 0.02; SRMR = 0.05). In conclusion, the newly established questionnaire of college students' PA correlates is reasonable, and the results of factors reliabilities and model fit are acceptable.

Differences in healthy lifestyle habits in university students as a function of academic area

Background

It is known that the promotion and acquisition of healthy attitudes is a key factor depending on the academic training provided by the university studies on which students are enrolled.The aim of the present research is to analyse and compare lifestyle habits and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as a function of academic training.

Methods

A cross-sectional study with a volunteer convenience sample of 707 undergraduate participants aged (21.98 ± 3.50 years). Students were divided into four different groups according to their area of academic training. Socio-demographic variables, adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), physical activity (PA) engagement and HRQoL were recorded.

Results

PA and sport science students reported better scores in PA (6342.39 ± 2313.99 metabolic equivalents [METs]; P = 0.000), MD adherence (6.33 ± 2.69; P = 0.000) and HRQoL in physical and mental health (MH; 54.85 ± 9.18; 53.70 ± 13.6; P = 0.000). In contrast, non-health-related sciences (NHRS) students reported the lowest scores on assessed items. Students with a medium/high monthly salary reported better MD adherence (6.16 ± 3.07; P = 0.012). In addition, females reported better scores (6.41 ± 2.65; P = 0.000) than males. Further, males indicated better perceptions of MH (46.52 ± 18.84; P = 0.014). Moreover, university students with a high level of MD adherence were revealed to engage in more PA (5181.17 ± 2813.35 METs; P = 0.000) and have better HRQoL with regards to both physical (54.76 ± 8.84; P = 0.000) and MH (48.11 ± 16.73; P = 0.000).

Conclusions

Outcomes point to differences in MD adherence, PA and HRQoL according to academic training. NHRS students who did not know healthy habits reported lower scores for all studied items. This indicates the need for health interventions at universities.

Effects of a remote, YouTube-delivered exercise intervention on young adults' physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep during the COVID-19 pandemic: Randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Public health guidelines have called for innovative and flexible physical activity (PA) intervention strategies to promote PA and health amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, this study's purpose was to examine the effects of a home-based, YouTube-delivered PA intervention grounded in self-determination theory on young adults' free-living PA, sedentary behavior, and sleep quality (NCT04499547).

METHODS

Sixty-four young adults (48 females; age = 22.8 ± 3.4 years, mean ± SD; body mass index = 23.1 ± 2.6 kg/m2) were randomized (1:1) into the intervention group, which received weekly aerobic and muscle-strengthening PA videos, or control group, which received weekly general health education videos, for 12 weeks. Our primary outcome was free-living moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and our secondary outcomes were sedentary behavior, light PA, and sleep quality (measured using ActiGraph accelerometers) along with muscle-strengthening PA frequency, self-determination theory-related motivation (non-regulation, external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation, integrated regulation, and intrinsic regulation), and perceived PA barriers (assessed using validated questionnaires). Repeated measures analysis of variances (ANOVAs) examined between-group differences at an adjusted significance level of 0.004 and effect sizes as partial eta-squared (ηp2).

RESULTS

We observed statistically significant interaction effects for MVPA, sleep efficiency, muscle-strengthening PA frequency, non-regulation, integrated regulation, intrinsic regulation, and perceived PA barriers (F(1, 62) = 10.75-77.67, p < 0.001-0.002, ηp2 = 0.15-0.56) with all outcomes favoring the intervention group. We observed no statistically significant differences in either group for sedentary behavior, light PA, sleep duration, or external, introjected, and identified regulations after 12 weeks (F(1, 62) = 1.11-3.64, p = 0.06-0.61).

CONCLUSION

With national COVID-19 restrictions still in place and uncertainty regarding post-pandemic PA environments and behaviors, a remote, YouTube-delivered PA intervention may help foster clinically meaningful improvements in young adults' free-living MVPA, muscle-strengthening PA frequency, sleep efficiency, PA-related intrinsic motivation, and perceived PA barriers.

Syndrome Metabolic Markers, Fitness and Body Fat Is Associated with Sleep Quality in Women with Severe/Morbid Obesity

Background: Sleep is an important modulator of neuroendocrine function and glucose metabolism. Poor sleep quality is related to metabolic and endocrine alterations, including decreased glucose tolerance, decreased insulin sensitivity, and increased hunger and appetite. Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the association between sleep quality with metabolic syndrome (MetS) markers, fitness and body fat of women with severe/morbid obesity. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 26 women with severe/morbid obesity. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high-density lipids (HDL-c), triglycerides (TGs), and the metabolic outcomes total cholesterol (Tc) and low-density lipids (LDL-c), systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), body composition and fitness were measured. Results: Poor sleep quality showed a positive association with body fat (%) ≥ 48.2 (OR; 8.39, 95% CI; 1.13–62.14, p = 0.037), morbid obesity (OR; 8.44, 95% CI; 1.15–66.0, p = 0.036), glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL (OR; 8.44, 95% CI; 1.15–66.0, p = 0.036) and relative handgrip strength ≤ 0.66 (OR; 12.2, 95% CI; 1.79–83.09, p = 0.011). Conclusion: sleep quality is associated with health markers in women with severe/morbid obesity.