Cross-sectional associations between study environment and physical activity and sedentary behavior among university students

Background:
University students’ daily lives are characterized by inactivity and prolonged sitting, which increase health risks. Effective interventions promoting physical activity (PA) require an understanding of both individual and environmental factors. While most studies focus on individual aspects, this research explores the association between study environment (on campus vs. at home) and PA as well as sedentary behavior (SB) during self-study.

Methods:
Data collection took place from December 2023 to February 2024 at a German university. A total of 1,342 students participated in the online survey. The IPAQ-SF assessed PA and SB. To examine differences in PA and SB across study environments, independent t-tests were applied. Multiple linear regression models were used to explore the effect of self-study time in each environment on PA and SB.

Results:
Participants spent an average of 8.59 ± 2.72 hours per day in SB and were physically active for 1.58 ± 1.18 hours per day (MVPA: 1.01 ± 0.93 hours; Walking: 0.56 ± 0.61 hours). Students who spent more time for self-study on campus (46.8% of respondents) compared to at home (50.2% of respondents) showed significantly higher total PA. ... mehrThey engaged in 1.2 additional hours per week of PA (t(785)=2.02; p<0.025; d=0.144; 95%-CI [0.35, 2.38]). Students who studied more at home sat, on average, two hours longer per week than those studying on campus, although this difference was not significant. Furthermore, time of self-study at home significantly predicted SB (stand. β=0.135; p<.001), with 0.21 hours more per week per hour of self-study, while time on campus significantly predicted PA (stand. β=0.150; p<.001), with each additional hour of self-study on campus linked to 0.09 more hours of PA weekly.

Conclusions:
Different preference types for self-study environments should be considered in health-promoting interventions, as preliminary findings indicate variations in PA and SB. With increased self-study hours at home linked to higher SB, and students who study primarily at home engaging in less PA, the home setting requires greater attention. This is particularly important as these students have limited access to campus resources like university sports and do not benefit from active transport to and from campus.