Work and transportation can be important aspects of college students’ physical activity

Research has repeatedly shown that physical activity can improve mental and physical health. In the United States, previous research demonstrated that women and members of ethnic and racial minority groups are less likely to meet physical activity guidelines from the United States Department of Health and Human Services — 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity — during their leisure time than white men. 

A new study of college students from the Penn State Department of Kinesiology found that racial and gender disparities in levels of physical activities were not present when the researchers also considered physical activity that occurred during transportation — like walking to class — or work.  

Melissa Bopp, professor of kinesiology, led a team of researchers who analyzed data from a survey of 3,723 college students at a large northeastern university collected between 2014 and 2018. In results published in Journal of American College Health, the researchers found that 79% of all students met recommendations for physical activity during their leisure time, but 94% met recommendations when physical activity during work and transportation were included. 

This finding suggests that researchers may have an incomplete picture of physical activity — especially for women and members of ethnic and racial minority groups — if they only measure activity during leisure time, according to Bopp.  

“Researchers need to be more thoughtful in how we measure physical activity among college students,” said Bopp. “In our field, it is often assumed that leisure-time physical activity is the only thing students participate in, but we saw that was not the case in this study. Especially on a campus like Penn State, transportation physical activity can represent a significant portion of student's daily physical activity.” 

The researchers said that their findings raise some important questions. Some benefits of physical activity may be specific to leisure activities. For example, it is not clear if physical activity at work provides the same mental health benefits that leisure-time exercise does. So, should occupational physical activity be included when a person’s physical activity is measured? According to Bopp, there is not enough research to answer the question at this point.  

“We also found racial and ethnic minority students were more likely to be employed,” Bopp continued. “If we don't measure physical activity at work, can we really understand what students are doing and how activity differs for members of minoritized groups?” 

Additionally, if gender and racial disparities in physical-activity levels disappear when work and transportation are considered, does that mean that previously reported disparities can be ignored? Bopp said that she suspects that previously identified disparities are significant but that more research would be needed to answer that question as well.  

“To create the most useful recommendations, researchers need to understand how these different domains of physical activity impact physical and mental health,” Bopp said. “My collaborators and I are looking forward to investigating these questions.” 

Other members of Bopp’s research group contributed to this study. Lucas Elliot earned his doctorate in kinesiology from Penn State in 2022 and now works as head of research for Rebel. Keegan Peterson is a graduate student in kinesiology. Oliver Wilson earned his doctorate in kinesiology from Penn State in 2020 and now is a post-doctoral fellow at the National Institutes of Health. Michele Duffey, associate teaching professor of kinesiology, also contributed to this research. 

Read the research paper.

Originally published in July 2024