Biomaterial Database

The impact of health education on physical activity correlates in college students. 2023

Monica M Maldari, and Jeanette M Garcia, and David J Rice

Department of Exercise and Sports Science, Fitchburg State University, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, USA.

Objective To examine the effects of a 15-week, conceptually based university health/wellness course on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels, psychosocial factors, and health-related fitness knowledge (HRFK). Participants: 125 undergraduates enrolled during spring 2016 semester. Methods: Participants completed pre- and post-course surveys with questions on MVPA levels, exercise self-efficacy (SE), exercise motivation, and HRFK. Wilcoxon rank sum tests examined changes in SE, motivation, and HFRK. A multiple regression analysis examined associations among HRFK, psychosocial factors, and MVPA. Results: HRFK and MVPA increased from baseline to post-course assessment (p<.01). An increase in SE was associated with an increase in MVPA (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Enrollment in a conceptually based health/wellness course may increase MVPA and HRFK in college students. Although the increase in SE post-course was not significant, it was associated with an increase in MVPA. These results support adoption of health/wellness programming to attenuate decreases in MVPA typically observed in college students.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D006266	Health Education	Education that increases the awareness and favorably influences the attitudes and knowledge relating to the improvement of health on a personal or community basis.	Community Health Education,Education, Health,Education, Community Health,Health Education, Community
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013334	Students	Individuals enrolled in a school or formal educational program.	School Enrollment,Enrollment, School,Enrollments, School,School Enrollments,Student
D014495	Universities	Educational institutions providing facilities for teaching and research and authorized to grant academic degrees.	University
D015444	Exercise	Physical activity which is usually regular and done with the intention of improving or maintaining PHYSICAL FITNESS or HEALTH. Contrast with PHYSICAL EXERTION which is concerned largely with the physiologic and metabolic response to energy expenditure.	Aerobic Exercise,Exercise, Aerobic,Exercise, Isometric,Exercise, Physical,Isometric Exercise,Physical Activity,Acute Exercise,Exercise Training,Activities, Physical,Activity, Physical,Acute Exercises,Aerobic Exercises,Exercise Trainings,Exercise, Acute,Exercises,Exercises, Acute,Exercises, Aerobic,Exercises, Isometric,Exercises, Physical,Isometric Exercises,Physical Activities,Physical Exercise,Physical Exercises,Training, Exercise,Trainings, Exercise
D020377	Self Efficacy	Cognitive mechanism based on expectations or beliefs about one's ability to perform actions necessary to produce a given effect. It is also a theoretical component of behavior change in various therapeutic treatments. (APA, Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms, 1994)	Efficacy, Self