How to motivate university students to be more active

As students transition from high school to college, their physical activity levels can diminish. Exercise and bodily activities provide a range of benefits, and if students can sustain being physically active during college, they’re more inclined to stay informed about the habit long term.

Though physical education organisations and federal health agencies are concerned about the health consequences of a lack of physical activity, less than 40 per cent of US universities and colleges require students to complete some physical activity instruction requirements to earn an undergraduate degree. Various universities have different physical activity education (PAE) elements — possibly a necessary PAE or an optional PAE.

With this study, 953 university students were recruited from two universities with different PAE policies weekly before the beginning of the fall term in 2015. The pupils completed online surveys suggesting their motivation to take part in physical activity courses; their proficiency in the action and their weekly exercise, their physical activity levels.

The results showed that pupils who were required to take physical action courses were less motivated to become more active. This suggests that a necessary physical action program attracts students who may not participate in physical activity by themselves. The analysis also revealed that although unmotivated students weren’t pleased about the requirement after a number of them began the program, they became motivated to continue their physical activity.

Physical activity policy changes could have to encourage sedentary students to be physically active. A necessary PAE policy is crucial to draw and draw unmotivated students to develop a life-long exercise habit.