A Stages of Change Approach to Understanding College Students' Physical Activity

Abstract

This study examined self-reports of physical activity behavior among college students from a stages of change perspective. A questionnaire on health needs was administered to a random sample of 800 students at a private university; 217 completed questionnaires were analyzed, using chi-square statistics. In addition to examining activity behavior from a stages of change approach, the authors explored the relationship of demographic variables to activity behavior. Forty-six percent of the students were inactive or were exercising irregularly. Gender and year in school were unrelated to stage of exercise adoption. Results from this pilot study indicate the need for stage-matched interventions to increase activity levels in young adults.