Preventive Medicine 28, 20–27 (1999) Article ID pmed.1998.0375, available online at http://www.idealibrary.com on Insufficiently Active Australian College Students: Perceived Personal, Social, and Environmental Influences 1 Eva Leslie, M.H.N.,* ,2 Neville Owen, Ph.D.,* Jo Salmon, B.B.Sc.,* Adrian Bauman, Ph.D.,† James F. Sallis, Ph.D.,‡ and Sing Kai Lo, Ph.D.§ *School of Human Movement and §Faculty of Health and Behavioral Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia; †School of Community Medicine, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales 2033, Australia; and ‡Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, California 92182 Key Words: exercise; physical; health promotion; Background. A sustainable pattern of participation health behavior; social support. in physical activity is important in the maintenance of health and prevention of disease. College students are INTRODUCTION in transition from an active youth to a more sedentary adult behavior pattern. Recent research and consensus statements from the Methods. We assessed self-reported physical activity Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the and other characteristics in a sample of 2,729 male and American College of Sports Medicine have emphasized female students (median age was 20 years) recruited the importance of regular, sustained physical activity from representative courses and year levels at four in reducing the risk of coronary heart disease, some Australian College campuses. They were categorized forms of cancer, non-insulin-dependent diabetes melli- as sufficiently or insufficiently active, using estimates tus, and osteoporosis [1,2]. Physical inactivity, as a mod- of energy expenditure (kcal/week) derived from self- ifiable risk factor for a number of diseases, has become reported physical activity. Personal factors (self- a key public health concern. efficacy, job status, enjoyment), social factors (social Population data suggest that physical activity levels support from family/friends), and environmental fac- fall significantly during the period between adolescence tors (awareness of facilities, gym membership) were and adulthood [3]. Although there have been few longi- also assessed. tudinal studies that have demonstrated decreases in Results. Forty-seven percent of females and 32% of leisure-time physical activity during this transitional males were insufficiently active. For females, the sig- phase of life, it is apparent from cross-sectional studies nificant independent predictors of being insufficiently that this decrease is a real phenomenon. For example, active were lower social support from family and rates of leisure-time physical inactivity among Austra- friends, lower enjoyment of activity, and not working. For males, predictors were lower social support from lians in the 20- to 29-year age group are twice as high family and friends, lower enjoyment of activity, and as in those aged less than 20 years [4]. Other studies being older. have also found significantly higher rates of physical Conclusions. Factors associated with physical activ- inactivity for 25- to 39-year-olds when those under 25 ity participation (particularly social support from fam- years were compared to the 25- to 39-year age group ily and friends) can inform physical activity strategies [5]. These substantial decreases in activity may be re- directed at young adults in the college setting. 1999 lated, in part, to young people leaving school environ- American Health Foundation and Academic Press ments and youth sport programs that facilitate physical activity [6]. These organized programs for physical ac- tivity do not persist in Australian College settings. Typi- 1 This study was supported by a grant from the Commonwealth cally there are many clubs and teams operating within Department of Health and Family Services, as part of the Active 2000 projects, a collaborative program between the Victoria Council campus settings; however, facilities available for physi- for Fitness and General Health (Vicfit) and Deakin University. cal activity vary greatly among campuses, and many 2 To whom correspondence and reprint requests should be clubs conduct their activities off campus. Campuses addressed at School of Human Movement, Deakin University, 221 conducting physical activity-related courses are more Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia. Fax: (61-3) 9244 6017. E-mail: evalesl@deakin.edu.au. likely to have a wider range of facilities, but these are 20 0091-7435/99 $30.00 Copyright  1999 by American Health Foundation and Academic Press All rights of reproduction in any form reserved.