Physical Activity Among Ethnically Diverse College Students

Abstract

The authors compared physical activity patterns among 874 Asian, 332 African, 1,101 White, and 529 Hispanic American college students aged 18 to 25 years. According to self-report responses, 46.7% of the sample did not engage in vigorous physical activity and 16.7% were physically inactive. Among women, ethnic-specific rates of physical inactivity were Asian, 28.1%; African, 23.5%; White, 17.4%; and Hispanic, 20.3%. For men, rates of inactivity were Asian 11.7%; African, 7.7%; White, 12.0%; and Hispanic, 13.8. Weight-training activity, youthful physical activity, and TV viewing accounted for a significant portion of the variance in physical activity levels (13.1% for women and 14.8% for men). The results of this study support the need for physical activity interventions for college students, particularly minorities.

Key Words:

• ethnicity
• exercise
• health

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Richard R. Suminski

Richard R. Suminski and Rick Petosa are with the School of Physical Activity and Educational Services at The Ohio State University, Columbus, and Alan C. Utter is an assistant professor in the Department of Health, Leisure, and Exercise Science, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina. James J. Zhang is with the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences in the College of Health and Human Performance, University of Florida, Gainesville.