Application of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to exercise behaviour among Macedonian college students

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between the walkability/bikeability of college campuses and students’ body mass index (BMI) with student physical activity (PA) attitudes and behaviors as potential mediators. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Thirteen university campuses. Participants: A total of 1384 student participants. Measures: Walkability/bikeability environmental score (ES): 12-item audit assessed an average of 44 path segments per campus. Students were measured for height and weight and completed online surveys. Physical activity stage of change/behavior intentions were assessed using the transtheoretical model. The Cognitive Behavioral Physical Activity Questionnaire assessed outcome expectations, self-regulation, and personal barriers. International Physical Activity Questionnaire assessed walking-, moderate-, and vigorous-intensity PA. Analysis: Descriptive statistics, zero-order correlations, and path analysis with maximum likelihood estimation. Results: The overall model fit was good with χ2 of 171.388 ( df = 18), P < .001, comparative fit index value of .95, and a root mean square of approximation of .079. After controlling for gender, there was a direct negative association between walkability/bikeability ES and BMI (β = −.085) and positive association between personal barriers and BMI (β = .134). Walkability/bikeability ES was positively associated with walking-intensity PA (β = .010). Self-regulation was positively associated with moderate-intensity PA (β = .213), which, in turn, was negatively associated with BMI (β = −.057). Conclusions: The ease of walking and biking on a campus was related to college students’ walking behavior and their BMI. Students’ PA behavioral intentions were associated with moderate PA and lower BMI. These results provide evidence to focus on policies and structural supports for walkable/bikeable environments to supplement and enhance interventions encouraging individual behavior change for PA and weight management.

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An Empirical Study on the Change of College Students’ Physical Exercise Behavior Based on the Trans-Theoretical Model

Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience ◽

10.1166/jctn.2017.6158 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 257-262

Author(s):

Chunhui Zhao ◽

Tingting Dong ◽

Fang Xu

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Theoretical Model ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Change Process ◽

Large Scale ◽

Exercise Behaviour ◽

Wide Range ◽

Precise Analysis ◽

The University

In order to establish a large sample of the standardization of the norm of the National College Students’ physical exercise behaviour, this study uses the change scale of college students physical exercise behaviour, and a large range of survey of the university students physical exercise behaviour. According to the statistical analysis of the data obtained by the national college students physical exercise behaviour’ change standard norm, it can provide a reliable, effective and valuable reference for the study of college students physical exercise behaviour. In the cross theoretical model, the lack of the determination of the stage of the change, especially after a wide range of survey, produces the precise analysis and interpretation. After a large scale of the investigation, this study not only has a simple region to change the stage and change process, but also to find the corresponding relationship between them, as well as the different stages of the weight of the change process.

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