scholarly journals A Required College Wellness Course Changes Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors Related to Physical Activity

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 110-121
Author(s):  
Anna Katherine Leal ◽  
Edien Fernandini ◽  
Brandon Jackson ◽  
Madeleine Mason ◽  
David Elmer
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
College Health ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
Wellness Course ◽  
Course Changes ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Cues To Action ◽  
Recommended Guidelines

We examined effects of a required college health and wellness course on students’ physical activity (PA) attitudes and behaviors. A survey based on models of behavior change was emailed (September 2016 – May 2017) to all students at a liberal arts college. Of 408 students who responded, 217 had completed the course and 191 had not. Students who had taken the course reported more confidence in their ability to improve their physical fitness; found more encouragement from cues to action; and met recommended guidelines for weekly PA more than students who had not taken the course. Compared to males, females had less confidence in their ability to increase PA and improve fitness and overall health. Females perceived barriers to PA as more discouraging and cues to action as less encouraging. Data showed a required college health and wellness course altered students’ PA attitudes and behaviors.

scholarly journals The Impact of Choice on Exercise Motivation and Physical Activity in College Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 6
Author(s):  
Julia Fera Tracy ◽  
Andrea Taliaferro ◽  
Alfgeir Kristjansson
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Behavioral Regulation ◽  
Exercise Motivation ◽  
Liberal Arts University ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Wellness Course ◽  
The Impact

Background:   While research suggests that college courses contribute to significant health benefits, there is limited research on the effectiveness of these courses in increasing motivation and lifetime PA habits of college students.Aim:  The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of choice in a conceptually-based college health and wellness course on exercise motivation and physical activity of undergraduate students.Method:  Participants included undergraduate students (N = 81) enrolled in a health and wellness course at a four-year liberal arts university located in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. Quantitative data from the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire and the Leisure Time in Exercise Questionnaire were collected over three time points from two groups (choice and non-choice). Qualitative data from semistructured interviews with course instructors (N = 4) and open-ended questions were also collected.Results: There was a significant increase in intrinsic regulation F(2, 158) = 10.13, p = .00, ηp2 =.114; identified regulation F(2, 158) = 7.35, p = .001, ηp2= .085; introjected regulation F(2, 158) = 6.61, p = .002, ηp2= .077; and PA F(2, 158) = 5.63, p = .004, ηp2 = .067 over time. No significant differences were found between groups.Conclusion:  While there was no significant difference between instruction type, instructors and participants suggested that choice was the preferred method for adult learners.

scholarly journals The Impact of a Required Undergraduate Health and Wellness Course on Students’ Awareness and Knowledge of Physical Activity and Chronic Disease

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Usha Kuruganti
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Chronic Disease ◽  
Undergraduate Curriculum ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Capstone Course ◽  
Health Agencies ◽  
Wellness Course ◽  
The University ◽  
The Impact

As part of the undergraduate curriculum, the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) requires all students to take an undergraduate course in physical activity, health and wellness in their third year of study. This capstone course allows students to integrate concepts from their program regarding physical activity, fitness, and wellness. While students have anecdotally indicated that this course has improved their knowledge of health and wellness, this data had not been quantitatively assessed previously. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the course on students’ views of the impact of physical activity on disease and overall health and wellness. A survey was administered to the students enrolled in the course at the beginning and again at the end of the semester. The survey requested data in four categories; 1) the demographics of the student, 2) students’ knowledge of health agencies and guidelines, 3) students’ physical activity, health and wellness awareness and 4) students’ self-assessment of their knowledge of physical activity and chronic disease. The data showed that, at the end of the course, students felt that they improved in three areas; 1) their knowledge of health agencies and guidelines, 2) their awareness of physical activity and its impact on health and wellness and 3) their knowledge of physical activity and chronic disease. The results of this work provided information on the impact of a required health and wellness course on students’ knowledge of health and suggested that the material in the course helped their overall understanding of health. 

Changes in Consumer Wellness During the Early Weeks of the Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 36-43
Author(s):  
Heejae Lee ◽  
Sheri Worthy
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Marital Status ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Health And Wellness ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Lifestyle Choices ◽  
And Behaviors

COVID-19 has affected consumers' wellness-related behavior and lifestyle choices. Online survey respondents were asked about changes in their health and wellness perceptions and behaviors—overall wellbeing, diet, physical activity, and sleep—due to the pandemic. Age was related to changes in all four wellness areas, with older respondents experiencing less change than did younger respondents. Race was related to changes in overall well-being, diet, and sleep. Whites and Asians reported less change than did Blacks or Hispanics. Change in sleep was associated with age, race, marital status, and BMI. Educating consumers on healthy behaviors is more important than ever during COVID-19.

Gender and Social Justice: An Examination of Attitudes and Behaviors Among Undergraduate Liberal Arts Students

Affilia ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 552-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda R. Roberts ◽  
Wendy Turner ◽  
Leigh Anne Howard ◽  
Erin E. Gilles ◽  
Anne Statham
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Women Students ◽  
Liberal Arts ◽  
Student Attitudes ◽  
University Student ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Liberal Arts Students ◽  
Perceptions Of Inequality

This study examines university student attitudes concerning social justice and their perceptions of inequality. In this article, we explore how gender shapes students’ understanding of issues of inequality, sexism, racism, classism, and their inclinations to act against these issues. This research seeks to explore how gender shapes students’ understanding of social justice. Moreover, it seeks to answer the following questions: Are women or men more willing to engage in social justice actions? Are women or men more likely to recognize and perceive inequality? Lastly, are women or men more determined to do something to achieve social justice? Results show that women students are far more likely to identify inequality and engage in actions to achieve social justice.

scholarly journals The role of family communication in individual attitudes and behaviors concerning nutrition and physical activity

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Elizabeth A. Wagner
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Health Communication ◽  
Family Communication ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Family Health ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Individual Member ◽  
Attitudes And Behaviors ◽  
And Behaviors ◽  
Nutrition And Physical Activity

Despite the increasing popularity of family health communication studies, little attention has been paid to nutrition- and physical activity-related health communication in the family context. This mixed-method study explores the influence of family health communication on individual member attitudes and behaviors. Both phases of the study -- grounded in Family Communication Patterns theory and Social Cognitive theory -- revealed the importance of family communication as a contributor to physical health. Specifically, the first quantitative phase of the study used structural equation modeling and an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) to assess the relationships between a young adult's and corresponding family member's health attitudes and behaviors. Moderating and mediating effects of communication and non-communication related variables were also examined. Two overarching themes and corresponding subthemes developed from the second, phenomenological phase of study. It emphasized (a) the importance of nonverbal health communication and (b) health as a gendered experience.

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