Sedentary time among undergraduate students: A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Kinesiology
• Higher Education Studies

Background:

• Sedentary time (ST) is a growing public health concern.
• Undergraduate students represent a population with potentially high levels of ST due to academic and lifestyle factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize global literature on the average daily ST of undergraduate students.
• To determine the range and average ST levels in this demographic.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature review was conducted.
• Included studies were peer-reviewed, in English, focused solely on undergraduate students, and reported ST using valid questionnaires or accelerometers.

Main Results:

• Twenty-three studies met the inclusion criteria.
• Reported daily ST ranged from 0.75 to 14.35 hours.
• Mean ST was 11.10 hours/day (questionnaires) and 10.69 hours/day (accelerometers).

Conclusions:

• Findings indicate high levels of ST among some undergraduate students.
• Further research and targeted interventions are necessary to reduce ST in postsecondary students.