A Scoping Review on College Student Physical Activity: How Do Researchers Measure Activity and Examine Inequities?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Exercise Science
• Sociology

Background:

• College student physical activity levels are a growing public health concern.
• Contemporary research quality in this area requires critical examination.
• Understanding physical activity measurement and sociodemographic influences is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the design and quality of current college student physical activity research.
• To focus on physical activity measurement and assessment of sociodemographic characteristics.
• To examine inequities in physical activity based on sociodemographic factors.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature searches were conducted across four electronic databases.
• Data were extracted from 488 studies meeting inclusion criteria out of 28,951 screened.
• Review focused on study design, sampling, physical activity measurement, and sociodemographic data.

Main Results:

• The majority of studies were cross-sectional (91.4%) using convenience sampling (83.0%).
• Only 58.7% of students met aerobic and 47.8% met muscle-strengthening recommendations.
• Sociodemographic characteristics, beyond age and sex, were rarely assessed, and inequities were scarcely examined.

Conclusions:

• College student physical activity remains low, with limited generalizability of current research findings.
• Study designs often lack rigor, and the influence of sociodemographic factors on physical activity is largely overlooked.
• Recommendations are provided for improving future research and practices in college student physical activity.