Chinese university students' preferences for physical activity incentive programs: a discrete choice experiment

Area of Science:

• Health Behavior
• Exercise Science
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Physical activity is crucial for university students' health.
• Effective motivation programs are needed to encourage student engagement in physical activity.
• Understanding student preferences is key to designing successful incentive programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and compare Chinese university students' preferences for physical activity motivation programs.
• To identify key attributes and levels of incentive programs that appeal to students.
• To analyze how individual characteristics influence these preferences.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional online survey with 1,358 university students in China.
• Discrete Choice Experiment (DCE) methodology.
• Conditional Logit Model (CLM), Willingness to Accept (WTA), and Propensity Score Matching (PSM) analysis.

Main Results:

• Bonus amount, exercise time, and academic rewards were the most significant attributes.
• Students preferred a ¥4 bonus, 20 minutes of exercise, and bonus points for comprehensive test scores.
• Preferences for these attributes varied based on gender and Body Mass Index (BMI).

Conclusions:

• Bonus, exercise time, and academic rewards are critical components of physical activity incentive programs for students.
• Heterogeneity in preferences necessitates tailored program development based on student characteristics.
• Findings can inform policies to enhance physical activity motivation among university students.