Work

Stages of change in leisure-domain physical activity behavior and its influencing factors among Chinese college students

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To explore the distribution and influencing factors of the change stages of leisure-time physical activity behavior of college students and provide theoretical support for improving the physical and mental health level of college students. METHODS: A stratified, clustered, and staged sampling method was employed to survey and measure the Body morphology of 49,717 college students in China, including sociodemographic information, leisure-time physical activity behavior, health behavior, and health status indicators. RESULTS: A total of 41,620 valid questionnaires were collected, with 17,212 males (41.4%) and 24,408 females (58.6%). Among the university students, 52.3% are in the pre-contemplation stage of change regarding Leisure-time physical activity behaviour, but only 6.4% are in the maintenance stage. Factors such as gender, year of study, ethnicity, the region of the university, sleep quality, BMI, and anxiety levels significantly influence the stages of change in leisure-time physical activity behaviour among university students. CONCLUSION: The intention of college students to engage in regular leisure-time physical activity behavior in China is weak, and numerous factors affect the change stage of leisure physical activity behavior of college students.

Source: BMC Public Health

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-24725-6