title: The impact of a required college health and physical education course on the health status of alumni.
abstract: The impact of a required college health and physical education course on selected health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of alumni was evaluated. The design was a cross-sectional study (mail out/mail back survey) using a stratified random sample of 2,000 college alumni. The overall response rate was 50%. Results were analyzed by college of graduation (college with a required health/physical education course versus no required course). Alumni who took the course were more likely to know their blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and recommended dietary fat intake than the comparison group were. They also reported that the course positively influenced their attitudes toward exercise, eating, and smoking They were more likely to engage in aerobic exercise and less likely to smoke; and they had lower intakes of dietary fat, cholesterol, and sodium. The results suggested that a required college course enhanced selected health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of alumni.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Exercise Science at Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina, USA.
authors.forename: S N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Pearman
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Valois
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Sargent
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Saunders
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Drane
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Macera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities