Predictors of physical activity in the transition after high school among young women.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with physical activity (PA) in women during the first year following high school.


METHODS
Females from 22 high schools (n = 915) completed the 3-Day Physical Activity Recall in 12th grade and reported if they were sports participants. After graduation, 305 women (18.9 +/- 0.6 years) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. They reported time spent per day in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and vigorous PA (VPA) for the previous week. Multiple logistic regression was used to predict postgraduate PA.


RESULTS
The odds of being in the high-active group were greater in women who were sports participants (OR = 1.93) in 12th grade. The odds of being in the high-active group were greater among white women (OR = 2.09) and greater among currently employed women compared with unemployed women (OR = 5.57). MVPA had borderline significance in the regression model.


CONCLUSIONS
Sports participation and being currently employed predicted physical activity at postgraduation.
Horn
Deborah B
DB
Dept of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, CHSPR Fellow, Durham, NC 27701, USA.
O'Neill
Jennifer R
JR
Pfeiffer
Karin A
KA
Dowda
Marsha
M
Pate
Russell R
RR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D012574:Schools; D013022:South Carolina; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires