Active Transportation to and on Campus is Associated With Objectively Measured Fitness Outcomes Among College Students.
BACKGROUND
Active transportation (AT) has been associated with positive health outcomes, yet limited research has addressed this with college students, a population at-risk for inactivity. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between AT behavior and objectively measured fitness outcomes.


METHODS
A volunteer, convenience sample (n = 299) of college students from a large northeastern university completed a survey about their AT habits to and on campus and psychosocial constructs related to AT and participated in a laboratory-based fitness assessment (cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition).Off-campus students were dichotomized as nonactive (0-1 AT trips/day) or active travelers (> 1 AT trips/day) to campus; t-tests compared nonactive and active travelers for psychosocial and fitness variables.


RESULTS
Students were 56.3% male, 79.2% non-Hispanic White, and primarily living off-campus (87%). Most students (n = 177, 59.2%) reported active travel between classes. Off-campus students were primarily active travelers (76.1%). Active travelers to campus had greater cardiovascular fitness (P = .005), were more flexible (P = .006) and had lower systolic blood pressure (P = .05) compared with nonactive travelers.


CONCLUSIONS
This study documents a relationship between AT behavior and objectively measured fitness among college students and provides a rationale for targeting this behavior as a method for improving health outcomes.
Dept of Kinesiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
Melissa
M
Bopp
Christopher
C
Bopp
Megan
M
Schuchert
D000328:Adult; D001334:Automobile Driving; D001642:Bicycling / Q000502:physiology*; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018986:Motor Vehicles / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014495:Universities; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult