In partnership with the department of Kinesiology’s Exercise is Medicine on Campus Initiative we conduct research on college student health, behaviors and related outcomes.  Below is a summary of some of our work. Collaborations with the Kinesiology Physical Activity Program, Center for Fitness and Wellness and LEAP program have led us to many insights on Penn State student health. Many undergraduate students have authored papers and presented data at university, local and national conferences on these findings. Summary of Manuscripts from the CFW and KPAP

Physical activity and Public Health Lab College Student Health Research Takeaways and Implications

 Kamara, K., Wilson, O. W. A., Papalia, Z., Bopp, M., & Bopp, C. M. (2019). Comparison of college student hypertension prevalence between the JNC7 and ACC/AHA diagnostic criteria. International Journal of Exercise Science, 12 (3) 898-903

    • Takeaways: The change in hypertension diagnostic criteria resulted in a significant increase in the prevalence of hypertension among college students. More than a third of college students are hypertensive. Under the JNC7 guidelines, 292 (8.2%) men and 67 (2.8%) women were hypertensive. Using the ACC/AHA guidelines, 1455 (40.5%) men and 521 (22.3%) women were hypertensive.
    • Implications: Given the association between hypertension and non-communicable diseases there clearly a need for intervention, but the capacity of college healthcare systems to fulfil the aim of early intervention and/or prevention remains unknown
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Kamara, K., Papalia, Z., Bopp, M., & Bopp, C. M. (2020). Changes in hypertension diagnostic criteria enhance early identification of at risk college students. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, 5, (1) 1-5. doi: 1249/TJX.0000000000000114
    • Takeaway: The recent change in hypertension diagnostic criteria allows identification of students with greater adiposity and poorer aerobic fitness compared to those who are pre-hypertensive
    • Implication: In the absence of screening for adiposity and aerobic fitness BP can be used a criteria to identify students in need of health intervention
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Zou, Z. H., Papalia, Z., Bopp, M., & Bopp, C. M. (2019). Comparison of obesity classification methods among college students. 13 (5), 430-434. Obesity Research & Clinical Practice. doi: 10.1016/j.orcp.2019.09.003
    • Takeaway: BMI demonstrated poor predictive value with respect to obesity classification in comparison to body fat percentage and abdominal, especially among men
    • Implication: Healthcare professionals should consider using abdominal girth rather than BMI in order to determine whether students have obesity
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Bopp, C. M., Papalia, Z., & Bopp, M. (2019). Objective vs. self report assessment of height, weight and body mass index: Relationships with adiposity, aerobic fitness, and physical activity. Clinical Obesity, 9 (5). doi: 1111/cob.12331
    • Takeaways: Students tend to underestimate their weight and overestimate their height. Those who underestimate their weight tend to have greater adiposity, poorer aerobic fitness, yet report greater physical activity
    • Implications: Self-report measures of weight and height are susceptible to error, and should not relied upon to determine weight status
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Bopp, C. M., Papalia, Z., & Bopp, M. (2018). Physical activity counseling in college students. Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine, 3, (17) 130-135. doi: 1249/TJX.0000000000000068
    • Takeaway: Physical activity, adiposity, fitness, and blood profile did not differ between students who did and did not receive physical activity counselling
    • Implications: Students in greatest need of physical activity counselling do not appear to be receiving the care they need
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Jones, H., Mama, S. K., Guthrie, H., Papalia, Z., Duffey, M., & Bopp, M. (2019). Female college student weight perception discordance. Journal of American College Health, X (X), X-X. doi: 1080/07448481.2019.1645678
    • Takeaway: Female college students who misperceive themselves as overweight or obese have a similar mental health profile to those who are actually overweight or obese
    • Implications: There is a need to educate female college students about what resembles a healthy weight status in order to benefit their mental health
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Graupensperger, S., Evans, M. B., & Bopp, M. (2019). The temporal association between physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption: A longitudinal within and between-person investigation. Journal of Physical Activity and Health, 16 (4), 1-8. 274-280. doi: 1123/jpah.2018-0162
  • Graupensperger, S., Wilson, O. W., Bopp, M., & Evans, M. B. (2018). Longitudinal investigation of the association between alcohol use and physical activity in college students. Journal of American College Health, 20, 1-8. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2018.1536058
    • Takeaways: Alcohol use may predict future physical activity among college students, but there is no temporal association between fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity
    • Implications: Those who consume more alcohol are more likely to be physically active in future. While fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity are associated at any point in time, a change in one behavior is not mirrored by the other. Thus, any interventions aimed at improving health must focus on both diet and physical activity
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Papalia, Z., Duffey, M., & Bopp, M. (2019). Differences in college students’ aerobic physical activity and muscle-strengthening activities based on gender, race, and sexual orientation. Preventive Medicine Reports, 16 . doi:1016/j.pmedr.2019.100984
    • Takeaway: The majority of students fail to meet aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations, and students identifying as cis-gender men and non-Hispanic white are more likely to meet aerobic and muscle-strengthening recommendations
    • Implications: There is a need to increase physical activity (aerobic and muscle-strengthening) among college students. Attention should be paid to the promotion of muscle-strengthening behaviors, which are often overlooked, and changes to policies and practices are necessary to address gender and racial disparities
  • Wilson, O. W. A., Matthews, P. J., Duffey, M., Papalia, Z., & Bopp, M. (2020). Changes in health behaviors and outcomes following graduation from higher education. International Journal of Exercise Science, 
    • Takeaway: Health behaviors (physical activity, diet, sleep) during the last semester of college are maintained during the 6months following graduation
    • Implication: It is important to facilitate the adoption of healthy lifestyle behaviors by students
  • Bopp, M., Wilson, O.W.A., Duffey, M.L., Papalia, Z., 2019. An examination of active travel trends before and after college graduation. Journal of Transport & Health 14, 100602.
    • Takeaway: Higher post-graduation active travel (walking and biking for transportation) was associated with higher vigorous PA and active travel in the last semester of college.
    • Implications: Behaviors formed in college can track into post-graduation young adulthood.
  • Bopp, M., Behrens, T.K., Velecina, R., 2014. Associations of Weight Status, Social Factors, and Active Travel Among College Students. American Journal of Health Education 45, 358-367.
    • Takeaway: Healthy weight students were more likely to report active travel to campus and that active travel was their primary mode compared with overweight students.
    • Implications: Supporting active travel for students has the potential to impact health.
  • Bopp, M., Bopp, C., Schuchert, M., 2015. Active Transportation to and on Campus is Associated With Objectively Measured Fitness Outcomes Among College Students. Journal of physical activity & health 12, 418-423.
    • Takeaway: Active travellers to campus had greater cardiovascular fitness and lower blood pressure compared to students who don’t actively travel.
    • Implications: Active travel has the potential to impact health and fitness for college students.
  • Burner, A., Bopp, M., Papalia, Z., Weimer, A., Bopp, C.M., 2019. Examining the relationship between high school physical education with current fitness outcomes in college students. The Physical Educator 76, 180-195.
    • Takeaway: Enjoyment of physical education in high school, taking PE when it wasn’t required and taking more semesters of PE was associated with better fitness outcomes and greater PA in college.
    • Implications: High school experiences shape college PA behaviour.
  • Calestine, J., Bopp, M., Bopp, C.M., Papalia, Z., 2017. College Student Work Habits are Related to Physical Activity and Fitness. International Journal of Exercise Science 10, 1009-1017.
    • Takeaway: Hours of studying and social media use were both positively associated with body fat. Course load was negatively associated with vigorous activity. Study time was negatively associated with cardiovascular endurance, positively associated with hip flexibility and sedentary behavior. Higher GPA was associated with a higher BMI and a higher credit load was associated with less vigorous physical activity.
    • Implications: The relationship between academic outcomes and PA is less clear with college students than studies with K-12.
  • Papalia, Z., Wilson, O.W.A., Bopp, M., Duffey, M.L., 2018. Technology-Based Physical Activity Self-Monitoring Among College Students. International Journal of Exercise Science 11, 1096-1104.
    • Takeaway: Mobile phone app-based PA tracking was the most commonly reported use of technology, followed by heart rate monitors. Device use was significantly related to vigorous PA and psychosocial outcomes.
    • Implications: Technology and wearables can be used as tools to support student PA participation
  • Shaffer, K., Bopp, M., Papalia, Z., Sims, D., Bopp, C.M., 2017. The Relationship of Living Environment with Behavioral and Fitness Outcomes by Sex: an Exploratory Study in College-aged Students. Int J Exerc Sci 10, 330-339.
    • Takeaway: environment was significantly related to PA and fitness. Neighborhood and residential factors related to PA and fitness included seeing others exercising in the neighborhood and in their apartment complex, using neighborhood bike lanes, sidewalks in the neighbourhood, crime and the number of PA resources at their apartment complex.
    • Implications: Residential and neighbourhood environment can influence PA participation and can inform zoning and planning decisions.
  • Sims, D., Bopp, M., Wilson, O.W.A., 2018. Examining influences on active travel by sex among college students. Journal of Transport & Health 9, 73-82.
    • Takeaway: Men were more likely to use active travel than women. Factors influencing active travel included: distance to campus, living with a roommate that walked or biked to campus and terrain.
    • Implications: Women may need outreach specifically tailored to them in order to influence active travel participation.
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