Associations between internet use and fitness among college students: an experience sampling approach

• Published in: Journal of interaction science 2013-08, Vol.1 (1), p.1-8
• Main Authors: Moreno, Megan A, Jelenchick, Lauren A, Koff, Rosalind, Eickhoff, Jens C, Goniu, Natalie, Davis, Angela, Young, Henry N, Cox, Elizabeth D, Christakis, Dimitri A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cognitive Psychology; Computer Science; Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); Interaction Design; Simulation and Modeling; User Interfaces and Human Computer Interaction
• ISSN: 2194-0827; 2194-0827
• DOI: 10.1186/2194-0827-1-4

Objective Almost a third of college students are obese, placing them at risk for adult obesity and its complications. Internet use may be one factor contributing to college student obesity. The purpose of this study was to examine associations of college student internet use with physical activity and fitness. Methods Older adolescents between 18 and 23 years were recruited from a large university. Using experience sampling method, participants received 6 randomly-timed text message surveys for 7 days. Survey questions assessed whether they were currently online, for how long and current online activities. Participants also completed the International Physical Activity questionnaire and reported their body mass index. Multivariate models assessed the association of internet use with physical activity and fitness. Results Among 189 participants, the mean age was 18.9 (SD = 0.9), 58.8% were female and most were Caucasian (90.5%). Greater internet use was associated with fewer days per week of vigorous intensity exercise (p