Daily Physical Activity Levels between University Students of Different Majors

This study examined daily physical activity (PA) levels among college students to determine if they were achieving minimum PA, were able to accurately identify their PA, and whether PA differed among majors. Eighty-nine students from physical education (PE; n = 20), accounting (Acc; n = 27), hotel and restaurant administration (Hrad; n =15), secondary education (SecEd; n =10), and psychology (Psy; n =17) wore an accelerometer for seven consecutive days and completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire L7S to recount their perceived PA. Results indicated that participants completed on average 10,013.07 steps per day, 22.91 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily. The most active major was Hrad. However, participants significantly overestimated their daily PA ( p < .001). Findings suggest that while college students barely achieved minimum PA daily, such large discrepancies between their perceived and actual PA provide college health professionals direction for interventions and education. Key words :  physical fitness; accelerometer, METs (metabolic equivalent of task); college students; physical education RESUME Cette etude decrit le niveau d’activite physique (AP) d’etudiants de niveau collegial pour determiner s’ils atteignent le niveau minimal d’AP, s’ils peuvent identifier de facon juste leur niveau d’AP et si le niveau d’AP est different selon le programme suivi. Les 80 etudiants participants provenaient des programmes suivants: education physique (n=20), comptabilite (n=27), administration hoteliere et de restaurant (n=15), enseignement secondaire (n=10) et psychologie (n=17). Ces participants ont porte un accelerometre pendant sept jours consecutifs et complete le “International Physical Activity Questionnaire L7S” pour decrire leur perception de leur AP. Les resultats revelent que les participants ont fait en moyenne 10 013,07 pas par jour et 22,91 minutes d’AP moderee ou vigoureuse quotidiennement. Les participants les plus actifs etaient ceux du programme d’administration hoteliere et de restaurant. Les participants ont surestime de facon significative leur niveau d’AP ( p <,001). Meme si les participants ont atteint le seuil minimum d’AP, la surestimation importante de leur AP fournit des indices importants pour des interventions de la part des professionnels de la sante au niveau collegial.  Mots cles : condition physique; accelerometre; etudiants de niveau collegial; education physique; MET (equivalent metabolique)