An Examination of Intramural College Students’ Exercise Motives and How They Relate to Body Mass Index

Students that participate in recreational sports and regular exercise are more likely to continueto be physically active. Thee purpose of this cross-sectional study design was to examine differentiatingmotives among participants and how motivation constructs relate to body composition.College students(n=403) were surveyed using the EMI-2 to determine motivational constructs in relation to body com-position. Standardized coefficients indicate that Appearance (β=-0.242, p=0.001), Health Pressures (β=0.208, p=0.05), and Weight Management ( β=0.332, p=0.001) have a statistically signi cant in uenceon intramural participants’ BMIs. This study is useful for promoting, designing, and implementing futurehealth programs for young adults.Creating diversity in activities encourages additional populations toparticipate in physical activity opportunities, thus improving overall health and well-being.