The Effects of a University Fitness & Wellness Course on Physical Activity Intentions and Behaviors

Brief Description: Students enrolled in a university fitness and wellness course completed three questionnaires at three time points across the semester to evaluate the amount of physical activity and sedentary behavior they were engaging in, their intentions to change their physical activity behavior, and the behavioral change stage they were experiencing based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change. It was hypothesized that the students would change across the course of the semester due to learning about the importance of physical activity and its impact on health and wellness. Specifically, changes in weekly sedentary time, positive attitudes towards exercise, and exercise intentions were expected to improve across the semester. Based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, it was anticipated that students would make forward progression in the stages of behavior change due to the desire to engage in more physical activity.