Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]

Background The closure of universities due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected students’ behaviours, particularly regarding physical activity, sitting time, and screen use. This study aimed to determine the effect of active transportation duration, uninterrupte...

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Main Authors: Nicolas Jacquemond, Andrés Ladino, Guillaume Chevance, Brice Lefèvre, Gonzalo Marchant
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: F1000 Research Ltd 2025-01-01
Series:F1000Research
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Online Access:https://f1000research.com/articles/11-568/v3
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author Nicolas Jacquemond
Andrés Ladino
Guillaume Chevance
Brice Lefèvre
Gonzalo Marchant
author_facet Nicolas Jacquemond
Andrés Ladino
Guillaume Chevance
Brice Lefèvre
Gonzalo Marchant
author_sort Nicolas Jacquemond
collection DOAJ
description Background The closure of universities due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected students’ behaviours, particularly regarding physical activity, sitting time, and screen use. This study aimed to determine the effect of active transportation duration, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen time to study on physical activity and sitting time during the confinement. Methods This was a cross-sectional study based on data collected via an online questionnaire for university students during the second confinement in France (between October and December 2020). The questionnaire assessed physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and contained questions about modes of transport, and perception of uninterrupted sitting time and screen time to study prior to confinement and during confinement. Participants (N=2873) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in an average time of around 15 minutes, after providing digital informed consent. Multiple regression models assessed how time duration of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen time studying increased or reduced confinement effects on physical activity and sitting time. Results The regression models showed that physical activity decreased during confinement for students who engaged in more prolonged periods of active transportation prior to confinement. Moreover, the perception of long, uninterrupted sitting time and high screen time prior to confinement significantly increased sitting time during confinement. Students who adopted the most active transport time prior to confinement were the least likely to increase their screen time during confinement. Conclusions Confinement reduced physical activity levels and increased sitting time, mainly among students who adopted active transport and accumulated longer uninterrupted sitting time prior to confinement. Students who combined-long periods of uninterrupted sitting time with high screen use could be a riskier profile for health. Analysis of physical activity time and sitting position should include its accumulation patterns.
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spelling doaj-art-e573be025a0042a1a6ada6362e6733562025-01-30T01:00:01ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022025-01-0111177413Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]Nicolas Jacquemond0Andrés Ladino1Guillaume Chevance2Brice Lefèvre3Gonzalo Marchant4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3195-7871University Service of Physical and Sports Activities (SUAPS), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, 69100, FranceENTPE, LICIT UMR-T9401, Gustave Eiffel University, Lyon, 69500, FranceBarcelona Institute for Global Health, ISGlobal Barcelona, Barcelona, 08003, SpainL-ViS. F-69622, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Villeurbanne, 69100, FranceCenter for the Study and the Transformation of Physical Activities UR 3832, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Rouen Normandy, Mont-Saint-Aignan, Normandy, 76130, FranceBackground The closure of universities due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected students’ behaviours, particularly regarding physical activity, sitting time, and screen use. This study aimed to determine the effect of active transportation duration, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen time to study on physical activity and sitting time during the confinement. Methods This was a cross-sectional study based on data collected via an online questionnaire for university students during the second confinement in France (between October and December 2020). The questionnaire assessed physical activity and sedentary behaviour, and contained questions about modes of transport, and perception of uninterrupted sitting time and screen time to study prior to confinement and during confinement. Participants (N=2873) completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) in an average time of around 15 minutes, after providing digital informed consent. Multiple regression models assessed how time duration of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen time studying increased or reduced confinement effects on physical activity and sitting time. Results The regression models showed that physical activity decreased during confinement for students who engaged in more prolonged periods of active transportation prior to confinement. Moreover, the perception of long, uninterrupted sitting time and high screen time prior to confinement significantly increased sitting time during confinement. Students who adopted the most active transport time prior to confinement were the least likely to increase their screen time during confinement. Conclusions Confinement reduced physical activity levels and increased sitting time, mainly among students who adopted active transport and accumulated longer uninterrupted sitting time prior to confinement. Students who combined-long periods of uninterrupted sitting time with high screen use could be a riskier profile for health. Analysis of physical activity time and sitting position should include its accumulation patterns.https://f1000research.com/articles/11-568/v3Universities sitting position transportation lifestyle young peopleeng
spellingShingle Nicolas Jacquemond
Andrés Ladino
Guillaume Chevance
Brice Lefèvre
Gonzalo Marchant
Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
F1000Research
Universities
sitting position
transportation
lifestyle
young people
eng
title Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_full Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_fullStr Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_full_unstemmed Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_short Behavioural patterns of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study of the effects of active transportation, uninterrupted sitting time, and screen use on physical activity and sitting time [version 3; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
title_sort behavioural patterns of university students during the covid 19 pandemic a cross sectional study of the effects of active transportation uninterrupted sitting time and screen use on physical activity and sitting time version 3 peer review 1 approved 2 approved with reservations
topic Universities
sitting position
transportation
lifestyle
young people
eng
url https://f1000research.com/articles/11-568/v3
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