Prolonged Sitting in University Students: An Intra-Individual Study Exploring Physical Activity Value as a Deterrent

University students are a subpopulation of young adults highly susceptible to prolonged bouts of sitting. The purpose of this study was to investigate university students’ intra-individual patterns of prolonged daily sitting, exploring gender and physical activity value beliefs as covariates. A total of 71 students reported the number of days each week they spent in bouts of prolonged sitting (2 + continuous hours) over a five-week timeframe. The findings revealed that at the beginning of the study, the students spent about four days per week in prolonged bouts of sitting although there was substantial variability in the sample. Intra-individual changes over the five weeks occurred in a non-linear fashion with a variability in these trajectories. Men reported approximately one less day of prolonged sitting per week although gender did not predict changes over time. Physical activity value beliefs were negatively related to prolonged bouts of sitting when averaged across time. The results illustrate the variable nature of prolonged sitting in university student populations, highlighting the need for implementing individualized intervention strategies targeting sedentary behavior.