Exploring associations between 24-hour movement behavior compositions and academic performance in college students

Abstract

Research has established beneficial associations between 24-hour movement behaviors (i.e., sleep, physical activity, sedentary behavior) and academic performance. However, most studies have focused on individual behaviors, overlooking their interdependence. This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between 24-hour movement compositions and academic performance among college students. A total of 150 college students (M = 19.2 years, SD = 1.42; 70.7% female; 44.7% Hispanic) wore an accelerometer to obtain device-based estimates of 24-hour movement behaviors for seven full days. Cumulative grade point average (GPA) and standardized test scores (i.e., SAT) were collected from university records. Compositional linear regression
models were computed, with adjustment for covariates (gender, age, race/ ethnicity, self-reported general health status, year in school, and SAT). The overall movement composition was significantly associated with GPA. Sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were positively associated with GPA, whereas a negative association was observed for light physical activity (LPA). Replacing up to 20 minutes of LPA with sedentary behavior, sleep, or MVPA was associated with higher GPA. Additionally, substituting sleep with MVPA was associated with higher GPA. Findings suggest that college students’ movement compositions may be related to their academic performance. Longitudinal work is needed to pinpoint specific periods within the semester to better understand when each behavior is most important for academic performance.