Adherence to the 24 h Movement Guidelines and Associated Factors Among First-Year University Students in Spain: UNILIFE-M Study at Universidad Loyola Andalucía

Abstract

Highlights What are the main findings? Only 21.2% of first-year students at this Spanish university (137/646 with complete guideline data) met all three 24 h movement guidelines for physical activity, sedentary behavior (total sitting and recreational screen time), and sleep, and 8.4% met none. In multivariable analyses, adherence was lower among females and students with a lifetime mental health diagnosis; associations for age >18 years and non-health sciences enrollment were borderline and not robust in sensitivity analyses. What are the implications of the main findings? Integrated movement behaviors may warrant attention in university health promotion efforts, particularly among subgroups with lower observed adherence in this sample. The cross-sectional association with diagnosed mental health problems is consistent with co-occurrence of psychiatric symptoms and lower adherence, although the temporal direction cannot be established in this study. Abstract Background/Objectives: University students are at a critical stage for establishing healthy lifestyle habits, yet little is known about their adherence to integrated 24 h movement guidelines that include physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. We examined the proportion of students meeting the Canadian 24 h movement guidelines and associated factors among first-year students at a single Spanish university (UNILIFE-M). Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 671 first-year students from Universidad Loyola Andalucía (Spain) participating in the UNIversity Students’ LIFEstyle Behaviours and Mental Health (UNILIFE-M) study. Combined guideline adherence used complete cases (n = 646). Behaviors were assessed with the Spanish Physical Activity Scale 2.1 (PAS-2.1S). Adherence required ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, ≤8 h/day of total sedentary time including ≤3 h/day of recreational screen time (both sedentary criteria required), and 7–9 h/night of sleep. Multivariable logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (complete cases on covariates, n = 644). Results: Overall, 137/646 students (21.2%) met all three guidelines, while 54 (8.4%) met none. Male sex was associated with higher odds of adherence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.65; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.10 to 2.47), and a lifetime mental health diagnosis was associated with lower odds (aOR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.72). Age > 18 years (aOR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.03) and non-health sciences enrollment (aOR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.46 to 1.03) showed borderline associations that were not robust across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: In this single-university first-year sample, adherence to the 24 h movement guidelines was relatively low. Associations should be interpreted as cross-sectional correlates, not causal determinants.