PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PATTERNS OF COLLEGE MEN AND WOMEN ASSESSED BY THE TRITRAC R3D ACCELEROMETER OVER SEVEN DAYS

52 The purpose of this study was to examine weekly physical activity levels and patterns in college men and women using the Tritrac R3D accelerometer. Thirty men and 40 women (age 24.6 ± 1.9 yr, mean ± SD) were recruited from a health promotion study at a large Southern California urban university. The Tritrac was placed inside a pouch and secured to the subject's right hip with a waist belt. Subjects were instructed to wear the Tritrac during their waking hours for 7 days. Total time spent in light (2-2.9 METs), moderate (3-5.9 METs), and vigorous (≥6 METs) activity over 7 days was 358.1±172.7, 162.7±88.8, and 23.5±50.9 minutes, respectively. The mean number of 20-minute bouts of vigorous exercise per week was 0.39±1.07, while the mean number of 5-minute bouts of vigorous exercise was 0.99±1.90. These data indicate that college students are barely meeting the CDC guideline for moderate physical activity (≥150 min/wk), and are not meeting the ACSM guideline for fitness. Most of their day appears to be spent engaging in physical activity less than 3 METs.