Accelerometer-measured versus self-reported physical activity in college students: Implications for research and practice

Objective: To determine the level of moderate-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA) assessed via self-report and accelerometer in the college population, and to examine intrapersonal and contextual variables associated with physical activity (PA). Participants: Participants were 77 college students at a university in the northwest sampled between January 2011 and December 2011. Methods: Participants completed a validated self-report measure of PA and measures of athletic identity and benefits and barriers to exercise. Participants' PA levels were assessed for 2 weeks via accelerometry. Results: Participants' estimations of their time spent engaged in MVPA were significantly higher when measured via self-report versus accelerometry. Stronger athletic identity, perceived social benefits and barriers, and time-effort barriers were related to PA levels. Conclusions: Estimation of college students' level of PA may require interpretation of data from different measurement methods, as self-report and accelerometry generate different estimations of PA in college students who may be even less active than previously believed.