Behavioral and Social Approaches to Increase Physical Activity: College-Based Physical Education and Health Education

Task Force Finding*

These interventions use didactic and behavioral education efforts to increase physical activity levels among college students with the aim of setting long-term behavioral patterns during the transition to adulthood. The PE classes do not have to be offered by PE or wellness departments in college and university settings, but they do include supervised activity in the class. These classes have both lectures and laboratory-type sessions; students engage in supervised physical activity, develop goals and activity plans, and write term papers based on their experiences. Social support is also built into these programs.

The Task Force identified two qualifying studies that evaluated the effectiveness of college-based health education and PE. On the basis of both the small number of available studies and variability in the interventions evaluated, insufficient evidence exists to assess the effectiveness of college-based health education and PE interventions.

*From the following publication:

Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations to increase physical activity in communities. [PDF - 70KB] Am J Prev Med 2002;22 (4S):67-72.

Review completed: February 2001