The problem of this study was to determine the levels of physical activity in international college students. A non-experimental, cross-sectional survey design was used to examine the problem of the study. The participants of this study were 64 international college students enrolled in Ball State University. The 13-item instrument of this study consisted of six personal demographic questions and seven measure of physical activity in the past seven days.Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics, which included frequencies and percentages, were used for demographic and physical activity questions. T-tests were used to test the differences in physical activity level between gender, classification of degree program, and academic majors. One-way ANOVAs was used to test the differences in physical activity level among different continents and among different length of stay in the U.S.The results showed that a high percentage of the participants in this study met the recommended criteria for physical activity. There were no statistically significant differences between genders, classification of degree program, academic majors, different lengths of stay in the U.S., and different continents where the international students come from. The demographic variables were not significantly associated with physical activity level of international college students. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

The present study was designed to simultaneously examine the prevalence of insomnia, hypersomnia, and delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) among college students, while also examining the relations of depression (atypical and melancholic) and anxiety. Analyses revealed that insomnia, anxiety, poorer sleep efficiency, longer sleep latency, and shorter sleep duration were all correlated with melancholic features of depression and that anxiety, insomnia, and sleep latency were the strongest predictors of melancholic depression. Anxiety, excessive daytime sleepiness, insomnia, shorter sleep duration, poorer sleep efficiency, and longer sleep latency were all correlated with atypical depressive features, whereas anxiety and sleep latency were the strongest predictors for atypical depressive symptoms. The Composite Scale of Morningness correlated with sleep latency, later night times both during the week and on the weekends, later morning times both during the week and on weekends, and the difference between morning times on weekends versus the weekdays. Further research is needed to explore the relations among the depression subtypes and sleep problems and for development of more adequate measures to assess various sleeping problems and depression subtypes. / Department of Psychological Science

The purpose of this investigation was to identify college students' attitudes toward wellness and to identify the differences in these attitudes among various groups of university students. The subjects who participated in this study were students randomly chosen from the six wellness residence halls and six traditional residence halls at Ball State University. One hundred and twenty-one of the 200 subjects selected, completed and returned a modification of the Archer Wellness survey on college students' attitudes toward wellness. A two-way analysis of variance on the data between groups of students living in wellness residence halls and students living in traditional residence halls found significant differences in the following categories: 1) need for information and assistance, 2) current level of wellness, 3) health and longevity concerns, and 4) environment. Differences between male and female respondents were found on the need for information and assistance score and the environment score. The chi-square statistic was computed for the data where subjects selected activities and behaviors they believed were beneficial and detrimental to their wellness. From the activities/behaviors selected to be detrimental to wellness, lack of leisure time was found to be significant between the two groups. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

One-hundred and thirty two insulin-dependent diabetic college students in the state of Indiana comprised the study sample. Within this study, the attitudes, behaviors, knowledge and perceived educational needs were assessed from the sample through a questionnaire. The college students with diabetes who were currently attending either one of the participating sixteen schools or under the care of one physician participating in this study, were voluntarily asked to respond to a 64 item questionnaire by mail. A 53 percent (70 of 132) response rate was achieved. The findings showed that the subjects displayed positive attitudes, an adequate knowledge level and adequate behavior practices. The results also revealed a need for educational programs aimed specifically towards the college student with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Such an education program would include topics which the subjects rated as being of importance to them. Considerations for further study include the effect of these behaviors, attitudes, knowledge levels, and perceived education needs directly on blood glucose control. / Department of Physiology and Health Science

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between physical self-efficacy and personal dietary habits among students living in the wellness residence halls of Ball State University. This was a correlational study using previously collected data from six wellness residence halls. Residents from these halls were voluntary participants in the wellness screening, which included the testing instruments used for this study. Fifty-four subjects completed the Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire (LSAQ) which included both the Physical Self-Efficacy Scale (PSES) and the Dietary Habits Questions (DHQ). The relationship between physical self-efficacy and dietary habits was tested using the Pearson r as the correlation coefficient. It appears that there is a significant linear relationship between the physical self-efficacy and dietary habits among participants examined in this study. This linear relationship should be interpretated with caution, however, because the strength of the relationship between PSES and DHQ scores (r2=.1099) indicates that less than 11% of the variance within the DHQ scores is shared with the variance within the PSES scores. Those who had good physical self-efficacy also had good dietary habits. Further study is recommended. / Institute for Wellness

Two major nutritional concerns in the United States today are the increasing consumption of soft drinks and the decreasing intake of fruits and vegetables. This study hypothesized that there is a negative correlation between soft drink consumption and fruit and vegetable intake among college students.Data were collected by means of a 3-day food record. The collection time occurred on three consecutive specified days with college students who ate in the college dining commons. These food records were then analyzed on computer software. A Pearson correlation coefficient was obtained by comparing the average intake of fruits and vegetables for each individual with the average intake of soft drinks for each individual. Using an alpha level of 0.05 and 75 degrees of freedom, a significant negative correlation was found between the amount of soft drinks consumed and the amount of fruits and vegetables eaten. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

This study determined outcomes of a low-carbohydrate (CHO) and moderate-CHO diet on weight loss, ketone production, and urinary calcium excretion in a convenience sample of 14 (ages 18-26, m=2, f=12) overweight students at a midwestern college for one month in a two-week, cross over study design. Results showed significant weight loss in subjects over time (p< .01). However, no significant difference between diet groups over time for weight loss was shown. Outcome of urine ketone production remained unaffected over time and between groups over time. A significant difference was noted in urinary calcium excretion within subjects over time (p=.035), yet not between groups over time. These findings suggest that weight loss may be due to a decrease in water and lean body mass from glycogen mobilization. Ketone production was unaffected possibly due to non-compliance with diet recommendations and small sample size of the study. Urinary calcium excretion increases may be attributed to higher protein intakes in participants on the modified-CHO diets, possibly allowing for a negative calcium balance in the body leading to premature osteoporosis. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

This study was designed to determine if the Deming approach to monitoring manufacturing processes could be successfully adapted to monitoring lifestyle processes. This study tested a new self-monitoring instrument that provides quick, accurate, personal feedback. The usability of this new instrument was tested. Validity of the instrument was established through review by experts in appropriate lifestyle management disciplines.The pilot test of this new instrument was done in a program with a convenience sample of 29 people who used the instrument for 28 days. A high percentage of the participants used the instrument and found the instrument to be helpful in developing a healthy lifestyle, although they desired a less cumbersome format. It is recommended that the instrument be adapted for use in lifestyle change programs. / Institute for Wellness

This study examined the relationships between student-environment fit and sense of competence and academic achievement of freshmen students in wellness residence hall environments. This study was conducted at a mid-sized, midwestern state university. Perceived and actual fit scores derived from Form R and Form I of the University Residence Environment Scale (URES) served as the independent measures. Two measures, sense of competence and academic achievement, served as the dependent variables. A Sense of Competence Scale, developed by Steve Janosik (1987), measured a student's level of interpersonal and intellectual competence Academic achievement was measured by accumulative grade point averages. Step-wise multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between these variables.All 571 freshmen residents living in one of six: wellness residence halls were asked to participate in this study. Of this number, 416 (72.7%) returned questionnaires and became the sample population.Freshmen residents living in the wellness residence halls reported that these environments were not as emotionally supportive nor were floor residents as involved with one another as residents would like. Further, a greater emphasis was needed in terms of academic and intellectual stimulation. Additionally, residents in the wellness residence hall environments desired more opportunities to influence their floor/hall and reported that these environments were too competitive.Significant differences existed between freshmen women and men. Women indicated that there was too much emphasis on traditional dating and other social activities and too much emphasis on competition. Women also indicated that their wellness residence hall environments did not provide them with the intellectual stimulation they wanted. Further, women rated the order and organization of these environments much lower than did men.The differences between student-environment fit and sense of competence and student-environment fit and academic achievement were not statistically significant.Actual discrepancy scores were a better measure of student-environment fit than perceived discrepancy scores. / Department of Educational Leadership

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 42-48). / viii, 48 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm