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A Comparison of Factors Associated with Physical Inactivity Among East Asian College Students

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Abstract

Background

Little is known on the level of physical inactivity and its behavioral and cultural correlates among East Asian college students.

Purpose

The aim of this study is to examine and compare the level and behavioral and cultural correlates of physical inactivity among college students in Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, and Malaysia.

Method

Data were collected from a representative sample of college students (N = 12,137) in five East Asian economies during the 2008–2009 academic year. The stratified random sampling (stratum: geographic region) was used to select participating institutions. The overall response rate was 77%.

Results

The percentage of physically inactive students was 7.2% for Singapore, 8.0% for Malaysia, 13.5% for Taiwan, 16.8% for Hong Kong, and 28.5% for South Korea. When gender, age, and body mass index were controlled, fruit and vegetable consumptions were significant correlates for physical inactivity across all the five economies. In Hong Kong, Korea, and Taiwan, those who engaged in binge drinking at least once during the past 2 weeks were less likely to be physically inactive than those who did not. Religion and military experience did not independently predict physical inactivity in any of the five economies.

Conclusion

Physical inactivity varies greatly across different economies in East Asia that are usually grouped together and considered a single homogeneous entity by some researchers. However, in terms of correlates of physical inactivity, findings of the current study indicate that the transversal value of physical activity might be transformed into a universal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Health Science, Indiana University, HPER Building 116 1025 East 7th Street, Bloomington, IN, 47405-7109, USA

    Dong-Chul Seo, Mohammad R. Torabi, Chung Gun Lee & Chunyun Wang

  2. HOPSports Inc., Valencia, CA, USA

    Ming Kai Chin

  3. Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Hualien, Taiwan

    Sen Fang Huang

  4. Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia

    Chee Keong Chen

  5. The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Tai Po, Hong Kong, China

    Magdalena Mo Ching Mok

  6. National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore

    Patricia Wong & Michael Chia

Authors
  1. Dong-Chul Seo
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  2. Mohammad R. Torabi
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  3. Ming Kai Chin
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  4. Sen Fang Huang
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  5. Chee Keong Chen
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  6. Magdalena Mo Ching Mok
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  7. Patricia Wong
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  8. Michael Chia
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  9. Chung Gun Lee
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  10. Chunyun Wang
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Correspondence to Dong-Chul Seo.

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Seo, DC., Torabi, M.R., Chin, M.K. et al. A Comparison of Factors Associated with Physical Inactivity Among East Asian College Students. Int.J. Behav. Med. 19, 316–323 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9167-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-011-9167-4

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