The transition to college is a critical period in a young adult's life. Education about obesity and physical activity has significant effects on lifetime wellness before graduating and reaching adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine exercise benefits and barriers of overweight, obese, and normal weight college students. Participants (n = 595) were college students who completed a questionnaire and whose body composition was measured. Results of this study revealed significant differences in perceived exercise benefits and barriers based on weight group. Slight group differences were mainly found between normal weight and obese students. Implications for future studies were addressed.
","abstract_html":"<p>The transition to college is a critical period in a young adult's life. Education about obesity and physical activity has significant effects on lifetime wellness before graduating and reaching adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine exercise benefits and barriers of overweight, obese, and normal weight college students. Participants (n = 595) were college students who completed a questionnaire and whose body composition was measured. Results of this study revealed significant differences in perceived exercise benefits and barriers based on weight group. Slight group differences were mainly found between normal weight and obese students. Implications for future studies were addressed. </p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Szarabajko, Alexandra"],"institution":"Eastern Kentucky University","degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Master's","degree_discipline":"Exercise and Sport Science","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:39Z","subjects":["BMI","Exercise Barriers","Exercise Benefits","Obesity","Physical Education","Waist Circumference","Exercise Science","Health Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":["Copyright 2018 Alexandra Szarabajko"],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/496","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Szarabajko, Alexandra"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2019-05-05T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Master Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Exercise and Sport Science"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Master's"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Eastern Kentucky University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["BMI","Exercise Barriers","Exercise Benefits","Obesity","Physical Education","Waist Circumference","Exercise Science","Health Psychology"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright 2018 Alexandra Szarabajko"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/496"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The transition to college is a critical period in a young adult's life. Education about obesity and physical activity has significant effects on lifetime wellness before graduating and reaching adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine exercise benefits and barriers of overweight, obese, and normal weight college students. Participants (n = 595) were college students who completed a questionnaire and whose body composition was measured. Results of this study revealed significant differences in perceived exercise benefits and barriers based on weight group. Slight group differences were mainly found between normal weight and obese students. Implications for future studies were addressed.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/PDF"]},{"key":"dc:source","label":"Dc Source","values":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The Link between Overweight, Obesity, and Perceived Exercise Benefits and Barriers among College Students"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Szarabajko, Alexandra"],"dc:date.available":["2019-05-05T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The transition to college is a critical period in a young adult's life. Education about obesity and physical activity has significant effects on lifetime wellness before graduating and reaching adulthood. The purpose of this study was to examine exercise benefits and barriers of overweight, obese, and normal weight college students. Participants (n = 595) were college students who completed a questionnaire and whose body composition was measured. Results of this study revealed significant differences in perceived exercise benefits and barriers based on weight group. Slight group differences were mainly found between normal weight and obese students. Implications for future studies were addressed.
"],"dc:format":["application/PDF"],"dc:identifier":["https://encompass.eku.edu/etd/496"],"dc:publisher":["Encompass Digital Archive, Eastern Kentucky University"],"dc:rights":["Copyright 2018 Alexandra Szarabajko"],"dc:source":["Encompass Digital Archive: Online Theses and Dissertations"],"dc:subject":["BMI","Exercise Barriers","Exercise Benefits","Obesity","Physical Education","Waist Circumference","Exercise Science","Health Psychology"],"dc:title":["The Link between Overweight, Obesity, and Perceived Exercise Benefits and Barriers among College Students"],"dc:type":["Master Thesis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Exercise and Sport Science"],"thesis:degree_level":["Master's"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Eastern Kentucky University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:15:39Z"}