Adherence to the 24 h Movement Guidelines and Associated Factors Among First-Year University Students in Spain: UNILIFE-M Study at Universidad Loyola Andalucía

Background/Objectives: University students are at a critical stage for establishing healthy lifestyle habits, yet little is known about their adherence to integrated 24 h movement guidelines that include physical activity, sedentary behavior, and sleep. We examined the proportion of students meeting the Canadian 24 h movement guidelines and associated factors among first-year students at a single Spanish university (UNILIFE-M). Methods: This cross-sectional analysis included 671 first-year students from Universidad Loyola Andalucía (Spain) participating in the UNIversity Students’ LIFEstyle Behaviours and Mental Health (UNILIFE-M) study. Combined guideline adherence used complete cases (n = 646). Behaviors were assessed with the Spanish Physical Activity Scale 2.1 (PAS-2.1S). Adherence required ≥150 min/week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, ≤8 h/day of total sedentary time including ≤3 h/day of recreational screen time (both sedentary criteria required), and 7–9 h/night of sleep. Multivariable logistic regression estimated adjusted odds ratios (complete cases on covariates, n = 644). Results: Overall, 137/646 students (21.2%) met all three guidelines, while 54 (8.4%) met none. Male sex was associated with higher odds of adherence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.65; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.10 to 2.47), and a lifetime mental health diagnosis was associated with lower odds (aOR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.08 to 0.72). Age > 18 years (aOR = 0.64; 95% CI 0.39 to 1.03) and non-health sciences enrollment (aOR = 0.69; 95% CI 0.46 to 1.03) showed borderline associations that were not robust across sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: In this single-university first-year sample, adherence to the 24 h movement guidelines was relatively low. Associations should be interpreted as cross-sectional correlates, not causal determinants.