Self-reported sedentary behaviour among postgraduate students at a UK university: a cross-sectional study

We aimed to determine self-reported sedentary behaviour and associated factors among postgraduate students at the University of Sunderland in the United Kingdom (UK). We conducted a cross-sectional observational study, among postgraduate students at the University of Sunderland using an online validated Past-day Adults’ Sedentary Time – University (PAST-U) questionnaire. We utilised the Socio-Ecological Model in conceptualizing the study and in the discussion of its findings and in providing the recommendations from the study. Through word of mouth and social media campaigns, we distributed the questionnaire to the eligible students. From the online questionnaire, we exported data to Microsoft Excel then analysed it using IBM SPSS version 26. We applied the non-parametric tests – Mann–Whitney test for comparing two independent groups and Kruskal–Wallis test for comparing three groups to test the significance level of sedentary behaviour against selected demographic variables. We distributed 258 questionnaires and received 135 completed questionnaires, a 52.3% response rate. Of the 135 respondents, majority, 128 (94.8%) of students reported a past-day total sedentary time of at least 8 h, with a mean sedentary time of 14.54 h per 24 h. ‘Sitting time’ for studying, reading, using computer, and watching television were the most common sedentary behaviours, accounting for 8.67 h sedentary time per 24 h. Our study did not show any significant difference in self-reported sedentary time and behaviour across student’s sociodemographic variables and programme of study. The study found a high self-reported sedentary behaviour among postgraduate students at the University of Sunderland consisting mostly of ‘sitting time’. These findings suggest a need for future longitudinal and/or intervention studies to establish the key causal factors for the high sedentary behaviour identified, at individual, social, environmental, and public policy levels to reduce sedentary behaviour and mitigate its negative health effects among students when at campus and after graduating from the studies.