New study shows that students exercise more than before, but there is no reduction in sitting

Research results on student exercise and sitting

The latest KOTT survey is the first study which shows that the majority of students, 55 percent, meet the physical activity guidelines (Parikka et al. 2024)*. In the 2016 Student Barometer results 33 percent of students met the guidelines, and in the KOTT results for the pandemic year 2021 this figure increased to 46 percent (Ansala et al. 2018, THL 2021).

The amount of physical activity is assessed according to the Physical Activity Recommendation for adults published by the UKK Institute. The recommendations can be met by doing sufficient amounts of both endurance exercise and strength training. Nearly 70 percent of students achieve the recommended weekly amount of moderate (2.5 hours) or vigorous (1.25 hours) endurance exercise. A clear majority also do two hours per week of muscle strengthening and balance activities as recommended.

Approximately 60 percent of all students meet the minimum criteria for endurance exercise, but many do not do enough strength training. The study shows no major differences between students under thirty, but fewer of those aged 30–34 meet the guidelines; only 46 percent of men and 35 percent of women. Students at universities (59 percent) are slightly more likely to meet the physical activity recommendations than students at universities of applied sciences (51 percent).

The same positive changes have not taken place in the amount of sitting. University students sit a lot in their daily lives: 10.5 hours per day. The figures were similar in 2016 and 2021, when students would sit approximately 11 hours per day (Kunttu et al. 2017, Holm et al. 2023). The new survey shows that one in three university students now sit at least 12 hours per day on weekdays when both study and free time is taken into account. More than half of the men and nearly half of the women sit in front of a screen for more than three hours a day in their free time.

For many, regular exercise is an important way to maintain their wellbeing, but all students do not have the opportunity or motivation to exercise regularly. 11 percent of students do no weekly exercise. Even for those who are very active, exercise during their free time is not enough to make up for the negative effects of excessive sitting and sedentary behaviour.

The results of the advocacy work encourage us to keep going

The research results show that the long-term work of OLL and others has led to an increase in the physical activity of students. The National Recommendations for University Sports, which were created on OLL’s initiative, guide universities to offer students versatile opportunities for physical activity. The recommendations state that all students should have easy, low-threshold access to exercise. This means things like affordable sports services, accessible facilities, and campus environments where an active lifestyle is easy and becomes second nature. The improvements to university sports services in the last few decades and their increased accessibility since the pandemic have also supported a more active lifestyle.

Our work to promote exercise and reduce sitting must continue, however. A phenomenon report by THL states that in addition to increasing physical activity, reducing sitting and taking breaks from sedentary activities are vital health promotion measures which must be supported through steps related to study environments and university culture (Pohjola et al. 2024). The report based on the previous results includes some key measures which every university should carry out (Holm et al. 2023). They contain practical suggestions on things like fitting out study spaces, increasing the skills of the staff, and lecture practices.

Many good initiatives have already been implemented at many universities. Students can benefit from active breaks on campus and activity-based teaching, for example. The Universities on the Move activities, coordinated by OLL, has been strengthened by funding from the Get Finland Moving programme, which allows universities all over the country to improve the conditions for physical activity and create new opportunities. The development work is also strengthened by the fact that the strategic funding, which the universities agree on with the Ministry of Education and Culture, will be spent on promoting physical activity in 2025–2028.

Suggestions for increasing activity

The KOTT results emphasise the need for varied and easily accessible sports services, but also for reduced sitting and improvements to study environments. University students are not only the young adults of today, whose ability to study is maintained and improved through exercise; they are also the workers of tomorrow, whose wellbeing will impact the future of our society as a whole. When we make decisions that benefit students, we are also investing in the competitiveness and sustainable growth of our country.

Below I have collected a few factors which I think are key ways to develop active student lifestyles.

Accessible sports and wellbeing services: Students must be offered low-threshold opportunities to exercise, and they must be supported to lead an active life on campuses and in remote studies in line with the recommendations for university sports.

A stronger sense of community: Student organisations and universities can play a key role by organising events and creating spaces where students can meet in a natural way.

Lifestyle guidance included in the studies: Personal guidance on things like nutrition, sleep and daily physical activity could help students find balance in a busy stage of life.

Long-term funding for Universities on the Move: We must ensure that the measures taken by the Get Finland Moving projects take root in the basic operations of the universities.

Improved measurements: In order to prove the effectiveness, an objective measurement of the physical activity levels of a representative sample of university students will be carried out as part of the next Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey. This would give more detailed data on how well the physical activity guidelines are met and help to improve university sports services, the study environment, and the university culture.

Marika Uusi-Illikainen
OLL's Vice President 2024

*The Finnish Student Health and Wellbeing Survey KOTT 2024, which was carried out by the Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), was taken by 3 600 students aged 18–34 from universities all over Finland. The aim of the survey is to produce up-to-date data on the health, wellbeing, ability to study and health services of higher education students and the changes in these.