Sustainability

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Tao Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
Interests: physical activity; health disparities; mental health; motivation; psychology of adolescence

Prof. Dr. Jean Keller

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
Interests: health disparities; persons with intellectual; developmental disabilities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

To promote adolescents’ and emerging adults’ needed physical activity and achieve public health goals, it is vital to examine their physical activity, sedentary behavior, self-regulations, leisure and recreation activities and experiences, along health outcomes from physical, psychosocial, and environmental perspectives.

We welcome papers that explore these research interests through systematic reviews and meta-analyses, experimental research, cross-sectional and prospective research, as well as qualitative and mixed-methods research.

(1) Supportive environments in adolescents and college students in recreation and leisure experiences related to physical activity;

(2) Environmental and psychosocial correlates/determinants of healthy behaviors in the transition from adolescence to early adulthood in leisure experience focused on physical activity;

(3) Physical activity, self-regulations, and academic learning during leisure experiences;

(4) Physical activity, sedentary behavior, and obesity prevention in school, home, and community settings.

Dr. Tao Zhang
Prof. Dr. Jean Keller
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

self-regulation
physical activity
academic learning
sedentary behavior
leisure experience

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Research

16 pages, 305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Check Your Likes but Move Your Body! How the Use of Social Media Is Influencing Pre-Teens Body and the Role of Active Lifestyles

by Simone Digennaro and Alice Iannaccone

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3046; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043046 - 8 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3195

Abstract

The use of social media has been increasing among pre-teens, affecting body satisfaction and leading to the development of a dualism between real and virtual identities. It is also associated with low physical activity levels. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the influence of dualism and physical activity levels on body satisfaction in male and female pre-teens. A sample of 2378 Italian pre-teens (Mage = 12.02 years, SD = 0.82) was recruited. Two anonymous and self-administered questionnaires were used to investigate social media use, the representation of the bodies through the social media, body image, and physical activity levels. Descriptive statistics were computed for all variables; Pearson’s Chi square and Cramer’s V were calculated to assess gender differences. Linear mixed models were used to explore the association between body satisfaction (dependent variable) and physical activity levels and the dualism (independent variables). It emerged that physical activity positively influences body satisfaction for both males and females; dualism negatively influences body satisfaction only for females. Therefore, it can be assumed that the engagement of pre-teens in offline activities counteracts the undesirable consequences of the beauty ideal models proposed by image-centred social media platforms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adolescents' Self-Exploration and Physical Activity in Leisure Experience)

12 pages, 290 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Social-Ecological Factors Predict College Students’ Physical Activities and Sedentary Behavior

by Tao Zhang, Joonyoung Lee, Xiaoxia Zhang and Xiangli Gu

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 12873; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912873 - 9 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2066

Abstract

Guided by the socio-ecological model, the aim of this study was to investigate the predictive strengths of individual, social, and physical environmental factors toward different intensities of physical activity (PA; vigorous PA, moderate PA, walking) and sedentary behavior (SB) among college students. A cross-sectional research design was used. There were 287 college students (M_age = 20.75 ± 2.91; 54% female) recruited from a public research university in the Southwestern United States. Participants completed previously validated questionnaires assessing their PA, SB, and perceptions of self-efficacy, social support, and physical environment variables. Correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to examine the associations and the relative contributions of those individual, social, and physical environmental factors to PA and SB, respectively. The findings indicated that self-efficacy, social support from friends, and convenience of using exercise facilities were positively correlated with vigorous PA. Self-efficacy and physical environmental factor such as convenience of using exercise facilities were significantly associated with students’ moderate PA. Physical environmental factors, including convenience of using exercise facilities, satisfaction with neighborhood services, ease of walking to public transportation stop, and detached single-family residence were significantly related to walking, while only detached single-family residence was associated to SB. The results highlight PA interventions may do well to focus on the promotion of individual and environmental variables to increase PA in college students. More evidence is needed to determine the relationships between social ecological factors and SB. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Adolescents' Self-Exploration and Physical Activity in Leisure Experience)

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Adolescents' Self-Exploration and Physical Activity in Leisure Experience

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (2 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI